Ex-model Karen Thomson reveals how she overcame addiction and bulimia

Karen Thomson, a former catwalk model, has publicly shared her journey of overcoming multiple addictions, including alcoholism, cocaine use, and bulimia. Growing up in South Africa within the strict Dutch Reformed Church, she was taught to be good and follow rules, which made her descent into addiction feel devastating and shameful. She struggled with extreme shyness and found that alcohol gave her confidence and a buffer against social anxiety. Her career as a model required frequent travel, which meant her parents were unaware of her struggles, and her modeling agency provided no supervision. The pressure to stay thin led her to use cocaine, which also suppressed her appetite, and she soon developed an eating disorder, often overeating to suppress negative emotions and seeking dopamine from sugary foods. Her behavior became erratic and cruel, especially when drinking, and she pushed away friends. Eventually, she had a breakdown and called a friend, who alerted her father. Her mother insisted she go to rehab, which she had been urging for years. In rehab, she embraced openness and became an example for others, and for the first time, she understood faith not as perfection but as acceptance. After rehab, she maintained sobriety and did not keep alcohol in her home, so her children never saw her or their father drink, making alcohol seem abnormal to them. She now drinks only club soda when going out. Her story reflects a lifelong desire to help others suffer less, and she has shared her experiences to inspire and support those facing similar battles.