The French content creator and television presenter JujuFitcats has opened up about her personal battle with anorexia nervosa, revealing that the diagnosis emerged from an unexpected place: persistent suicidal thoughts that seemed to have no rational explanation.
A Diagnosis Born From Suicidal Thoughts
The 31-year-old presenter, whose real name is Justine Becattini Delapart, made the revelations during an appearance on France 5’s talk show C à Vous, ahead of the release of her new book Guérir de l’anorexie, c’est possible (Recovering From Anorexia Is Possible), co-written with psychiatrist Cécile Feltin and published by Éditions Solar.
For JujuFitcats, the journey began when she started experiencing suicidal thoughts despite what appeared to be a fulfilling life.
“When I started having those thoughts, in my mind it was anything but normal, because I’m lucky enough to have a loving family, to have studied something I enjoyed, I was a good student, I had a group of friends,” she explained.
“On paper, I don’t see any reason for it,” she added.
The Doctor’s Warning That Changed Everything
Concerned by these thoughts, JujuFitcats decided to consult her general practitioner. During the appointment, she described her daily routine, her eating habits, and her relationship with exercise.
The doctor’s response was blunt: “She told me: ‘You do realise that something is very wrong. Based on everything you’re telling me about your training and the way you eat, this absolutely cannot meet your needs.'”
The presenter, who was a student at the time, acknowledged that she lacked the energy her brain needed to function properly.
It was her doctor who first used the term “anorexia nervosa.” According to the medical professional, JujuFitcats had reached a stage where she would have no choice but to be “taken to a hospital” if she continued down that path.
Having already experienced health problems in her youth, the threat of hospitalisation triggered a traumatic memory that “acted as a trigger, an electroshock” for the content creator. “That’s what allowed me to start treatment,” she said.
The Trap of Apparent Virtue
Describing herself as naturally fond of food, JujuFitcats explained how anorexia operates through control.
“It’s an illness that lives in control: so you deprive yourself of things you love, first voluntarily, then it ends up scaring you so much that, unfortunately, it becomes almost easier to keep depriving yourself,” she said.
She also described how hunger signals become distorted due to a shrunken stomach. “We get used to it, our desires change, and we truly deprive ourselves of things that fundamentally please us and do us good,” she testified candidly.
When host Anne-Élisabeth Lemoine raised the issue of delayed diagnosis, JujuFitcats highlighted another dangerous dynamic: the risk of being praised by those around you during weight loss.
“At first, you feel like you’re in a virtuous circle,” she observed, referring to the initial elimination of processed foods, sugary products, or items considered unhealthy.
However, this initial perception, combined with exercise, “makes us fall into excesses,” she warned. While acknowledging that experiences vary from person to person, she noted that when this happens, “you end up removing food groups that are fundamental for your body, exercising even when you don’t even feel like it. It becomes a punishment, and sport becomes a constraint, so it’s very complicated.”
A Mission to Help Others
The book, released on October 8, combines JujuFitcats’ personal account with professional guidance from psychiatrist Cécile Feltin, who is active on social media as psychiatrie.sans.filtre.
This is not the first time the influencer has shared her experiences publicly. In 2021, she published Sans filtre, a book covering topics including nutrition, recipes, sport, ecology, and well-being.
JujuFitcats continues to balance her content creation career with her television role as host of the after-show for La France à un incroyable talent on M6.
Understanding Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is characterised by intentional weight loss, distinguishing it from anorexia as a medical symptom, which refers to involuntary loss of appetite, according to the French national health insurance website.
The condition affects individuals across all demographics, and early intervention is considered crucial for recovery. As JujuFitcats’ experience demonstrates, the illness can develop even in those who appear to have no obvious risk factors.
