Product Description
This primer on anorexia and bulimia is aimed directly at patients and the people who care about them. Written in simple, straightforward language by two experts in the field, it describes the symptoms and warning signs of eating disorders, explains their presumed causes and complexities, and suggests effective treatments.

The book includes:

-- guidance about what to expect and look for in the assessment and treatment process;
-- emphasis on the critical role of psychotherapy and family therapy in recovery;
-- explanation of how anorexia and bulimia differ in their origins and manifestations;
-- information on males with eating disorders and how they are similar to and different from female patients;
-- a separate chapter for health care professionals who are not specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with eating disorders;
-- up-to-date readings, Internet sites, and professional organizations in the United States and in Europe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A pithy gem
Deborah Michel and Susan Willard have drawn from their wealth of experience treating patients in one of the most enduring and effective inpatient eating disorders programs to create a concise introduction to anorexia nervosa and bulimia. When Dieting Becomes Dangerous is written plainly enough to provide a working knowledge of eating disorders to patients and families while going into sufficient depth to give treating professionals a valuable resource. It provides an elegant model of the treatment team, clearly defining the roles of each member as the team deals with both the target behaviors and the underlying struggle to create an enduring sense of self beyond the limits of body image.

Richard A. Moskovitz, MD, author of Carousel Music and Lost in the Mirror, 2nd Edition: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder

Ignorance is dangerous too
This small book by Michel and Willard is one of thebest and most accessible pieces of writing I have read about eating disorders. Without the hype and drama that the conditions usually inspire, the authors discuss calmly and thoughtfully the possible root causes of anorexia and bulimia as well as the route to recovery. There were several items in this book that I found useful - one was the comprehensive discussion of the ideal team approach to treating the disorders. The role of the dietitian is particularly interesting - I had never thought of the possibility that someone with an eating disorder would need a professional with that training not just for information about eating healthfully but to give the patient an outlet for his or her obsessive concerns about food, so that therapy could address other issues. Along those lines, Michel and Willard highlight the roles that other health professionals, such as dentists, can play in identifying and treating eating disorders. This is a must read for any health professional who might ever encounter someone with an eating disorder and not be sure of what to do. I also welcomed the discussion of the male patterns with respect to eating disorders - very often we categorize these as female problems and overlook the fact that boys and men can and do suffer from them, albeit in slightly different proportions and manners. I think this is also one of the few texts that discusses the role of the family without implicitly blaming family members for what has happened - and that is valuable to all concerned. All in all, a good read - quick and informative - and essential for anyone who has an eating disorder or knows someone who does. ... Read more

Product Description
Male Bulimia: My Dark Demon is a powerful, firsthand account of author Scott Simon’s triumph over a lifelong deadly disease—bulimia. After developing bulimia while participating in school sports, Scott learned how to hide his disorder. He continued on a downhill slide into drugs, alcohol, and excessive eating. At the age of thirty-two, Scott finally admitted to himself that he needed to make serious changes in his life.

Customer Reviews (2)

Not about the writing
Interesting read of an honest and sincere man in recovery. Unfortunately the writing was very poor, disjointed and erratic. Nevertheless his desire to share his experience was appreciated, and I'm grateful for the book and the quick read.

Powerful account of this author's journey battle with male bulimia
Engaging writing style catapults reader into the dark loney world of male bulimia. Think that families, therapists and bulimia sufferers will all be touched by this writer's journey filled with emotional upheaval and hope for recovery. ... Read more

Product Description

Hearing about the destructive compulsion of bulimia nervosa, outsiders may wonder, "How could you ever start?" Those suffering from the eating disorder ask themselves in despair, "How can I ever stop?" How do you break the cycle of bingeing, vomiting, laxative abuse, and shame? While many books describe the descent into eating disorders and the resulting emotional and physical damage, this book describes recovery.

Psychologist Sheila Reindl has listened intently to women's accounts of recovering. Reindl argues compellingly that people with bulimia nervosa avoid turning their attention inward to consult their needs, desires, feelings, and aggressive strivings because to do so is to encounter an annihilating sense of shame. Disconnected from internal, sensed experience, bulimic women rely upon external gauges to guide their choices. To recover, bulimic women need to develop a sense of self--to attune to their physical, psychic, and social self-experience. They also need to learn that one's neediness, desire, pain, and aggression are not sources of shame to be kept hidden but essential aspects of humanity necessary for zestful life. The young women with whom Reindl speaks describe, with great feeling, their efforts to know and trust their own experience.

Perceptive, lucid, and above all humane, this book will be welcomed not only by professionals but by people who struggle with an eating disorder and by those who love them.

Customer Reviews (6)

Parents beware!
While the core concept of this book is spot on, that eating disorders are about the inability to self-reference, the inferences and generalizations about the role of parents in the development of eating disorders is vituperative.I have just finished the second chapter of this book and am on my way to the garbage can to throw it out.(I am quite good at self-referencing!)As the parent of a teenager with an eating disorder, this book has not been helpful to me. The author actually states that the beginning of an eating disorder can be traced to a "lack of attunement" to the child, on the part of parents. The author writes of the significant factors, including people that acted as positive intermediaries, contributing to recovery; parents are not mentioned.Boyfriends, husbands, friends, health care providers and, of course, the exalted therapist, are mentioned as support persons (see page 77). While this may be the case in some situations, it is most definitely not in others. If you are a concerned, and yes, in- tune- with- your- child parent who is groping to find help for your child and yourself, don't bother spending your money on this book.Counter to the author's scathing portrayal of parents, there are parents who are - and have always been- loving, supportive and concerned for their children. Up to this point our concern as parents has been THE primary source for our daughter, in receiving the help she needs.This book was written nine years ago and, so, might be out of date.Much has changed in the understanding of those factors contributing to eating disorders.

Fabulous
Having read several overly cheerful, annoyingly personal "I had an ED, and beat it, and you can to!" books, it was amazing to find a simple, objective, yet far more true understanding of women with EDs and how they recovered.It's a pretty dense book,so not for the reader who wants to breeze through a self help book in an hour, but well worth the time and effort.

Excellent
This book reaches to the core issues related to recovering from Bulimia. As a recovering bulimic for 2 years it helps me see some of the deepest issues and how to deal with them to remain recovered. It's an excellent book though it is a bit clinical.

Amazing Book
After combing through several books on bulimia, this one was like a breath of fresh air. It was like reading about myself, actually seeing how women contracted and healed from bulimia. It gives me hope that we all can.

Best book on eating disorders I have ever read!
This book is incredible. After suffering from anorexia and bulimia for the last four years, I have constantly looked for books on eating disorders. I found it not only easy to relate to all of the people who contributed their stories, but also extremely inspiring to know that other people out there have had the same "crazy" thoughts as me! This is a open-to-any-page-and-start-reading book. Truly awesome. ... 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
If you suffer from Bulimia Nervosa or Binge-Eating Disorder, you know how hard it can be to change your problem behaviors surrounding food and eating. However, with the right tools and support, you can overcome your disorder and return to a healthy way of life.

Based on the principles of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, the program described in this newly revised and updated workbook will teach you the skills you need to overcome your eating disorder and establish healthy habits. Through daily self-monitoring, you will learn to regularize you eating and expand the variety of foods that you consume. This will help you maintain a healthy weight and will reduce your desire to binge and purge. You will also learn techniques for solving problems, challenging your negative thoughts, and addressing your concerns about weight and shape. Use the workbook to share information with friends and loved ones so they can support and encourage you throughout the treatment process.

When used in conjunction with visits to a qualified mental health professional, this workbook will help you realize the triggers for your disordered eating habits. Once you are able to identify them, you can eliminate them. At the end of treatment, we fully expect that you will have reduced the number of your binge eating and purging episodes, improved your body image, and gained a sense of mastery and control over your eating.

TreatmentsThatWorkTM represents the gold standard of behavioral healthcare interventions!



·All programs have been rigorously tested in clinical trials and are backed by years of research


·A prestigious scientific advisory board, led by series Editor-In-Chief David H. Barlow, reviews and evaluates each intervention to ensure that it meets the highest standard of evidence so you can be confident that you are using the most effective treatment available to date


·Our books are reliable and effective and make it easy for you to provide your clients with the best care available


·Our corresponding workbooks contain psychoeducational information, forms and worksheets, and homework assignments to keep clients engaged and motivated


·A companion website (www.oup.com/us/ttw) offers downloadable clinical tools and helpful resources


·Continuing Education (CE) Credits are now available on select titles in collaboration with PsychoEducational Resources, Inc. (PER) ... Read more

Product Description
Wiping Away The Crumbs is part-memoir, part-self-help book and tells the story of Kat's three year struggle with bulimia. Frantically searching for a way out of what she calls “Prison Bulimia”, Kat drew up her own recovery plan and managed to heal from bulimia without going into therapy.

Wiping Away the Crumbs was written as a beacon of hope and a helpful tool for all those girls and women who, right this moment, are desperately seeking an exit out of their misery.

"Wiping Away the Crumbs reveals all the tools I used to get healthy and happy again. I reached my destination without going into therapy or seeking salvation in prayers to a divine entity. I didn’t join a cult or invest in a yoga mat. I used, well, a common sense approach, based on months of research and many trials and errors. Now I am well again and with my book I want to help others get healthy too. See, I am no exception. I don’t believe I’m endowed with more will power or self-discipline than you are. In fact, will power has nothing to do with healing. Nor does self-discipline. Recovery involves a whole new way of living your life. Right now, you are just surviving. You are surviving in the only way you know how, with bulimia at your side so you can hide in it when things get too overwhelming or stressful.
But there is a healthier and safer path out there. One that will allow you to grow at your own pace, as you are putting one foot in front of the other. Let me show you that road and inspire you to build your inner structure, so you can feel solid again without bulimia.
That is what Wiping Away the Crumbs is all about. Read it and you will understand what it takes to live a fulfilling life." ... Read more

Product Description
The grandmother granddaughter conversation examined in this book makes explicit what the detailed study of interaction reveals about two social problems--"bulimia" and "grandparent caregiving." For the first time, systematic attention is given to interactional activities through which family members display ordinary yet contradictory concerns about health and illness:
* a grandmother's (who is also a registered nurse) attempts to initiate, confront, and remedy her granddaughter's lack of responsibility in admitting bulimic "problems" and committing to professional medical assistance;
* a granddaughter's methods for avoiding ownership of the alleged bulimic problems by discounting the legitimacy of her grandmother's expressed concerns.

Through analysis of a single audio-recorded and transcribed conversation, Wayne Beach reveals the altogether pervasive and often troubled talk surrounding family medical predicaments. From a careful review of extant theories that seek to explain eating disorders and grandparent caregiving, it becomes clear that an overreliance on self-report data has promoted underspecified understandings of "social contexts" -- conceptualizations void of real time practices and interactional consequences mirroring how families manage their daily affairs and understandings regarding health and illness. In contrast, this volume draws attention to family members' embodied interactional activities. Here it is seen, for example, how methods for expressing concern and caring by individuals may nevertheless eventuate in interactional troubles and problems between family members. The analysis reveals that, while displays of basic concerns for others' health and well being are routine occurrences between family members in home environments -- and of course, across friendship and various support networks -- even the delicate and well-intended management of such occasions guarantees neither agreement on the nature of the alleged "problems" nor, consequently, a commitment to seek professional help as a means of remedying a medical condition. In such cases, the very existence of an illness is itself a matter of some contention to be interactionally worked out. And it is perhaps both predictable and symptomatic that those explicitly denying (or as with the granddaughter, indirectly failing to admit) that problematic health behaviors exist, also somehow let it be made known that far too much attention is being given to possibilities and consequences of illness in the first instance.

Implications of this investigation extend well beyond "bulimia" and "grandparent caregiving" to a vast array of casual and institutional involvements between family members, friends, and bureaucratic representatives such as those involved in long-term caregiving, dealing with cancer and Alzheimer's disease, or conducting psychiatric interviews and HIV/AIDS counseling sessions. Findings regarding the interactionally organized nature of talk about bulimia, as well as the problematic nature of caregiving, will be of value to researchers focusing on language and social interaction, health practitioners, and families alike.

This volume includes the full transcript of the conversation in the case study. A copy of the audio-recording is available for classroom adoption and/or personal purchase by contacting: Wayne A. Beach, School of Communication, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4516.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Conversation About Illness
The grandmother-granddaughter conversation examined in this book makes explicit what the detailed study of interaction reveals about two social problems - "bulimia" and "grandparent caregiving." For the first time, systematic attention is given to interactional activities through which family members display ordinary yet contradictory concerns about health and illness. Through analysis of a single audio-recorded and transcribed conversations, the altogether pervasive and often troubled co-existence of family medical predicaments is revealed by treating families as primordial institutional systems whose talk about real or idealized medical concerns is little understood - including attempts to impose and disregard constraints regarding health behavior as displays of institutional orientations and priorities.

From a careful review of extant theories seeking to explain eating disorders and grandparent caregiving, it becomes clear that an overreliance on self-reported experiences has promoted underspecified understandings of "social contexts" - conceptualizations devoid of real-time constituent practices and interactional consequences mirroring how families manages daily affairs and understandings regarding health and illness. Shifting from inherently individualized models of bodily disease or psychosocial illness, attention is given to the kinds of embodied interactional activities family members bring to one another's attention as practical and significant reasons informing actions.

Implications of this investigation extend well beyond "bulimia" and "grandparent caregiving" to a vast array of casual and institutional involvements between family members, friends, and bureaucratic representatives such as those involved in long-term caregiving, dealing with cancer and Alzheimer's disease, or conducting psychiatric interview and HIV/AIDS counseling sessions. Findings regarding the nature of caregiving, will be of value for researchers focusing on language and social interaction, health practitioners, and families alike.
--- from book's back cover ... 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

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.

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

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

Customer Reviews (7)

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

Very real and hopeful from a Christian perspective
I was very encouraged by the author's witness of hope for recovery.WhenI was in the midst of my bulimia, it gave me hope that I could recover too. The fact that she was Christian gave me encouragement to keep praying anddepending on God for strength and help through the tough times.Irecommend it to anyone! ... Read more

Product Description
"Nine years ago my daughter came home after an abusive marriage and developed Anorexia, yet did not recognise she was ill. It was the beginning of a living nightmare."

Anorexia and Bulimia in the Family: One Parent’s Guide to Recovery is the first supportive self-help guide written by a carer for other carers. This is the book Gráinne Smith searched for without success, as she battled against the wall of rejection and denial her daughter’s illness built around her, determined not to allow her to be one of the 20 per cent who die.

It is her personal story that proves that these house guests can be evicted. But it is more than that. It is also a practical guide with many tips and suggestions, including how to deal with eating, kitchen and bathroom issues, how to manage dramatic changes in mood behaviour and personality, how to get the best from professional help, and how to survive as a family.Gráinne Smith knows there are no easy answers. She has researched the subject through world-leading authorities, worked as a volunteer and on a helpline. She is a mother who has lived through the nightmare, and so has her daughter. ... Read more

Product Description
Bulimia is an emotional disorder whose symptoms include binging, purging and/or some form of extreme dieting.Although no discrete cause has been identified for it, many experts consider bulimia as an outlet for feelings of frustration, anger, loneliness or boredom.There is also a cultural factor in the ?cause? of bulimia.American culture has made a cult of thinness, and many young, impressionable women feel they must be thin if they are to receive love and acceptance. ... Read more

Product Description
In an extensively revised new edition of the successful Anorexia and Bulimia, Richard Gordon includes new information and discussion of the latest ideas in this rapidly growing research field. There is extensive discussion of the clinical aspects of disorders, in particular their relationship to obsessive-compulsive disorder, plus data of recovery and mortality. It also provides accounts of the latest research on the epidemiological status of eating disorders and the subsequent debate that this work has engendered. Further new features include the analysis of the role of sexual abuse in eating disorders; the relationship of obesity to anorexia and bulimia, and consideration of the recent debates surrounding the politics of eating disorders.The past two decades have witnessed an enormous increase in the number of cases of eating disorders in industrial societies. Richard Gordon brings together historical and cultural perspectives, as well as his own clinical experience, in order to examine the sociocultural roots of this apparent epidemic. The high incidence of these once rare conditions in contemporary societies can be traced to a number of interrelated factors: the changing role of women, the increasingly difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood, the social importance attached to physical beauty which focuses on thin body shape, a general pursuit of health and fitness and, ironically, the glamorization of anorexia in the mass media which has made its symptoms fashionable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A must have!
One of the best books I've read on Anorexia.A must have for any therapist treating eating disorders.I keep copies in my office to keep for patients.I wish it wasn't out of print.Glad Amazon is around to buy old copies.Useful for all eating disorders, by the way.Excellent CBT approach.

Good book for any compulsive problem
I do not have anorexia but Learned so much from this bookMy friend and I went through it like it was a college class.We loved it.We did the work and reaped the rewards.Thanks, Kitty

A Cognitive Approach to Eating Disorders
This book is very heavily based on cognitive and rational-emotive therapy as a way to control emotions, and therefor destructive eating patterns. Dr. Sandbek talks about the differences between constructive negative emotions (like sadness) and negative destructive emotions (like depression), and their consequent constructive and destructive behaviors. You learn to recognize that destructive emotions come from distorted thoughts. He recommends taking all the ugly things one says to themselves and thinking of it as a seperate internal voice.Then you learn to argue with and defeat the "Voice." Dr. Sandbek also emphasizes time management and stress reduction techniques. On the negative side Dr. Sandbek doesn't appear to have an iota of a feminist perspective in him (at one point he recommends anorexics look Playboy so they can see how much thinner they are then women "men consider attractive"), which is startling considering how many women this disease affects.This isn't too much of a concern however, since clearly his intent is to help women overcome disempowering emotions and behaviors, with clinical proven cognitive tools. ... Read more