Customer Reviews (427)

excellent book, tragic story
This is the tale of an intelligent, thoughtful, considerate young woman who nonetheless falls prey over and over again to her disorder. This book leaves the reader hoping very much that Ms. Hornbacher will be able to turn the massive amount of brainpower that goes into a book as stunningly evocative and effecting as this one to healing her own disorder.

The best book on E.D. out there.

Interesting but way too wordy
I really did like this book but it is SO wordy and I feel like it is too wordy to be a memoir.It is obvious she is very intelligent but it has a little too much fluff for such an intense topic. Plus she definitely contradicts herself a lot which irritates me.

brilliant
This memoir is absolutely spellbinding - the elegant writing and deep-found intelligence of the author make this true story impossible to put down. Particularly for those who have suffered from eating disorders, Hornbacher's brutal honesty and courage in addressing such a taboo issue and emotional state are not only relatable but inspiring - may you find solstice in her words.

Pathological
This book has the feel of someone boasting about just how bad and pathological she was.In reality, she was not recovered and was still in the grips of her eating disordered thoughts and mindset. (Significant personality pathology as well). Warning to those who are easily triggered--this book is not right for you.This book could be useful for professionals wanting to get an "insider" perspective of someone with severe symptoms.However, would not recommend this book for eating disordered sufferers who need to recover.This book would likely set you backwards.

wasted
This book was so very honest that I made my twin sister read it to have some understanding about myED. My own husband did not even know I had an ED for years until I left him a letter on the dinner table one night. I wish I had Marya's Strength. This book can be a trigger and I found myself reading certain parts over and over again just not to feel alone when I was re-living the same habbits of this horrible disease that she was. I like to think That I have recovered and I still pull "Wasted" off the book shelf once on a while and re-read it. I am thankful for Marya's complete honesty no matter how ugly it gets because I was able to just hand this book to my family and give them a sense of understanding. ... Read more

Product Description
Is there a resemblance between the contemporary anorexic teenager counting every calorie in her single-minded pursuit of thinness, and an ascetic medieval saint examining her every desire? Rudolph M. Bell suggests that the answer is yes.

"Everyone interested in anorexia nervosa . . . should skim this book or study it. It will make you realize how dependent upon culture the definition of disease is. I will never look at an anorexic patient in the same way again."--Howard Spiro, M.D., Gastroenterology

"[This] book is a first-class social history and is well-documented both in its historical and scientific portions."--Vern L. Bullough, American Historical Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Do not bother reading this book.
This book typifies the problem of our patriarchal society.Not only is it poorly researched, but I find the writing self-indulgent and empty. Bell's understanding (or lack there of) of anorexia is insulting to humanity.

The present as window on the past
Bell compares modern descriptions of anorexia nervosa with the recorded behavior of some of the best-known Italian female saints from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries. He argues that Clare of Assisi, Catherine of Siena, and other holy women were not only victims of a disease, but also in a way victims of a medieval Christian culture which allowed young women no other way to experience the disease's effects than as symptoms of religious fervor.

Bell's attitude toward his sources is capricious - sometimes he treats his medieval sources as literal truth, sometimes as distorted, agenda-ridden hagiography. They are, undoubtedly, a bit of both.Nonetheless, it is obvious that these holy women were more likely than their male counterparts to practice ascetic - even bizarre - food rituals in lieu or excess of other ascetic behavior. In this respect, Bell's book necessarily suffers in comparison with Caroline Walker Bynum's _Holy Feast and Holy Fast: The Religious Significance of Food to Medieval Women_, for Bynum spends a great more deal of time considering the phenomenon of female fasting in the both its broad medieval and specific Christian contexts. Still, Bell's argument for a connection between the rise of "holy anorexia" and the development of the mendicant orders is an intriguing bit of historical cause and effect.

Bell's methodology suggests that the "bizarre" behavior of women so removed from our own time is actually very familiar. While the argument itself falls flat at times, he does shed new light on an issue which could otherwise too easily be dismissed as spiritual excess.

Holy Anorexia
This book is an excellent historic study of women possesed with piety, most of these women were nuns from the 14-15th century.They expressed a dedication to Christ through an aesthetic lifestyle that includedstarvation, self-inflicted torture, mystical hallucinations and extremeself-denial.The women who starved to death gained a martyr like status. A facinating book! ... Read more

Product Description
Eating disorders–including anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive overeating–are among the most painful and difficult illnesses a person can face. Sufferers know firsthand the confusion and agony these illnesses can bring. They also know how it feels to long for hope–and to wonder if victory can ever be achieved.

The truth is, eating disorders affect the whole person. Yet treatments often focus on emotional issues alone. In this powerful book for individuals who suffer from eating disorders and those who love them, Dr. Gregg Jantz fills in the gaps left by traditional treatment programs, tackling not only the emotional, but also the crucial and all-too-often ignored relational, physical, and spiritual dimensions of healing.

Outlining a comprehensive, holistic, and practical approach, Hope, Help, and Healing for Eating Disorders brings spiritual, relational, and physical elements back into the healing process. Described by best-selling author and physician Lendon Smith, author of Feed Your Kids Right, as “the most helpful book on eating disorders there is,” this book will, with God’s help and grace, lead readers out of their bondage to eating disorders and permanently transform lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A Must Read!
This book is a must read for anyone who has been touched by eating disorders! Dr. Jantz walks the reader through the pain and issues, always from a loving, compassionate- and relevant - Christian approach. The reader is guided to greater tools of healing and recovery through this book; the journal and "workbook" aspects of it alone, shine a much needed light of God's love and truth to the individual and to the disorder. It is a must read for those afflicted in any way, as well as for those within the field of eating disorder treatment and recovery!

Great concepts for treating eating disorders
I am aminister that does counseling with individuals struggling with a variety of issues including eating disorders.

Over and over again I find that the issues that Dr. Jantz address in this book are common among those I counsel. Especially the area of unforgiveness. I am convinced that unforgiveness is the #1 root of much mental illness, addictions, and emotional instability.

I really appreciate Dr. Jantz's whole-person approach to the treating of eating disorders. Too many times counselors and treatment facilities only deal with changing behavior and ignore the other areas of a person's life. Based upon my experience, unless all areas of a person's life is addressed they will not experience long term recovery.

Reading teh book you come to understand that Dr. Jantz is interested in more than a person having victory over eating disorders-his goal is for them to become a whole person in all areas of their life.

wasn't as helpful as I thought it would be.
As a woman of God, I looked to this book for hope and faith that one day I'll overcome my eating disorder. I am currently 2 years into recovery from EDNOS.

However, although this book isn't as bad as "the best little girl in the world," I was not pleased. I felt like it was going no where. I didn't really get any answers at all. The continuous repetitive thoughts going through my mind basically read "okay, but... I already knew that... what's next?"

Not worth it!
If you are not a religious person, don't waste your time. Too much God and not enough healing.

Hope, Help, and Healing for Eating Disorders
This book gave me hope and has started to Heal my wounds from the past.The questions written in the book that you ask yourself are tough and do bring up painful memories. However, this is how you begin to heal and learn to forgive so that you can be set free from Anger, Unforgiveness and Shame and guilt.You do what you do to cope for a reason and a way of escape.
I praise God that he has blessed me with this book.
I pray it blesses you too. ... Read more

Product Description
“Appetite for Life is a breakthrough in the field of eating disorders and for those who suffer from them. Through real-life stories of inspiration and recovery, Margie Ryerson’s fresh, effective approach proves that it is possible to triumph over eating disorders and live a healthy, happy life. Not only will I use Margie’s powerful examples in my own practice, I will also recommend her book to all my clients, their families, and all the eating disorder professionals I know.”
—Debra Waterhouse MPH, RD, best-selling author of Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell and Outsmarting the Mother/Daughter Food Trap

Customer Reviews (5)

Heartfelt and Excellent
I'm 18 years old and suffer from anorexia. I am currently in the process of recovering. I really enjoyed reading this book because it gave me hope that I can recover. There were also some very useful tips and suggestions mentioned. However, my only qualm is the fact that more than one of the stories focused on how having children saved the eating disorder sufferer's life. I can appreciate this and while it's a very valid point, it is not a tool I can currently use. I only wish there were more examples in regards to how people found a life outside of their abusive relationships with food.

If you struggle with an eating disorder, I would HIGHLY recommend "Appetite for Life."

A decent overview of eating disorders
As an eating disorder counselor, I've worked with over two thousand women with eating disorders at an inpatient treatment facility.This book gives a good overview of what an eating disorder is, what it can do to a life, and the great changes that come with recovery.But it is just that, an overview.Because the stories are short, they cannot paint a deep picture of who these people (in the book) are, or the true self-destructive nature of eating disorders.This book is inspiring in that you will read about several people who have made significant changes in their lives for the better, but you will not come away with a particularly deep understanding of the diseases.This is a good book to read if you are hopeless about your own eating disorder, but not if you want to learn about eating disorders overall.

A Great Approach
I was very impressed with this book. I found that I could not even put it down! There is something wonderful about reading a book that focuses on people's lives and how they overcame terrible situations. "Appetite for Life" approaches eating disorders from a different angle, and I have already told all my friends, especially those with young daughters, to read it!

"Interesting and Educational"
"Appetite for Life" is one of the most interesting books that I have read on the subject of eating disorders. Reading about seven people and their experiences made the problem much more understandable than just a regular how-to book. I like how the author combines these stories and examples from her therapy practice. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about eating disorders.

Heart, Hope and really good information....
Having gone through my own recovery from compulsive overeating, I have found that books on this topic have often been either over-simplified and condescending, or complex and intimidating.Personal memoirs have been either overly dramatic and maudlin, or saccharinly sweet.Ryerson's compilation of stories is refreshingly free of all of these extremes.She adds clear prose and heartful insights to her clients' stories, so that the book reflects a tone of partnership, the kind of thing all of us could use when grappling with this topic:We're not alone, even when we might feel alone."Appetite for Life" did indeed inspire me - to keep on keeping on with my recovery, and in the process, I was moved to tears, smiles and some of my own insights about myself. This is the kind of book that would be great to read even if you're not a recovering addict - but want to be informed, and read some plain-ole-good stories while doing so.And what a gift this book will be for friends and family members still struggling. ... Read more

Product Description
The synthesis of forty years of pioneering work by the world's leading authority on the emotional aspects of eating disorders. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Real and Caring Analysis and Potential Solution
This book is excellent.It's probably a classic or "the" classic (I don't know it's not my field).I read it many years ago, probably just after it was published, and I still remember most of its lessons.Anyone interested in "weight studies" should buy and read this book.

Reading a recent article on women's neurology I was astounded that the writers/scientists never once mentioned psychotherapy and the role of emotions and early childhood experiences in their literature analysis.It was as if anorexia and bulimia were genetic diseases, existing outside of culture.I know it's very hard to treat anorexia (bulimia is easier) but it is possible and Bruch outlines how to do it.

unique insight
Studies today revolve around body image and ignore the emotions and thoght processes vital to understanding eating disorders. Bruch brilliantly describes what it is to suffer from these wayward thought processes, andoffers an incredibly insightful and intimate look into the world of ananorexic. Excellent for those who are suffers and for those trying tounderstand. ... Read more

Product Description
What to say-and what not to say-when a friend or family member has an eating disorder.

When a friend or family member shows signs of an eating disorder, the first impulse is to charge in, give advice, and fix what is wrong. But these tactics-however well-intentioned-can backfire.

This compassionate guide offers ways to tackle the tough topics of body image, media messages, physical touch, diets, and exercise-along with a special section on talking about these issues with children. It includes information about when to get professional help, how to handle emergencies, and answers to difficult questions such as "Am I too fat?" or "Is this ok to eat?" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Amazing book for significant others and all loved ones
I'm a recovering individual. I'm sure this book is great for all loved ones, but I specifically tried to use it with my boyfriend. When there is a question in the book, such as "Should I confront my loved one when she/he is using symptoms?" the book offers a few suggestions, because no two individuals are alike. I highlighted the information that I wanted my boyfriend to take and turned over the corners on pages that were particularly important, to say, "You are not doing this and it's super important that you do!". Some of the great advice that I can remember is that you can confront someone about using symptoms but do not confront them WHILE they are using symptoms. For example, if your loved one is binging and purging, do not talk to them about it until later, in a safe and comfortable environment. It also said that some individuals want to be stopped from purging, while others do not, and that is a conversation one should have with their loved one. It gave tips for how to deflect questions such as, "Do I look fat?" It teaches skills where most loved ones are, unfortunately, sorely lacking.

If your loved one is trying to recover, I might give them this book and have them highlight some things, to see if there are any areas where they really want you to change some unhelpful behaviors. Keep in mind that some of the highlighting might be performed by the individual's eating disorder, but it IS her/his recovery. If you think some of what is highlighted is ridiculous and it's just to protect the eating disorder, then that may be a great thing to bring up in family/couples therapy. If your loved one is still in the midst of an eating disorder, not yet ready to work on recovery, then I would read this book without asking her/him to highlight anything. She/he might just use it to manipulate you, and they might not be ready to talk about their eating disorder at all.

I highly recommend this book to significant others, parents, siblings, and friends. It is a super quick and easy read. I recommend it to all my recovering friends when they ask me, "How can I help my family understand my eating disorder?"

Good information, but very basic
Heaton and Strauss have written a book on a very complex topic - eating disorders - and have done a good job in breaking things down so that a caregiver or anyone who is concerened can help through practical means - in conversation, actions, etc... I felt that they provided some very good suggestions as to specific words that are helpful, and words that don't encourage.

I bought this book, as my mid-twenty year old girlfriend has anorexia. Unfortunately, I found that while good information was presented, it was very basic. For example, the first chapter talks about blame and how blaming others can complicate a situation. While this is true, I didn't need to be reminded of this simple fact.

There is no fluff in this book what-so-ever. It is simply filled with tons of suggestions of things to say or not to say, along with a description for each comment. I found it frustratingly simple, with, as I've said before, many topics that felt like common sense. I feel that this book, however, would be a fantastic resource for younger friends of a person with an ED, maybe for the middle school and early highschool years.

On average, I read about half the book within about a 3-day time period, and skimmed the rest.

Chapters include topics on:
Blame, understanding change, being in control of what you can and should be in control of, conversation basics, talking about body image, talking about messages from the media, talking about touch (for romantic relationships), talking about diet, talking about exercise, talking about professional help, talking to young people, managing emergencies, handling relapses, and a "dos and don'ts" chapter.

Each chapter is short, and, as I said before, have many of the "comments" in bold, with an explaination.

For me, this wasn't helpful, although it did affirm a lot that I already knew or felt. I will be searching for a more exhaustive resource, probably this time, one specifically on anorexia.

Really focuses on what the title suggests!
I found this book as a second try and I'm glad I did! When I had the need for a book on this subject I checked one out of the public library in my hometown. It was so bad I returned it after reading about half. I found this one on Amazon and ordered it without reviews but I'm happy I took a chance.

The focus of the book is on talking, communication and understanding. How to be the best support for a person you love. It empathetically explains what you can expect to help out with and kindly lets you know when to hold back or have patience and realize that you cannot control what someone else eats.

That said there is a lot that you can do to be supportive and encouraging. I have read each section and found myself better understanding what the person suffering from the eating disorder is actually thinking. How they are processing what we are saying, for good or bad.I realized that this is one disorder where it is so easy to try your best to be supportive but fail because your words are inadvertently hurtful or misunderstood.

What I also loved about this book was the lack of filler. It does not spend pages quoting side effects, endless paragraphs of examples that take up space or chapters dedicated to rehash.They wrote a book that filled a need and not to make money on a "hot" topic. It also lets you in on the fact that with an eating disorders there is no easy cure. Many of the books I looked at seemed to hint that if you followed this or that program you'd have this problem crossed off your list, and fast.

The author explains the long term situation, the 3 steps forward 2 steps back path that this disorder usually takes.I appreciated knowing that it might be a long road and not to expect miracles. I learned how to listen, so I'd know when to bring up certain subjects to get the ball rolling again or for the fist time.

Very insightful and informative.
Thank you Ms. Heaton and Ms. Strauss

... Read more

Product Description
A remarkable memoir of a girl’s journey through anorexia ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Detailed, well written, but a little Boring
I have read over 20 Eating Disorder memoirs. This one really portrayed how people can have anorexia alongside moderate forms of OCD. The author writes in detail...her life over 9 years...she was heavily consumed by anorexia and the need to be perfect. However this book is different in how close she is to her family, how incredibly supportive they are..how driven she was by perfection and to please others down to the fine detail. It is also different in that she never once mislead people, told lies, or played games in her illness. She 100% was the perfect patient, and tried ever so hard to get better and comply with all treatment and help. I was amazed.

Also, in the back of the book it has 3-4 letters from family, explaining how they coped from their perspective as a mother, father, sister, brother and boyfriend.

I think this book could be extremely helpful for families and professionals in understanding the complexity and multi-facets of the illness, especially medically and physically.

I don't feel it's that helpful for sufferers unless you also suffer from OCD and an amazing ability to ALWAYS want to overcome the disorder instead of holding onto it.

She was amazingly compliant and good! I found the story interesting, but not so gripping or insightful.

Good Read!
I have read a lot of books on Eating Disorders from fiction to nonfiction. 'Perfect' is a book I would definitely suggest reading! I loved it because it was so different from most eating disorder books. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the book was actually written because a lot of books I've seen lately have been written using the worst language, spelling typos, etc. This book however, was well written which made the flow of the story so much easier. It also had a more mature (or maybe a more intellectual approach) outlook/analysis on the whole eating disorder nightmare which was more entertaining for myself and probably anyone else above the age of 17. Anyone either dealing with this disease them self or know someone who is, should absolutely take some time and read through this novel, you'll learn/understand more of this disease after you finish the novel! ... Read more

Product Description
Here, collected for the first time, 19 writers describe their eating disorders from the distance of recovery, exposing as never before the anorexic's self-enclosed world. Taking up issues including depression, genetics, sexuality, sports, religion, fashion and family, these essays examine the role anorexia plays in a young person's search for direction. Powerful and immensely informative, this collection makes accessible the mindset of a disease that has long been misunderstood.

With essays by Priscilla Becker, Francesca Lia Block, Maya Browne, Jennifer Egan, Clara Elliot, Amanda Fortini, Louise Glück, Latria Graham, Francine du Plessix Gray, Trisha Gura, Sarah Haight, Lisa Halliday, Elizabeth Kadetsky, Maura Kelly, Ilana Kurshan, Joyce Maynard, John Nolan, Rudy Ruiz, and Kate Taylor.

www.anchorbooks.com
www.goinghungry.com ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Starving for life
On the surface, anorexia is a tragic disease of self-starvation. Underneath, however, lies an individual with a voracious hunger for life, meaning, purpose, connection, and validation. _Going Hungry_ is an illuminating collection of essays from 19 writers whose personal experiences shed light on this highly misunderstood disease, and offer a deeper look into the mindset of this body-destructive disorder. Informative, fascinating, poignant, touching, and eye-opening, _Going Hungry_ offers a much-needed course to the growing menu of eating disorder publications.

is the Why really what you think it is?
Ms Taylor edited a set of really great, poignant essays which delve in the mindset of Anorexia and attempt (rather successfully) to try to explain why, what, how and the when during different periods of the disease.
We all on some subconscious level believe that Anorexia is a disease of white middle class affluent girls and this is simply not true.
The editor let everyone talk - it wasn't about whether the individual had overcome the disease or was still in the throes of it but the most important thing was each person spoke.

And I learnt - much...

Insightful views of the problem
This book has very good and varied views of people who have and will always have this horrible disease. Being a parent of a woman struggling with this now and for the past 16 years it just helps to see that no one is alone and the manifestations are the same all across the board!

When happens when "thin" is in style
In 20th century America and beyond starving yourself has become de rigueur. This svelte woman of today, she is what we gauge our version of attractiveness upon. Unlike the women of the Renaissance who had wide thighs, sturdy hips, and bulbous derrieres, were considered the epitome of attractiveness because they had money to feed themselves, our society doesn't believe that starvation is a blight upon the land. Now society hails to the anorexic. This is the girl who disappears to be seen by her parents, or the CEO who wants to self-improve, as if her career wasn't enough, as she simultaneously destroys her body into oblivion. Compromising what you eat on a day-to-day basis is a form of control and regulation of emotions, eating, dating, or sleep and this is what American society, with its rampant credit card excesses, cadre of kitchen gadgets that are never used, plethora of second homes, all seem to be the standard that needs to be followed rigorously by some, perhaps even excelled to.

By not overindulging in food you are proving to the world that you are successful with one thing: your weight. Whether successful or not, model, actress, CEO, women show the world their thin bodies, tiny waists, or constant craving for protein and petite corporate lunches that we, the women of today, are in control. As each new iteration of the DSM IV comes out there is always another definition of psycho-sickness. Now anorexia and its sisters in crime: bulimia and excessive use of laxatives are under attack. The reality of the situation is that until women start to believe that they are beautiful at any size they'll be prey to the commentaries of societal size expectations of women. This book is tightly edited and fantastic situational explanations from various women of all ages. This is a testament to our society.

Armchair Interviews says: This book contains essays by 19 authors: Priscilla Becker, Francesca Lia Block, Maya Browne, Jennifer Egan, Clara Elliot, Amanda Fortini, Louise Glück, Latria Graham, Francine du Plessix Gray, Trisha Gura, Sarah Haight, Lisa Halliday, Elizabeth Kadetsky, Maura Kelly, Ilana Kurshan, Joyce Maynard, John Nolan, Rudy Ruiz, and Kate Taylor.

Thoughtful
This was an excellent book overall, and a number of the essays (including the editor's own contribution) are genuinely outstanding.My own perspective is that of someone who has not experienced this herself, but is close to those who have--if this is yours as well, and/or if you are perplexed and bewildered by anorexia as a medical phenomenon, this would be the ideal book to read.It includes a number of perspectives, with all the essays well-written, direct, and unsentimental, and yet from this variety some essence of understanding does emerge with regard to what the disease may actually be "about."Very highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
"Today, I see the link between my feelings of crazinessand loss of control over my own life and my need to place rigidrestraints on my weight and eating.

"When other areas of my life felt out of control, there was always onething I knew I could control. My weight and eating became the focus ofmy life, and all of my other troubles were forgotten -- at leasttemporarily."

From The Long Road Back: A Survivor's Guide to Anorexia

Each year, in the United States alone, thousands die of the eatingdisorder anorexia nervosa, which carries the highest mortality rate ofany psychiatric disorder. To make matters worse, it is some of ourbrightest and best young people (more than 90 percent of them females)whose lives are lost to this insidious illness.

Anorexia is characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimally normalbody weight. The individual suffering from it is intensely afraid ofgaining weight, and has a distorted perception of the size and shapeof his or her body. Unless there is successful intervention andtreatment, the anorexic may die of starvation, suicide, or electrolyteimbalance.

In THE LONG ROAD BACK, Judy Sargent tells the story of her ten-yearstruggle with anorexia, which began to manifest when she wasthirteen. As it progressed, the disease repeatedly brought her weightto life-threatening lows of less than seventy pounds.

Now completely recovered, and pursuing a career as a clinical nursespecialist, Sargent details in this book her return to health and anormal life. She writes with an honesty, humor, and insight that makeher fascinating and harrowing story all the more absorbing. Youngpeople afflicted with eating disorders (and those who love them) willfind hope, inspiration, and valid advice in these pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Huge Disappointment
The title of this book should have been "The bad things doctors did to me while I was in the hospital."While going into explicit detail of her experience at several different treatment centers, she glosses over her recovery - the main thing her book is supposed to address.

I have read several books on the subject of anorexia, and I found this book to be the worst I have ever come accross.A complete waste of time and money.

A Testament to The Ultimate Human Fighting Spirit
This book is not just for current or past anorexic, but for everyone who has some serious setbacks in their lives. It is a true testament to the ultimate human fighting spirit.As far as anorexia is concerned, I find this book a real eye-opener to the many flaws of the mental health system where the doctors and nurses seem to be just as obessed with the patients gaining the weight, as the patients with losing it. I could not put this book down oce I started reading it. It left me wondering how Ms(?) Sargent is still alive today.It is even more amazing that not only she is leading a normal life, but she is only excelling in her career and her true passion of figure skating.It is a matter of time unil this gem is made into a movie.

Insightful and comprehensive look at anorexia
Sargent writes a passionate account of her battle with anorexia.She comes forth shining and gives others the hope that sustained her through her 'dark night of the soul'.She is truly an inspiration for anyone suffering with any eating disorder, compulsive eating included.A beautifully written and carefully detailed book.

The awful pain of anorexia
As an anorexic of several years, I was deeply affected by this book's account of another's suffering with the same disease.I alternately cried and was filled with anger by the descriptions of the often barbaric"treatments" the author was forced to endure.I have been insuch treatment centers, where the people who are supposed to be helpinginstead make patients feel less than human, by watching them eat as if itwere a circus sideshow and referring to them by numbers instead of names. These people think that the only thing an anorexic has to do to get betteris to eat and gain weight, and that's it.Wrong, wrong, wrong, as thisbook shows, and it's high time people started realizing it.No one starvesherself to make someone else suffer, or as a way of getting what she wants. Anorexia is a terrible, terrible disease that makes you want to just die. If you know someone who's suffering from this hell of a disease, treat thatperson with the utmost love, respect and compassion.Read this book tohelp you understand: No one CHOOSES to be anorexic, and no matter how manytimes the anorexic says, "Leave me alone, I'm fine," she reallydoes want help, deep down.It just has to be the right kind of help.

The Long Road Back
For some one who has experienced an eating disorder first hand, this is one of the most accurate portrayals that I have come across.In the book, Sargent tells about her struggles with therapists and hospitals.I foundthis to be more than true.This is an amazing book for any one, especiallyhealth care providers for those with eating disorders.I would reccommendit to every one. ... Read more

Product Description
This book brings together the key ideas of therapists on understanding and treating anorexia nervosa. It provides the reader with a survey of the history, psychodynamics, family patterns and techniques of therapy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great begining"Clincal" bookfor laymen interested in EDs
If anyone is interested in reading a more "clinical" book on eating disorders (ie designed more for therapists) a greatplace to start is :

" Insights in Dynamic Psychotherapy of Anorexia and Bullimia: An Introduction to the Literature"

This rather slender volume is arranged in a MOST unusual way. Each chapter is comprised of selected, and independantly presented little "gems" pulled from the writings of important researchers in the field, arranged cronologically. You get one or two pithy paragraphs from one person, followed by a paragraph or so from another.

This makes for a VERY easy read, one that you can pick up and put down with ease, and each brief exerpt strives to be a "pearl of wisdom" reguarding the particular topic each chapter addresses.

Be aware that this book is comes from the "Psychodynamic" school of treatment for EDs........rather than Cognative Behavioral Therapy (CBT, or "learning theory") direction.

If CBT is just not working for your child, "Psychodynamic" is the alternate that would usually be turned to next.

Whatever the case, this is a wonderful book, and will quickly give you some ideas as to what sorts of things therapists take into consideration when working with people with EDs.

Don't be put off by it being a bit older, it is really worth the read. ... Read more

Product Description
A concise account of the insight into the life of a victim of anorexia and their supporting family. The book aims to provide some understanding on the entire heart ache and torment for the anorexic’s family.It also enlightens people to the twisted, yet frustrated turmoil of the thoughts and emotions of the anorexic’s muddled brain.

Looking back over those frustrating years it is hard to accept that something that most people find enjoyable, sociable as well as being essential for the survival of the human well-being could be so traumatic to an individual.The restrictions that an individual inflicts upon themselves, not only affects their own well-being but the interactions of social behaviour in almost all aspects of their life.

This can be associated with family voids for those families eating together at meal times, to family meal social events.It does not stop there, but has a knock on effect with all those individuals that surround you through every day life such as school, work and university.As the anorexic becomes more obsessed withtheir eating disorder, the quicker the rumours begin to spread about how the individual is not eating as much as normal.Those individuals dearest to the individual begin to observe the change in mood swings, the constant self distraction, vagueness and self isolation of the anorexic from the environment.The comments or murmurs about weight loss, which are all too true, the anorexic chooses to ignore.

I would hope that this account will provide some encouragement for all concerned, both the anorexic and all of the individuals associated with the anorexic. Hopefully, it will prove that with some determination, positive attitude and self belief from the individual anorexic, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I almost feel terribly embarrassed to share with others this explicit account, to the extent that I have thought on several occasions as to whether I should include all of the very explanatory text that I have done in this account of my journey through anorexia. However, I have included all of the graphic details on everything that I did during those terrible years, as I feel that only a true understanding of inside an anorexic’s head can be achieved in this way.


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Product Description
Self-Help/Women's Health

Acclaim for Peggy Claude-Pierre's
The Secret Language of Eating Disorders

"Peggy Claude-Pierre has gone beyond the surface of eating disorders to discover their true causes and then present a valid and healing path. In this extremely constructive book, she offers incredible insights into the mind of the sufferer and the myths of eating disorders."--Keith J. Karren, Ph.D.,
Department Chair, Health Sciences,
Brigham Young University

"Peggy Claude-Pierre is a warrior--ferocious and relentless--whose work has rescued a decade of sufferers."--Edward Feller, M.D., F.A.C.P.,
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine,
Brown University School of Medicine

"Peggy Claude-Pierre has created a paradigm shift in the way we view and treat anorexia. Peggy has shifted the focus of care from that of controlling the symptoms of disordered eating to healing the negativity that would otherwise plague the individual for the rest of his or her life. I have developed the utmost respect for her, for I realize that she has translated the secret language of anorexia. Now it is up to us to use the knowledge she has revealed."
--Daniel J. Smith, M.D.

"Peggy Claude-Pierre's work begins where attachment to the limiting obstacles of theory end. She has brought back from the dead many young lives the world deemed hopeless. . . . There are many who possess the title of 'doctor' who have never come close to her incredible example of the selfless healer."
--Craig T. Pratt, M.D.,
Chief, Division of Addiction Medicine,
Grant-Riverside Methodist HospitalAmazon.com Review
What makes Claude-Pierre's treatment of anorexia and bulimiarevolutionary? Perhaps it's that the astonishingly high success rateof even the most chronic cases at Claude-Pierre's Montreux Clinic(only sufferers near death who have not been helped by doctors andhospitals are admitted) defies the common misconception that eatingdisorders are incurable. Claude-Pierre has made a personal commitmentto dispel this damaging myth. Having cured her own two daughters ofanorexia, you might say hers was a vested interest. The SecretLanguage of Eating Disorders reveals the details ofClaude-Pierre's unique program.

Myths and misconceptions haveshaped conventional treatment of anorexia and bulimia, leading to acycle of hopelessness for those who suffer. Claude-Pierre's workreveals that victims share a common feeling of self-contempt. Further,she asserts that these overwhelming feelings of worthlessness areestablished at birth and slowly erode the healthy self. Therevolutionary aspect of Claude-Pierre's program stems from herconviction that this negative mindset can be completely reversed.

The book describes the five stages of recovery, discusses thechallenges peculiar to working with them at home, and presents a planfor working with health professionals. Also offered are stories offormer Montreux patients, adding insight and depth to understandingthese disorders. The book and the program have already saved manylives and will continue to do so. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (59)

Some important info is missing, and she takes credit for discovering a classic concept
I found this book to be quite helpful in explaining the Negative and Actual minds of the ED sufferer. However, I also feel that Peggy takes credit for her dazzling discovery of what is actually a classic concept in psychology: cognitive self-talk. Her tendency to anthropomorphize this self-talk (complete with its own name, gender, personality, tactics, and rituals) doesn't make it any more innovative than what CBT therapists have always known: that sufferers of ED tend to negatively filter incoming stimuli and engage in exaggerated attacks against themselves using aggressive and cruel self-talk. Okay, so she's validated decades of research; where does that leave the reader?

Well, once Peggy has finished complimenting herself for this rediscovery, she makes an important contribution in her ability to EXPLAIN this conventional (and old chestnut) concept very, very clearly. For a lay-person looking to understand the role of self-talk and how to thwart it, Peggy's book may be the ticket: she didn't pioneer the concept, perhaps, but she illustrates it well. And she also does a remarkable job empowering families not to passively accept doom-and-gloom prognoses from jaded or unskilled doctors.

Having said that, here are some problems I see in her book:
1) She never even uses the word "Serotonin" in the entire book, despite mountains of emerging evidence that Anorectic sufferes have a very specific flaw in their serotonin system that causes a paradoxic "anxiety effect" with serotonin increases, causing the sufferer to starve down these levels.

2) The discussion of treatment is centered around children. She uses the noun "child" to describe her patients in treatment, which may alienate the reader who is concerned with an adult sufferer.

3) The discussion of treatment tends to be an infomercial for her center, which isn't very helpful to the reader because it costs $1000/day and has a fifteen-year waiting list, according to information online as of today (July 17, 2008).

4) She is experienced working with ED, but other than an early reference in the book to her intention of getting her Doctorate, she never returns to the topic of clinical qualifications--hers or her staff's--except to assure the reader that they are trained and competent.

5) Unless the family of an ED sufferer is prepared (and wealthy enough) to admit the victim to inpatient treatment for up to two years, there is little-to-no information about options for the rest of us. You know, the ones who make "regular" incomes. The ones who need to make efforts in outpatient settings. There is no advice, for example, to therapists (such as myself, an LCSW) who read the book about steps WE can take to implement strategies that work. The gist of her writing seems to be: Here are mistakes therapists and doctors tend to make, and this, therefore, is why my inpatient approach is pretty much your best hope.

If You're Struggling and Need Help...
Are you seeking an answer?

Though this Book isn't a "cure all", it does answer some questions you may have. Questions such as:

"Why do I/my daughter/my son/my wife hate herself?"
"What can I do to help myself (or him/her)?"
"What have others done that may apply to me (or him/her)?"
"What methods/actions should I take to help my/their future?"
etc etc...

This book is pretty big (not huge) but it's pact full of useful information. Peggy even shares information of the many rehabilitation center's she has set up in and around the country and shares success stories of her own patients (without disclosing their names).

Having gone through this struggle myself in High School (when I bought the book), and even re-reading this book to date - it still sits on my shelf where it will remain because it IS useful. It does give life-changing information that WILL help you.

If you have a question about eating disorders, it has the answer. :)

Absolutely Insightful
Working on recovery of my own, I found this book wonderfully validating and insightful.I never knew that others had the same thoughts that consumed my mind and not only did this book show me that others were out there, it showed me there were people in this world who not only understood those girls but who even loved those girls unconditionally.

Although unable to finish the book since I am unable to deem myself somehow worthy of ridding myself of this ED, I have shared it with those closest with me to try to help them understand where I am coming from and what I am struggling with.

I know others bash this author for not having formal training - but no matter what I say she has absolutly amazing insight into the Eating Didsordered mind.

A friend to the isolated
I found this book a light in the dark.Claude-Pierre writes with extreme sensitivity and empathy on a killer disease which in fact kills because its victims are so sensitive.She manages to articulate on what others seem to miss i.e. that anorexia is not merely about feeling fat, or having a distorted body image but correctly identifies the 'other voice' as being the real poison within the sufferer.This book gave me the strength to get well and I know that other sufferers will find in it a source of real help and comfort.Words alone cannot praise this book enough.Suffers and non-sufferers alike must read it.

The Secrets Exposed
Author Claude-Pierre explains in layman's terms the mechanics of eating disorders. This greatly helped me to understand the mindset of the sufferer and seriousness of these types of disorders. The book offers a through explanation of symptoms, who is at risk, treatment, advice and support to family and friends of sufferers. In addition, there are some excellent references for reading materials and websites for help and support. ... Read more

Product Description
"I keep trying to remind myself that a number on a scale doesn’t make up who I am. My weight shouldn’t control my mind, but it does. I wish everything about this eating disorder would just end, but I fear that in many ways it never will."

Alyssa Biederman’s compelling journey through anorexia began her junior year in high school. From the outside looking in, she appeared to have it all. Raised in an affluent community, Alyssa was involved in both her community and school. She was an honor roll student, on the school newspaper staff and four-year varsity letter winner in tennis.

Yet, despite her picture perfect life, this natural beauty was unable to see herself the way others did. What started as a quest to lose a couple pounds soon became a dangerous obsession.

Alyssa’s emotional struggle with anorexia is revealed in the personal journal she affectionately refers to as My Rory. Named after the friend she pushed away while battling to find herself, this journal is a heart-wrenching account of the confused inner mind of a teenage eating disorder victim.

This story is a must read for anyone suffering from an eating disorder and their family and friends wishing to understand and support them. My Rory captures a rare glimpse of the inner feelings and thoughts of both an anorexic and her family as they battle toward recovery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

I loved this book!
This was a great book!I recommend this book to teachers, counselors, parents and teenagers.Gives great personal insight as well as hope to those suffering from anorexia and other eating disorders.

Excellent Book!
I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone struggling with an eating disorder.I cried, I laughed and I felt for the author as she and her family struggled with anorexia.I greatly admire the author's strength and have shared it with several friends.Finally, a book that truly displays the struggle ananorexic faces first hand!

Great reality book about anorexia
I am a 17 year old recovering anorexic and I really enjoyed this book.I have experienced much of the same turmoil as the author and it helped having someoneto relate to.Many people let me down along the way also including my school counselors and so-called friends.They just didn't understand what it is like living with an eating disorder. I had counseling which was good, but it reached a point where I realized I needed to help myself. Again, I could totally relate to the author.My parents and good friends supported me all the way. I don't think I would be here without them. Anorexia is a lonely disorder because very few people understand it.This book was good for me. It also gave me continued hope. I admire the author's strength and courage to talk openly about anorexia. I wish the book was longer and had more stories about her daily struggle.I recommend this book!

A must read for all teenage girls
Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down.I could relate to the author so well. I never thought anyone understood what I am going through until now.It helped me so much to realize I am not alone.Ihighly recommend this book to teenage girls and their parents. ... Read more

Product Description
The impact of anorexia nervosa on families can be devastating. Daniel Becker combines the innocent recollections of his childhood with the insightful observations of a mature adult in this story of his mother's 30-year obsession with food and her eventual death from anorexia nervosa. He provides an intimate portrayal of how he, his father, and his two brothers each struggled to balance their loyalty to Mom against the increasing awareness that only by separating from her could they ensure their own survival.

Beginning with his earliest memory of her packing a suitcase to leave for the first of many hospitalizations, Daniel must reconcile his love for her with her repeated absences and bizarre behaviors. Part cautionary tale and part exploration of how a person with an eating disorder affects their family members, this biography is valuable reading for individual sufferers, their families, and those who treat them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

invaluable to the eating disorder literature genre
Most of the reviews already written here on amazon have been very accurate.I just want to add that I thought the perspective of a male child/adolescent/adult perspective of his own mother's anorexia nervosa to be not only enlighting, but very much needed to help readers understand the impact of such an illness on the family.Anorexia is a disease of not just the sufferer but also those who love him/her and it's impact on ones' child is always heart-renching.This book comes from the author's perspective, so it does not delve into the intricate etiology or reasons for his mother's behavior, but it focuses on the results her illness inevitably have on her husband and children.I highly recommend this book to anyone who is affected by this illness.As an anorexic myself, perhaps i did not find this guilt-producing because I am childless, but i do have a family who have been profoundly affected by my illness. Instead of guilt, i felt an understanding after reading this book that people need to think differently about eating disorders and mental illnesses in general and stop the judgmental accusations and realize it is not manipulation or malicious behavior meant to hurt others, however hurt is inevitable to all of whom are affected directly or indirectly by this insidious and baffling illness.

Daughter of Anorexic Mother Who Died
I read this book back in 2007. What I read certainly rings true with my experience as a daughter who at age 10 lost her mother to anorexia when she was 52 years old. Most of the books on anorexia seem to focus on the one with the disease.The impact on the family is devastating. My father, brother and I suffered greatly also. Her disease became the focus of our lives. A therapist once pointed out to me how much control my mother had over our family.This was a new idea to me as I had always perceived her as being weak. My mother was hospitalized several times -- the longest being about 2 years. My brother and I had to be placed in a group home during that time as relatives who had helped out in the past were no longer able to do so. It is true that no amount of reasoning, begging, or angry threats will change the anorexics behavior. In fact, it may aggravate it.The family is left wondering what else to do.I know that today there is a much better understanding of this condition than back in the fifties and I believe new more effective treatment options exist.The family needs help every bit as much as the person with anorexia.Groups like Al-Anon or other recovery groups may be helpful for family members and other loved ones.I've actually come across a group called Eating Disorders Anonymous ([...]).
I've found a Christian recovery group called Celebrate Recovery (based on 12-steps) to be helpful for me.Ultimately, one has to let go of the other person.This is not to say that you sever ties with them or stop loving and caring or that you even stop seeking help (when person is open to it).It just means that you let go of the outcome and recognize your inability to control the other person.The survivor needs to forgive and let go of the anger and focus on their own life and recovery.By the grace of God, I've never suffered from anorexia or any other eating disorder, but have suffered but am well on the way to recovery from toxic effects.

A sad but hopeful tale of a boy growing up in a dysfunctional family...
This is a heartwrenching tale of a young boy whose mother, suffering from a then-rare disease called anorexia, spent literally years institutionalized with her illness.As a result, the author, Daniel, never formed the appropriate bonds with her and other members of his family.The focus was always on his mother and her illness, which no one understood.While I found Daniel's perspective interesting and touching (and often agonizing), I was left wanting to get into the Mother's mind (as much as that would have been possible), and into the heart of her history with anorexia to understand more about why she succumbed to this baffling disease.Luckily, great strides have been made both in psychiatry and in eating disorder treatment since Daniel's mother was in "treatment".While this is a good read for anyone who has a loved one suffering from anorexia, it is frustratingly sparse in any explanations for the etiology of this women's disorder, focusing instead on the devastating effects on the immediate family.If you are an ED sufferer, read with caution...this tale is very guilt-inducing.Although, as one commenter pointed out, guilt in this case may not be such a negative thing.

An Important Contibution to the Literature
Daniel Becker makes an invaluable contribution to the literature regarding families impacted by Anorexia. His is a very readable story that will surely help others tell about their experiences without judgement or blame. This Mean Disease should be on every psychotherapists bookshelf. Neither pathologizing the patient nor the family, Mr. Becker tells the story of a family's ordeal and best efforts to heal.

Recounts the starvation disease's impact not just on his mother, but on his entire family
This memoir of author Daniel Becker's mother, a survivor of anorexia nervosa, recounts the starvation disease's impact not just on his mother, but on his entire family. Throughout his childhood his mother was obsessed with food and the family secret of his mother's disease which influenced the entirely family. From Jewish and family rituals to his mother's feelings about her anorexia, THIS MEAN DISEASE offers a poignant chronicle by another family member other than the usual sufferer - and brings to life many family issues surrounding an anorexic family member.

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Product Description
This second edition updates the 1983 work ("a gem"--Booklist/RBB) with a wealth of new information. The author, a therapist and recovered anorexic, draws upon her own experience and extensive research to produce a comprehensive account of the symptoms, causes and treatments of anorexia nervosa.

She illuminates the anorexic's paradox--self-annihilation in service of self-preservation--and the central task of recovery: development of a Self. The author addresses the origins and attributes of anorexia and accompanying disorders, the use and misuse of the Internet, and the concept of recovery. She addresses different therapies in detail, as well as therapies for families and interventions. A directory of organizations, a list of resources for information and referral, a bibliography and index are included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An invaluable resource for those seeking and providing treatment
I didn't know how much I didn't know about Anorexia before I read this book. Rich, multi-layered information!And I appreciate how refreshingly readable it is - beautifully written with precision, economy, eloquence, humanity and disarming candor.This is an invaluable resource both for professionals who are working with anorexics and those who are suffering from the disease - either as victims or loved ones.

Rumney wrote the 1st edition 25 years ago. In this 2nd edition she details how the past 25 years have informed her work as a treatment specialist as well as her personal growth and recovery from Anorexia.She weaves a candid and forthright telling of her illness and recovery throughout the book, which beautifully supplements her keen clinical perspective.The new information also includes vital clinical research, current trends (including shocking info about impact of the internet!), some astounding statistics and treatment centers listed by state.

The combination of her professional view and personal story provides a compelling understanding of this most perplexing condition.Her comprehensive discussion of what comprises effective treatment and why specific treatment modalities work is essential information for individuals researching treatment options or professionals who provide or refer treatment.

An excellent resource on Anorexia!

Junelle Barrett Porter, MFT

Excellent book on a topic that concerns many people.
Avis Rumney has created a beautiful book that integrates personal and clinical experience, discussing the widespread cultural issue of women's body image and its effects on eating and self-esteem. I would recommend this to any parent of a girl of any age, as well as individuals or families dealing with any type of eating disorders or compulsive overeating. Also useful for clinicians working with these issues in their practice.

Joe Bavonese, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Product Description
Through the voices of twenty-one women, Karen Way presents the most objective, complete, and compassionate picture of what anorexia nervosa is about and, more importantly, of the complex individual variables and obstacles in the journey to recovery. From the premise that anorexia nervosa is an addiction--an obsession controlling all aspects of an individual’s life--and that complete recovery is possible by finding meaning in life, this enlightening book contrasts sharply to other books written on the subject by clinicians and theorists which merely speculate on the nature and etiology of anorexia nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa and Recovery lets the reader hear the personal struggles of women who have fought this powerful disease. They describe how anorexia controlled their lives and how, once they overcame their obsessions with food, weight, and thinness, they were able to lead fulfilling lives.

This illuminating book encourages and inspires women who are in the throes of anorexia nervosa. They will recognize the emptiness in the voices and the descriptions of daily life. Therapists and clinicians who treat anorexic women will find intriguing chapters on events which trigger anorexia and what anorexics will do to maintain their strategies for coping. Concerned friends and family and others interested in understanding this controlling disease will be enlightened from this important and helpful book. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is a basic source of information on the dynamics of eating disorders, written by two therapists who pioneered in treating them. This accessible and empowering book now adds four new chapters: "Anorexia Nervosa: Sociocultural Perspectives," "Intensive Psychotherapy with Anorexics," "Surviving Managed Care" (addressed especially to therapists), and "Our Daughters, Ourselves." The book includes stories of bulimic and anorexic women in their own words—sympathetic peer-group voices to encourage women who have begun treatment or are considering it. The author also describes new school and college programs designed to help students who have eating disorders. Marlene Boskind-White draws on twenty-five years of clinical experience to set forth what actually works to combat and overcome bulimia and anorexia, focusing on ways to strengthen positive attitudes and develop practical coping skills. She evaluates new therapies and new medications such as Prozac and presents essential information on physiology and nutrition. ... Read more