Jancucik open about anorexia and mental health

Jancucik is a sunshine who brings an incredible amount of energy with her videos and it is impossible not to like her. But she also went through a period when she didn't laugh much, on the contrary, it was the most difficult period in her life. Janka suffered from anorexia nervosa. We asked Jancucik what eating disorders look like and what their consequences are for mental and physical health.

Hello Janka, you recently published a video on TikTok in which you talk about your mental health and that you have been visiting a psychiatrist for a long time. How do you feel about creating content that reveals such sensitive information?

“Since the very beginning of my YouTube channel, I have relied heavily on honesty and a close relationship with my fans. And that's why I think that this information about me shouldn't be kept secret and since I'm aware that I'm a role model for some young people, I want to share my experiences with them all the more so that I showed them that they don't have to be ashamed of it and there is a way out."

“I myself like to point out that it is normal that you go to the doctor when something hurts. When your knee hurts you go to an orthopedist, when your soul hurts you go to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Mental health is something we should not be ashamed of, but on the contrary we should take care of it and seek it out if necessary professional help.” 

How long have you been seeing a psychiatrist and why do you think it is important to work on your mental health?

"I've been seeing a psychiatrist since I was 14, but I've been seeing a psychologist since I was 11. I started seeing a psychologist because of my eating disorder, and then, when the psychologist couldn't help me anymore, she referred me to a psychiatrist, and there we solved bigger problems associated with treatment with drugs. And now I have returned to regular sessions with a psychiatrist because I want to take care of my mental health."

"Since we live with each other all our lives, it is definitely very necessary to take care of ourselves and not forget our health as a whole, whether physical or mental. And it also helps a person to get to know himself better.”

Among other things, you openly communicate your story about anorexia, which you also projected in the short film ANNINE'S DIARIES. What was the main goal of this project and what did it leave behind in you?

“The main goal of this project was to create something meaningful for me to focus on and help me get out of my difficult situation. Thanks to the fact that I put my whole head into Anna's journals, my brain didn't have so much space to think nonstop about food and how to lose weight."

"So, first of all, this project was for me to get out of anorexia, but secondly, the film was created in order to spread awareness about the fact that in Slovakia there are very few places where experts can help young people under the age of 18 who suffer from an eating disorder. And since very little information about anorexia reached people, I thought that the easiest way to convey information to people is a video. Since I already liked making videos myself, I immediately thought of creating a short film on this topic. Through the film, I also wanted to show people that there is a way out, because people suffering from PPP forget that there is life outside of anorexia."

We had the honor and she launched the premiere of the film ANNINE DENNÍKY together with us during a live stream in the Vidado studio. Which moment from the entire stream touched you the most?

"I have been dealing with this project since I was 15 years old, and the most, the greatest moment for me was when I got to you in Vidado and that you were able to help me with it. That was the biggest success for me and I was very happy about it. But absolutely the most powerful moment was when people saw the whole movie, because I know it was a long time coming and we tried to make it as good as possible and they told me that it was great and that it would definitely help people. "

Do you think that the topic of anorexia nervosa is sufficiently communicated in Slovakia? What would you change?

“I think not. I can say from my own experience that when I gave various lectures on the topic of anorexia nervosa, people did not understand it and had this eating disorder pigeonholed only as the fact that a person is very, very thin. And it's not just about the physical appearance, but mainly about mental health, because even a person who is not emaciated can have anorexia. And that's why it's important not to judge people based on how they look. Anorexia nervosa does the most damage to our thinking because it distorts our thinking and perception of ourselves and how we see ourselves in the mirror. People suffering from PPP do not see their real reflection in the mirror, but someone else they have created in their head.”

Can anorexia nervosa be completely cured? Who can people turn to who are looking for help?

"If I'm honest, I think not completely, because a suffering person can very easily fall back into it and basically lives on thin ice all his life. Sometimes really little is enough, like a stupid comment or an unpleasant situation. So I think you can't completely cure it because it will always be somewhere in the back of your head, but you can work with it and live a very nice life. I myself am in a state where I try to work with it and I know that I don't want to get into that difficult state anymore, but the thoughts in my head are still there, they haven't completely disappeared."

"People who suffer from PPP can turn to the wonderful Lust for Life project, but I would definitely recommend turning to the help of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Don't be afraid of it. For me personally, the hardest thing was to admit that something was wrong with me, so the sooner you admit that something is not quite right, the better, because you will not fall into such a difficult situation as I was."

What effects did this eating disorder have on you?

"For me, anorexia mainly changed the way I perceived myself. I'm still working on liking myself, but body dysmorphia is the strongest for me (Body dysmorphia is a morbid fear of one's own ugliness. People with this diagnosis do not perceive themselves the way their surroundings perceive them. When they look in the mirror, they feel disgust and anxiety, which slowly leads to panic, social phobias and depression, which lead to extreme changes in appearance or, on the contrary, to self-harm.)"

“It also caused me physical problems, I had long-term blood problems. But anorexia nervosa damaged my psyche the most, and I'm still struggling with it and I'm still being treated."

What has been the biggest myth about anorexia that you've heard so far?

"The biggest myth is definitely the claim that a person who has anorexia is thin. So I would really like to explain to people and educate them a little about the fact that anorexia is mainly in the head and what happens to the body is only the result of how a person thinks, and that I also try to emphasize in the lectures on PPP."

Why is this eating disorder so very dangerous?

"It is especially dangerous because a person in this state does not think rationally, his mind is as if controlled and the disease thinks for him. It is as if another person is constantly undermining his legs and saying, that he is not good enough. It can reach a stage where their body collapses, or a person with PPP takes their own life.“

"The absolute worst part is that even if a person with PPP is sure to die, the medical report always lists the cause of death as, for example, heart failure, but it never says that the death was caused by an eating disorder, and therefore those mortality percentages are not accurate.”

"So really the greatest danger is death, because a person does not know when to stop and does not know when to admit that something is wrong with him and does not know how much he is hurting himself and others." /p>

Are you planning other projects focused on PPP or mental health?

"I am currently in close contact with the project Lust for life, which I am trying to make visible. And I would really like to share information about PPP with people through my videos and posts on social networks and spread some kind of awareness so that it gets talked about as much as possible.”

What would Do you have a message for people who don't feel good in their bodies?

"It is a huge and long journey on which one learns to like oneself. I myself haven't finished it yet, but when you come to the fact that you're going to live with yourself for the rest of your life, it's really important to have a good relationship with yourself and the sooner, the better." /strong>

We only have one health, physical and mental, so we should not prioritize one over the other. Janka is a strong person who went through a difficult stage of anorexia nervosa and is a living example that there is a way out, there is a life outside PPP that is beautiful and in which food is not a scarecrow. If you suspect that you or your loved one has an unhealthy relationship with food, definitely do not hesitate to visit the beautiful Lust for Life project, which has also recently launched a helpline.