Customer Reviews (6)

A Riveting, Honest, and Brave Little Memoir of Bulimia!
Cynthia writes from the heart and her story held me in it's grasp from the first page. I was reminded that we women are more than our dress size and/or the shape of our thighs.We are dearly loved by God, and bulimia (which I've battled for over 5 years) does destroy lives, and even end them prematurely if not tended to with clinical and therapeutic care. Thank God for Cynthia's courage, wit, and her sparkling zest for life with bulimia--there is hope!!

Educate Yourself
The more you know, the better prepared you are to face the situation. MacLure writes with honesty and conviction and touches the reader with proof of recovery from a brutal disease. This book has shown me that there is definitely hope. Don't give in!

Not a very good book on bulimia
This is the biography of one woman's experience in a treatment facility.It deals with her personal experiences that may or may not apply to other people suffering from bulimia.It is heavily Christian in tone and one too many mentions of "God" and "Christ" really turned me off.There are better books on this subject that aren't so religious in tone and are more applicable to a greater audience- i.e., more than just Christian news broadcasters in residential bulimia treatment.

A STORY OF COURAGE AND HOPE
INCREDIBLE. AWESOME. TRUTHFUL. CYNTHIA ROWLAND DOESNT MAKE HER LIFE A ROSE GARDEN./SHE IS REAL AND TRUTHFUL ABOUT HER PAIN OF LIVING WITH BULMIA. FOR 12 YEARS SHE FELT THERE WAS NO HOPE AND WHEN SHE REACHED THE POINT OF DEATH SHE FOUGHT FOR HER LIFE...THIS BOOK ISNT ABOUT JUST EAT.DISORDERS...IT GOES IN TO HEART HUNGER.SHE WAS AN INCREDIBLE TV NEWS REPORTER NEAR DEATH AND NO ONE KNEW, BUT ONE CALL SAVED HER LIFE. SHE MET A THERIPIST WHO WOULD HELP HER SAVE HER LIFE.sHE HAD TO GO BACK TO CHILDHOOD TO FIND WHERE THE SELF DESTRCTION BEGAN. I FEEL HER PAIN AND HER VICTORIES . HER PARENTS HAD THE COURAGE TO COMEINTO THERAPY SO SHE COULD CONNFRONT HER PAIN FROM THE PAST.THE MON STER WITH IN GIVE ANYONE THE STORY OF ONE WOMANS COURAGE TO SAY IM SICK I NEED HELP AND SHE FOUGHT HER ADDICTION AND SHE OVERRCAME IT...EVERY WOMAN AND HER FAMILY SHOULD READ THE MONSTER WITHIN,,,IF YOU READ IT YOU'LL BE MORE COMPAASIONATE TOWARD YOURSELF AND OTHER.CYNTHIA FOUND THERE WERE REAL REASONS WHY SHE WANTED TO DIE BUT SHE LEARNED HOW TO LIVE...BEST BOOK FOR EATING DISORDERS

We are all the same
Every time someone tells their story, someone else is realizing that they are not alone.This book also lets them know that they do not have to die. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Still living with the problem
I have read the book and feel this person still lives with the problem emotionally.It may help some but I think she is fooling herself. I know from personal experience.She needs acceptance from other males to feel good about herself.I don't buy this for one single minute.

Read between the lines.Look at her photo.If you were the other woman in a relationship with a man, would you trust her?

True,Real,Factual and Spiritual
This book goes against many of the "medical" theories for recovery from Bulimia, Anorexia and compulsive overeating. But in view of medicine's dramatic lack of success and the author's eminent success, I'llgo with her beautifully described re-attachment of her soul and her spiritas the basis for her Recovery. WOW! What a book! Honest. Forthright.Personal, pain and all. Anyone who has sufferred from an Eating Disorderwill be so encouraged by reading it! Thank you, Sheila!

A powerful, enlightening path to personal growth!
A truly amazing, inspiring book that anyone will gain invaluable insight for personal growth to understand and face any individual crisis. The author reaches inside herself and displays for all the inner workings of the self and how she transformed from the depths of her hardships to the heights of becoming a true modern day leader. I have never gained so much energy and positiveness from any book before. A journey into self discovery that provides a unique therapy for the head, heart and soul. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Insightful book
Take Charge of Your Child's Eating Disorder is one of the best books available on how to deal with an eating disordered child.In fact, I own two copies: one that is autographed by Pam Carlton, and the other which is underlined and marked throughout.The chapter dealing with insurance companies alone is worth the price of the book, and the tips provided throughout this enlightening book will be invaluable to any parent who is facing the daunting task of helping their child recover from an eating disorder.

Buddy Howard

Physician walks her talk.
Take Charge of Your Child's Eating Disorder is a 5 star book. This book is by far the most complete and concise book I have read for parents who are struggling with this life threatening disorder. I have two copies in our EDRS lending library, and can not keep them in stock! Dr. Carlton begins by helping parents talk about their concerns with their child, and leads them step by step through the process ofthe first doctor's appointment, the necessity of a treatment team,as well as what to expect if their child needs higher levels of care. Dr. Carltons' breadth of knowledge is evident by the information she gives regarding how to create a supportive environment at home, how to deal with siblings, who to tell, and how to deal with questions from family and friends. Clear, compassionate advice is given on how to work with teachers and school administrators when a child has missed school work due to intensive treatment. The feedbacks I have received from the parents in my practice have been, "The chapter and sample letters on dealing with insurance companies alone is worth the price of the whole book!"
Dr. Carlton is a physician who walks her talk. She has been an invaluable member of more than one of my treatment teams.
She gave me the information I needed to help my families deal with insurance denials before the publication of this book. Her assistance in this area was pivotal to my clients' recovery, and quite possibly saved a life.

[...]

Parents, beware
If you're a parent looking for guidance from a physician who supports families as they help their child recover from an eating disorder, stop right here. You won't find such guidance in this book. Despite claims of the author to the contrary, this book does NOT support families but rather offers the same old same old advice from yet another so-called eating disorders expert who seems to understand little about how to help patients and families. I was offended by this book's know-it-all tone and condescension toward parents and families. There are already plenty of titles like this out there, sadly; no need to add one more. There are far better books out there on the subject.

Finally, a practical book for parents, filled with insight from an MD who *specializes* in EDs!
After battling an eating disorder of my own for years, I know what works and what doesn't.I have also seen, firsthand, the tedious journey parents go through when caring for a child with an eating disorder.Even though I am now in recovery, both my parents and I have read this book and were immensely impressed.My parents learned things about my disorder that, until now, they still had trouble grasping.My mother has recommended it to a close friend whose daughter was just diagnosed with Anorexia, saying that "she wishes she had read this book about ten years ago" [when my eating disorder began].Make sure to read the insurance chapter and Appendix G . . . both my parents went through hell and back--with little to no guidance/help--in trying to get insurance companies to extend my coverage for the eating disorder.
Overall, Dr. Carlton's book is filled with informative + practical advice, coupled with evidence-based strategies to help your child overcome an eating disorder!

Take Charge of Your Child's Eating Disorder
This is a fascinating and easy to read book with touching testimonies.
It provides powerful and practical tools for parents. It's like having Dr. Calton hold your hand and walk you through this challenging journey as you face the knowledge that your child has eating disorders. Unavailable elsewhere, the sample letters in this book make strong claims to insurance companies.

Grace Shih, RD, MS
Registered dietitian at
Packard Children's Hospital @ Stanford
Palo Alto, CA
&
Private Counseling Dietitian
for Eating Disorders at
Los Gatos andPleasanton, CA



... Read more

Book Description

"Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating, especially novel in including an advocate/friend in the process of helping the recovering bulimic, will appeal to people with bulimia who feel they need a practical program that they can `do'."
—Jennifer Manlowe, author of Faith Born of Seduction: Sexual Trauma, Body Image, and Religion

"An excellent new book written in a clear and precise style. . . There is a feeling of optimism and hope about this book. . . Many will find that they can move away from their bulimic behavior using this manual."
—Signpost, The newsletter of the Eating Disorders Association

Bulima Nervosa affects one in twenty women in the West. Concern about their shape and weight can drive these women to such measures as prolonged fasting, excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, and the taking of unnecessary laxatives. While the majority of books written about bulimia merely address the social and political realities that lead women to binge-eating, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating takes a strongly proactive approach, offering both a description of the disorder and a six-step plan for recovery.

This book is an indispensable guide for sufferers, their friends and families, those in counseling professions, and anyone seeking a better understanding of this disorder. Providing a description of the disturbances in eating habits and the psychological and social problems that indicate or result in bulimia, as well as information on possible medical complications and treatments available, this book will be useful for those seeking to understand what either they themselves or someone close to them is experiencing.

Most important, the author has devised a highly successful self-help guide for those who want to tackle their difficulties on their own, offering a step-by-step program to recovery. This plan has been used successfully for several years and has been revised and improved based on feedback from people who have employed its methods.

Customer Reviews (3)

a no-nonsense guide to self-help
Peter Cooper's book _Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating_ is a no-nonsense guide to self-help for binge eaters and those suffering from bulimia.

First, Cooper defines bulimia nervosa and binge-eating.Then he goes into causes and effects.He explains the dangers and drawbacks of vomiting repeatedly and using laxatives.But that's just the first 1/3 of the book.

The rest of the book is a plan for recovering from bulimia and/or binge-eating.It's a step by step procedure... everything in it makes good sense and has been tested and tried by others before, with success.The plan is the best part of the book... the author sets forth a plan for recovery, including a plan for what to do if you feel like going on a binge.

Besides the plan, the author makes helpful points throughout the book, like:

about alcohol-- "if you drink excessively you will not be able to make full use of this program"

about overeating just once-- "no one meal can have a significant effect on your weight"

about how you're not alone-- "enlist the assistance (with the meal plan) of a close friend or relative"

about laxatives--"laxatives are wholly ineffective as a method for losing weight or compensating for overeating"

about binging and its effect on weight -- "the number of calories absorbed from binges, even after vomiting, is greater than what would have been absorbed in a binge-free day during which normal meals and snacks would have been eaten"

about eating normal meals-- "it is usual that people who replace a pattern of dieting and binge-eating with regular meals do not gain weight."

The bottom line:this book by Peter Cooper is easy to use, and the points in it are sound, for those suffering from bulimia, binge-eating, even others who have unsound eating habits.

Not what I was looking for
Whilst this book contained some good points, I felt that it left me alone too much especially in the first weeks.For me this disease is not as simple as just stopping from one day to another.I was hoping that it would give me some guidance as what to do when I was feeling like binging

This book has changed my life around.
If I could, I would thank everyone that is a part of writing this book. I have recommended it to many people, hoping it will help them in their recovery. Thank You. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Praise for the first edition:

"...this thoroughly researched and very detailed book provides the serious student of eating disorders with a great deal of useful and constructive information...it provides a complete picture of the individual sufferer's dilemma and notes the wide-ranging behavioural patterns that can occur in these conditions...The authors have made extensive use of their own experiences {of helping people recover} which help to illustrate their findings in a most straightforward and enlightening manner." - British Review of Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa

"This brilliant book helped me and my family to see that the illness is so much more than an effort to control weight. Sharing the book could also provide you with an excellent channel of communication." - The Guardian

"...many therapists would benefit from reading this book. If more helpers treated their patients with the authors' degree of empathy and integrity, treatment of anorexia nervosa would take a huge step forward." - Society for the Advancement of Research into Anorexia

"...a detailed and comprehensive guide to theories of causation, intervention and therapy. It discusses methods of treatment, help, and self-motivation in this demanding field of psychology, medicine and counselling." - Nursing Textbook Review

This new edition continues the outstanding tradition of excellence for which Duker and Slade's Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia: How to Help is internationally recognised. Updated to meet contemporary concerns, this book is a 'must' for anyone who wants to do something practical about anorexia nervosa/bulimia.

Its unique contribution is the now widely acknowledged whirlpool theory which unifies the physiological and psychological aspects of the illness. This provides much needed alternatives for the helpers who are all too often drawn into coercing the sufferer to eat, which is psychologically destructive, or ignoring the physical aspects of the problem which can be dangerous. It also offers a basis for resolving continuing medical and legal dilemmas. To illustrate their approach, the authors draw extensively on their own research and many years of experience providing effective therapy. There is no other book that attends in such detail to the minute steps involved in leaving an anorexic/bulimic lifestyle behind.

As incidence of all forms of the illness continues to increase, this new edition is more relevant than ever. ... Read more

Book Description

Eating disorders are but one of many specific pathological responses to the pressures of the modern world. In group therapy, patients battling bulimia nervosa can learn from one another how to heal the emotional wounds that have put their health in jeopardy. Group therapy addresses the four etiologies of eating disorders by teaching the sociocultural context, discussing both the psychological and familial constellation of each member, and providing a forum to address the physiological aspects of the disorder by discussing the benefits of or disappointments in medications.

The only eating-disorder treatment manual for group application available, this book presents an integrative treatment model bringing together psychoeducational, cognitive behavioral, relational, experiential, and interpersonal methods. The introduction begins with a detailed discussion of bulimia's cultural roots as well as its epidemiology and etiology, moves to a survey of available treatments, and concludes with a rationale for use of the integrative group method.

Following chapters provide instructions for leading a time-limited therapy group for bulimic patients, including a discussion of screening procedures for prospective members and a guide for processing group dynamics. These precede the core of the book: step-by-step descriptions of the twelve structured therapy sessions. Interspersed throughout are group reading assignments and reflective essays.

Customer Reviews (1)

A Two Week Program to Stop Binging
Lindsey Hall cured herself after nine years of bulimia. Her books have helped thousands of bulimics in their own recoveries. They are used in more than 750 colleges and by 4000 professionals who treat eating disorders.

This book includes:
* Insight from 217 recovered and recovering bulimics
* Answers to questions most often asked about bulimia
* Lindsey's own inspiring story, Eat Without Fear
* Things to do instead of binging
* A "Guide for Support Groups"
* Specific Advice for Loved-Ones
* "A Two-Week Program to Stop Binging"
--- from book's back cover ... Read more

Book Description
Simona Giordano presents the first full philosophical study of ethical issues in the treatment of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Beginning with a comprehensive analysis of these conditions and an exploration of their complex causes, she then proceeds to address legal and ethical dilemmas such as a patient's refusal of life-saving treatment. Illustrated with many case-studies, Understanding Eating Disorders is an essential tool for anyone working with sufferers of these much misunderstood conditions, and for all those ethicists, lawyers, and medical practitioners engaged with the widely relevant issues they raise. ... Read more

Book Description
This book is a detailed, step-by-step self-help program for bulimics.In workbook format, it includes readings, exercises and homework assignments.It can be used by the bulimic woman by herself or with a therapist. ... Read more

Book Description
A journey within the hearts and bodies of those fighting anorexia/bulimia.

This book takes readers inside the minds, bodies, and feelings of anorexic patients and tells the stories of those who have successfully fought back from this disease. Through first-person narratives, readers get a rarely seen look inside this disease. Anyone who has suffered from anorexia/bulimia, or who has had a loved one struggle with it, will benefit from the insights in this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Buy This Book!!
This is an exceptionally well written book which serves as an excellent resource for those seeking recovery or for anyone trying to better understand what it's like to battle an eating disorder.

Reader Review
This is just an awesome book.As a recovering anorexic, i have found this book not only hopeful and inspiring, but helpful and fascinating.It has made me think of my eating disorder in a whole new way.Instead of talking about afflicted people as "sick," it refers to "insiders" and discusses a way of thinking where one views their disorder as separate from themself, rather than who they are.It's fascinating and i highly reccommend it for people suffering from an eating disorder, those who are recovered, friends and family of sufferers, and just anyone who has an interest.great!

Highly recommended
As someone who has struggled with anorexia for over half my life, I have often found myself reading anything on anorexia I could lay my hands on; desperately searching for the reassurance that comes from knowing one is not alone in one's experiences, as well as for some elusive insight that might assist me in resisting anorexia's stranglehold over my life.Yet frequently I have come away from such reading feeling dissatisfied and disheartened.Not so with 'Biting the Hand that Starves You'; in this book I found so much of what I had been searching for and a whole lot more.

While the authors are not the first professionals to draw on `insider knowledges' (the knowledges of people with first-hand experiences of anorexia/bulimia), the prominence and the respect accorded to such knowledges is unprecedented.The result is a book that speaks compellingly of anorexia/bulimia, and crucially, does so in a manner that is never patronising, pathologising or didactical.

Providing exciting new ways of thinking and speaking about anorexia/bulimia, the book engenders a sense of hope - a 'commodity' that is often desperately lacking, yet so vital when it comes to resisting anorexia/bulimia.

I highly recommend the book to all readers, from those struggling with anorexia/bulimia, to their family and friends, and health professionals.

Waiting for this Great Book!
I only wish that Rick, David, and Ali had written this book years ago! Because Biting the Hand that Starves You would have been an incredible source of information, motivation, and hope when I was desperately struggling in the depths of my eating disorder.

I was thrilled to see that the book vividly illustrates the vicious dialogue that occurs between the eating disorder and the individual who suffers with it. Throughout my recovery, psychotherapist and author Thom Rutledge encouraged me to practice this very dialogue between my true self (Jenni) and my eating disorder (`Ed') over and over again, which was crucial to my finding the amazing freedom I experience today.

Biting the Hand that Starves You includes many uplifting, inspirational personal accounts that reveal people can and do beat anorexia/bulimia! Within the book, the authors compassionately share how you can really make practical steps to join the ranks of those who already walk that path of independence.

Unlike many other books, Biting the Hand that Starves You goes a step beyond just focusing on how to recover from specific eating disordered behaviors. It also talks about moving on and reclaiming your life --- providing great insight on overcoming perfectionism, taking risks, and even pursuing dreams and passions.

This is one book that I am glad I came across on the shelves of eating disorder literature. I just wish it would have appeared a little bit sooner!

Jenni Schaefer, author of Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too (McGraw-Hill)

Extraordinary book
Biting the Hand that Starves You is a very special book that it likely to change the way you view eating disorders.It contains many first hand accounts of women's struggles to free themselves from the ways bulimia and anorexia control their lives.And it maps out the nature of this control, which is beyond the attempt to control food and weight--it's tied to societial messages about how women should behave (take care of others, be nice to everyone, perform well in many arenas, etc.).The book is primarily written for therapists but will be helpful to others affected by bulimia and anorexia. ... Read more

Book 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

Book Description
Writing from the heart, Ximena opens up with her most intimate struggles of depression and bulimia. She chronicles the daily and nightly battles she faced year after year until she found peace. As a friend, Ximena encourages those who find themselves facing their own hurdles with the simple message, "The only thing I will not stop repeating over and over again is, don't give up. Keep going, keep on fighting. You're worth every effort. You deserve it and somehow you know it." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Refreshingly honest!
I read this book without any expectancies whatsoever, and found it to be refreshingly honest! While the writer's uninhibited style may shock, her lifestory is inspiring and heart warming. It was written as is, with no artificial ingredients. A must read for anyone who is interested in human beings and human feelings.

Severely Disappointing
An avid reader of books of all types, including ones such as this, I was originally thrilled to come across this book.But once I picked it up, I had to force myself to the very end, which is not usually the case.In a word, awful; and I hope that it may have been due to translation.Where was the editor?Choppy and simple, it is not worth picking up because there are so many other more poignant novels of the same genre out there.

The worst I've read
I've read a lot of books on eating disorders and this one is by far the worst one I've read.I'm assuming English is not the author's first language because a lot of the book didn't seem to make sense.I was really excited to read this book, since I struggle with bulimia and depression, but I was really disappointed.

It touched my soul
There are so many self-help books, this is one with a big difference: it will touch your soul. By baring her own struggles, Veliz shows us all how to cope with our own shortcomings and how to be true to one's self and listen to our own inner voice. It is only then that we can celebrate our own special talents. Her journeys and triumphs make for fascinating reading.

Dissapointed.
I got this book because I struggle with bulimia myself but found it to be more about her relationships with her family, her son, and her ex-husband than about her relationship with her bulimia. The writing style was hard to follow and confusing, which made the plot hard to follow as well and dissapointing. While it is a story of strength and courage, it isn't as focused on bulimia as it leads itself to be. ... Read more