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How to come out of eating non-food items?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I fairly often ingest such things as paper, rubber bands, fingernails, scabs or dead skin, string, grass, small amounts of wood, certain rubbers and plastics. Although I do not have cravings for non-food items or ingest them in large amounts. I do not eat dirt, rocks, metal or tough things. This is obviously not normal for an 18 year old. Am I suffering from pica? Please help.
Answered by Swapan Banerjee

Education:

PGCE

Professional Bio:

Dr. Swapan Banerjee is a Dietician specializing in Nutrition and a successful Fitness Expert with 14 years of experience. He completed his PGCE, MSc in Dietetics and Food Service Management, and Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition at The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He identifies and treats disease-related malnutrition and conducts medical nutrition therapy, for example, designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of cancer cachexia. Currently, he is practicing in West Bengal.

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Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your disorder. Yes, you are suffering from pica, disorder of eating non-food items with no nutritive value. You understand that this is a bad habit and still you chew all these unwanted materials. In near future you would develop some infections inside stomach and intestinal like GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or some more GI disorders due to unhygienic practices. So, try to abstain from these safely otherwise it may also develop severe ulcer and it can even lead to cancer. I also advice to consult your nearest psychologist or counselor who can guide you mentally to control and abstain from this bad habits. Thank you and take care.

Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At May 9, 2016
Reviewed At June 16, 2023

Education:

PGCE

Professional Bio:

Dr. Swapan Banerjee is a Dietician specializing in Nutrition and a successful Fitness Expert with 14 years of experience. He completed his PGCE, MSc in Dietetics and Food Service Management, and Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition at The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He identifies and treats disease-related malnutrition and conducts medical nutrition therapy, for example, designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of cancer cachexia. Currently, he is practicing in West Bengal.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Swapan Banerjee
Swapan Banerjee

Nutritionist

Education:

PGCE

Professional Bio:

Dr. Swapan Banerjee is a Dietician specializing in Nutrition and a successful Fitness Expert with 14 years of experience. He completed his PGCE, MSc in Dietetics and Food Service Management, and Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition at The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He identifies and treats disease-related malnutrition and conducts medical nutrition therapy, for example, designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of cancer cachexia. Currently, he is practicing in West Bengal.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality
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