Many fans of The Real Housewives of New Jersey are praising Jackie Goldschneider for opening up about her struggles with her eating disorder, but some viewers worry that being on the show isn't helping her recovery. Jackie joined the RHONJ cast in season 9 and told her castmates about her battle with anorexia. Growing up, she struggled with her weight, and in her 20’s, started dieting and exercising compulsively. Shortly after she and her husband, Evan Goldschneider, got married, Jackie realized she needed help. She started seeing a therapist and nutritionist that helped her turn around her relationship with food.
Jackie thought she was recovered, but in RHONJ season 12, she had a tearful heart-to-heart talk with Evan. She shared how she still struggled with food and was so afraid of gaining weight and how she was hungry all the time. Jackie then tearfully confessed that she was afraid of relapsing. Jackie was shocked when Evan told her that her kids were aware of her eating habits, and he gently suggested she get the help she needed. Jackie soon contacted a renowned eating disorder facility to take those next steps in her recovery. Jackie later shared that for season 12, she really wanted to open up about her eating disorder and let RHONJ viewers in on her recovery process.
Some RHONJ fans expressed their concerns about Jackie dealing with such a tough battle on television. Reddit user NHgingerinVA shared, “I’m going to preface this with: I have had an eating disorder and still struggle with my body image issues- and this is just my opinion…Also, I don’t think she can truly get better while being on a TV show. It’s not all about appearances, but it’s about control and she can’t control what people will say. I’m a fan of her as a person, but I think the show is clearly not good for her.” Fans may remember Jules Wainstein from The Real Housewives of New York City, who also opened up about her battle with an eating disorder. A RHONJ fan who struggles with body dysmorphia agreed, adding, “I cannot imagine subjecting myself to being on a tv show with endless hours of tv footage of myself/body being played back to me. I agree that sadly I don’t see her on the path to healing unless she is off the show.”
Jackie had a tough RHONJ season 11 when her costar Teresa Giudice spread a false rumor about Evan cheating on Jackie. In the first season 11 episode, Teresa stirred up drama when she told cast members that she heard a rumor about Evan cheating on Jackie with women at his gym. The rumor got back to Jackie, who was understandably devastated. Jackie never believed it to be true, but it caused a strain in their marriage and threatened Evan’s career. Jackie and Evan’s relationship seems stronger than ever, and Evan told Jackie he would fully support her during her road to recovery.
Many RHONJ fans applaud Jackie for her bravery and for dealing with such a personal struggle on camera. Jackie shared that her kids are now aware of her eating disorder and is educating them by watching the show together every week. She is also happy that others who have gone through similar struggles can see her process and hopefully take that step themselves. Jackie recently shared the update that she’s out of the danger zone with her weight and is the healthiest she’s ever been.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.
Source: NHgingerinVA/Reddit
