7 Signs That Michael Jackson Had an Eating Disorder

Michael Jackson has died and there are speculations about the cause of his death. Stress, drug problems, weak lungs and heart and extremely low body weight are all implicated.

Numerous rumours suggest that at the time of his death Michael weighted slightly over 100 pounds. Taking into consideration his height 5'.10" his BMI at the time of his death was 14.3 (compare to a healthy range BMI between 18.5 and 25.) This is about 29 pounds lower than would be considered a healthy level.

Low body weight can be a symptom of many diseases but in Michael's case, reports saying that he suffered from an eating disorder.

Eating disorders often have their own causes and certain personality traits make different people more prone to developing them. Apparently, Michael Jackson had many personality traits that would make him susceptible to developing an eating disorder. His stressful life and deprived childhood could be causes for his mental problems.

According to many sources Michael Jackson suffered from Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

What are the facts that could point to Michael Jackson having an eating disorder?

1. Jackson did mention publically about how his father physically and verbally abused him as a child and how he developed an eating disorder (provoked by a fear of his father's discipline) by the age of seven.

2. After the case of alleged child "molestation" with a 13-year-old boy, Jordy Chandler, Jackson developed a drug addiction and his childhood bulimia came back to haunt him. The stress from this case put enormous pressure on fragile health of Michael. Although the charges were dropped and the boy refused to testify any further against his "best friend Michael", the damage was already done.

3. Many people who saw him closely over the last few years before his death said he was very thin and frail. They also said that he ate very little.

4. Because of the deep concern about his physical health Jackson postponed the opening night of his comeback in London by a week. Apparently he was worried about his ability to recreate his trademark exhilarating dance moves. This tiredness is also very indicative of an eating disorder; sustenance is needed to be able to do extraneous exercise, something Michael was struggling with.

It is obvious that his fatal heart attack was precipitated by weeks of strenuous fitness routines which could have contributed to his tragic death. Just a week before the tragic event he said: "I don't know how I'm going to do 50 shows. I'm not a big eater - I need to put some weight on".

5. A few months ago at his last appearance in front of the media he announced the comeback shows in London. When he made this announcement his body was skeletal and his skin was extremely pale. He had difficulties making it through the two-minute press conference.

The show promoters were in doubt about Jackson's ability to continue with the show and some even suspected that he wouldn't even make the first concert date, so they sent a doctor to look after him.

6. Michael Jackson obviously had lots of problems regarding his body image and perfectionism. He undertook numerous plastic surgeries, changed skin colour and supported different diets and body cleansing routines. All this had become his obsession and he performed these acts in very extreme unhealthy way.

7. His drug addiction also confirms his obsessive personality trait that is present it most eating disorder sufferers. Before his death he apparently was taking a cocktail of eight different prescription drugs:
- Demerol (a painkiller that was injected 3 times daily by his doctor to stop his chronic back pain),
- Dilauded (a painkiller he took orally for the same problem),
- Vicodin (the third painkiller that was prescribed recently because of the back pain),
- Soma (used for muscle relaxation, he took them orally),
- Xanax (anti anxiety drug, he took them orally, twice daily),
- Zoloft (antidepressant that influence his serotonin level in the brain, he took it orally, daily)
- Paxil (another antidepressant that influences serotonin levels in the brain),
- Antibiotics to stop skin infection after minor surgery.

This is enormous amount of drugs for anyone, even for a healthy person, but for Michael they were probably fatal.

It looks like Michael's eating disorder definitely contributed to his death. All the things make you wonder why the medical professionals who looked after Michael didn't do anything before his death about his eating problems.

You have to ask yourself why they allow him to stay on so many drugs while his body weight was extremely low. It is just another example of how little most medical professionals know or understand the seriousness of an eating disorder.

Michael would have had his eating disorder to cope with the stress in life. His Anorexia and Bulimia would have temporary made him feel good and he may have felt that nothing could hurt him while he had an eating disorder. This is quite common for suffers of an eating disorder, they actually think it is doing them good, while in reality it is killing them.

Michael had a myriad of problems we are all aware of that, but every time he was about to release a new song someone would file a law suit wanting all his money. Many people stayed around him and pretended to be close to him only for the sake of taking money from him one way or another.

The sad fact is that Michael should never have been allowed to develop an eating disorder in the first place; people who were close to him should have got him help years ago.

Eating disorder can get out on hand very quickly and can kill anyone especially if they have the same meticulous personality as Michael had: a perfectionist one.

The best way to stop this happening is to work on your mindset, educate yourself about how the brain works and how people develop these deadly obsessions. The right knowledge may help many of you to get better and not suffer the same fate as Michael Jackson.

Dr Irina Webster MD is the Director of Eating Disorder Institute. She is an author of many books and a public speaker. http://www.eatingdisorder-institute.com