"Teased relentlessly" — My 600-lb Life star Karen details the challenges she faced growing up

My 600-lb Life Season 13 released Episode 3, Karen's Journey, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, documenting the story of Karen Suffern, a 42-year-old North Carolina resident, who sought the help of Dr. Nowzaradan, popularly known as Dr. Now, after struggling to keep her weight in check. Like most patients on My 600-lb Life, Karen's childhood played a significant role in triggering her food addiction.

From experiencing abuse as a child to feeling burdened by family responsibilities, various factors played a role in motivating Karen to turn to food. She admitted that she saw eating as a coping mechanism that helped her endure the stress of life and grapple with feeling emotionally dissatisfied.

The binge eating eventually caused her weight to spiral out of control and reach an alarming range at a young age. The more weight she put on, the more unwanted she felt, feeling singled out as the "overweight kid" due to her appearance.

"I had to be the overweight kid, the fat kid. Teased relentlessly," she said.

The sadness of everyday living weighed heavily on the My 600-lb Life cast member's mind, urging her to self-harm. Eventually, Karen was admitted to a mental hospital to deal with her depression and anxiety.

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"I'll just never forget that feeling" — My 600-lb Life's Karen recalls past trauma

Karen expressed that her debilitating eating habits caused her weight to spiral out of control, making her a "prisoner" in her own home. She was completely homebound and cut off from the world. Despite knowing what caused her health to deteriorate, Karen confessed she could not break the cycle of eating since it was the thing that made her happy.

While reminiscing about the time her addiction started, Karen admitted to using food as a "security blanket." She recalled a time in kindergarten when she was beaten by the person in charge of helping her with her homework, only because she could not understand the assignment.

"I still have a lot of disdain for this person to this day. I'll just never forget that feeling, and wondering why," Karen said.

The experience emotionally scarred the My 600-lb Life cast member, making her feel unwanted. It marked the beginning of Karen's food addiction as she confessed that it was easier to eat than confront her feelings or share them with her mother.

Soon after, Karen was handed family responsibilities since her grandmother and mother had to work long hours at the hospital. From picking her brothers up from daycare to cooking their meals, Karen had to become their guardian in her mother's absence. It was then that she ate "large portions of food" to cope with the anxiety, unaware that it would eventually take a toll on her health.

"I was sitting in my 7th-grade class the first time I experienced a panic attack. It was a sensation as if I was fainting 'cause everything was going black but my eyes were wide open," she confessed.

While recalling her first panic attack, Karen stated that it felt like having a heart attack. She did not know the difference since she never discussed her chest pains with anyone else.

Tired of being "teased," as a teenager, the My 600-lb Life star admitted to allowing herself "to be taken advantage by guys" so she could feel accepted. Karen stated it made her feel worse about herself.

"It made me feel like nothing, like a no one. Like being isolated and alone, feeling shame was just feelings I didn't wanna talk to anybody else about. It became a downward spiral," she said in a My 600-lb Life confessional.

At that point, Karen started "self-harming, binging, and then throwing up." Since the process "helped," she continued doing it. It ultimately pushed the cast member to feel depressed and unhappy.

When Karen turned 18, she was sent to a mental hospital for about seven months. After being discharged, she moved to North Carolina to live with her mother. The My 600-lb Life star stated that she started studying to become a counselor. However, she had to start working from home after suffering a major panic attack during a staff meeting.

Ever since she shifted her workplace, she started putting on weight and by the age of 23, she weighed nearly 400 pounds. Due to Karen's difficult childhood and depression, her weight snowballed, compelling her to seek Dr. Now's help, hoping to turn her life around. However, she failed to keep up with the program and ultimately quit.

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My 600-lb Life airs on Wednesdays at 8 pm ET only on TLC.