Caroline Garcia opens up about her eating disorder, reveals how she was forced into it by feelings of sadness and emptiness
2022 WTA Finals winner Caroline Garcia recently opened up about her eating disorder. The World No. 4 revealed details about her struggles with bulimia nervosa, a type of eating disorder, by saying how it happened "to fill the void."
Bulimia nervosa is a serious type of eating disorder that involves binge eating and overeating. It is often followed by getting rid of all the food, by using methods like vomiting.
In a conversation with French sports daily L'Equipe via ESPN, the Frenchwoman shared details of her struggles in dealing with bulimia. Reflecting on the disorder, Garcia stated how it differs from person to person, as some starve themselves and some overeat.
"Everyone is different. Some will stop eating and for me it was the opposite: I used to take refuge in food," Caroline Garcia said.
She further shed some more light on her ordeal.
"You feel so empty, so sad, that you need to fill yourself. It came from the distress of not managing to do what I wanted to do on court, of not winning anymore, of suffering physically," she added.
The former doubles World No. 2 also described how being alone in her room made it worse, as "it was harder to control."
"Eating would appease me for a few minutes. We all know it does not last but it was an escape route. When you're alone, it's harder to control. In tennis, you spend a lot of time alone in your room. It's how it often happened. You start understanding and realising that if it happens, it's not the end of the world," she added.
Caroline Garcia further reveals how she manages her eating disorder
Much to her fans' and well-wishers' relief, Caroline Garcia said that she is now managing her eating disorder. Speaking further into the matter, the Frenchwoman said she has started to take care of herself.
"Since I've been taking time for myself, it happens less. And when it happens, I accept it better and feel less guilty. Allowing myself some regular indulgences helps me avoid having too many of these cravings," she said.
She also reflected on her earlier days of the struggle where she was "too tough" on herself.
"I was too tough on myself at some point. I'm the type of person who weighs themselves to the gram. Now, if I've been wanting pizza for two days, I'm going to have the pizza, Caroline Garcia added.
The 29-year-old had a stellar 2022 season as she reached the semifinals of the US Open, her best ever Grand Slam performance. She also won the 2022 WTA Finals by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.