Product Description
Here is a first-time examination of sexual anorexia: theextreme fear of sexual intimacy and obsessive avoidance of sex.Patric Carnes, the acknowledged leader in the treatment of compulsivesexual behavior, examines its causes, then describes concrete tasksand plans for exploring intimacy and restoring healthy sexuality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

sexual anorexia over coming self hatered
I had never heard of this problem before. It is basically a detachment disorder. It is like a young neglected child that can not bond.

Sex addiction
Very informative, enlightening, recommended by therapist, very worthwhile information for addicts and spouses of addicts

Necessary for couples who are unable to share intimacy
This is a textbook about sexual anorexia, which is a condition that causes a person to fear intimacy to the point of incredible pain.It contains a plan for recovery, and certainly is a place to begin to grapple with such a sensitive and important part of life.

Sexual Anoerxia
Excellent, well written, professional, innovative book about a difficult subject. Easy to read and understand.

Riveting
I haven't finished this yet, but the author tackles this subject in a way that makes the book hard to put down.I am confident I will get a lot out of this read. ... Read more

Product Description

Why would a talented young woman enter into a torrid affair with hunger, drugs, sex, and death? Through five lengthy hospital stays, endless therapy, and the loss of family, friends, jobs, and all sense of what it means to be "normal," Marya Hornbacher lovingly embraced her anorexia and bulimia -- until a particularly horrifying bout with the disease in college put the romance of wasting away to rest forever. A vivid, honest, and emotionally wrenching memoir, Wasted is the story of one woman's travels to reality's darker side -- and her decision to find her way back on her own terms.

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
This book offers the first new medical treatment plan in 50 years for anorexia nervosa, the self-starvation disease that affects adolescents and women of all ages in the U.S. and is now increasingly common in men. Written by a leading psychiatrist and eating disorder expert, the book is based on cutting-edge research on nutritional deficiencies in anorexia that have been long ignored, and the use of a simple but revolutionary brain test that can help psychiatrists select the best medication for each individual person. James Greenblatt, MD, explains that anorexia is a complex disorder with genetic, biological, psychological, and cultural contributing factors. In other words, anorexia is not primarily a psychiatric illness as has been believed for so long; rather, it is a medical illness of starvation that causes malnutrition in the body and the brain. Successful treatment must focus on correcting this malnutrition. Dr. Greenblatt has helped many patients with anorexia recover simply by correcting their nutritional deficiencies, and here he explains specifically which nutrients must be supplemented as part of treatment. Answers to Anorexia finally offers patients and their families new hope for successful treatment of this serious, frustrating, and enigmatic illness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A must read for all
This book serves as a tool that has been greatly lacking in the field.
I have had the privilege to hear these insights in team meetings and am glad that these insights will now be shared among all the readers of this book. I believe that this book will serve as a teaching tool for future practitioners in the ED field!

I love this book!
As a recovered anorexia sufferer as well as a parent of a young adult sufferer of anorexia, I continually explore new ideas to understand the cause and effective treatment of anorexia and to help support my daughter's recovery.

I attend many conferences, read the latest reports/research and try to keep current.

Dr. Walter Kaye, a top researcher from UCSD, says that treatments of anorexia and other mental health disorders are 100 years behind treatments for physical illness.

While the Maudsley Method (Family Based Therapy) has shown great promise as evidence-based treatment for children and adolescent sufferers, there is little evidence-based treatment for anorexia with young adult/adult sufferers.

What the experts seem to agree on is that the current treatments are just not working as successfully as they would like. Anorexia continues to be a killer. Only 50-70% of sufferers recover and often only after many years of treatment, at great expense and suffering.

I have purchased many books on the subject of treatment of anorexia.
This is one of the best books that I've read.

Dr. Greenblatt has treated over 1,000 sufferers and really understands anorexia and what it takes to successfully treat it.

I love his emphasis and research/stats on the power of nutrition and the essential need to medically TEST a sufferer to find out what they are lacking nutritionally so that the right nutritional supplements can be determined.

I have seen a big difference in my daughter since she was put on supplements including Zinc, Omega 3 and many of the others that Dr. Greenblatt talks about in the book.

I love his emphasis on the use of Referenced EEG (rEEG) to best select the right medication(s) likely to be helpful (rather than useless or hurtful) to a sufferer.

Most of the treatment providers and facilities that my daughter has been to have used 'guesswork' in prescribing medications. This method often did more harm than good.

Dr. Greenblatt clearly understands anorexia and offers innovative and integrated medical techniques that can best help sufferers recover from this horrid disorder.

The key takeaways for me is that anorexia is primarily caused by malnutrition of the brain and body.
Appropriate nutrition and the right "precise" medication that can address the anorexia along with comorbid issues such as anxiety and depression are critical to successful outcomes.

Thanks to Dr. Greenblatt for writing this wonderful book and giving sufferers true HOPE for full recovery. ... Read more

Product Description
Use the New and Effective Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to:
· Accept Your Thoughts and Change Your Behavior
· Cope with Critical Self-Talk Using Powerful Mindfulness Techniques
· Choose to Live a Healthy Life

Despite ever-widening media attention and public awareness of theproblem, American women continue to suffer from anorexia nervosa ingreater numbers than ever before. This severe psychophysiologicalcondition—characterized by an abnormal fear of becoming obese, apersistent unwillingness to eat, and severe compulsion to loseweight—is particularly difficult to treat, often because thevictims are unwilling to seek out help.This book uses innovative newtechniques based on a revolutionary model of psychotherapy calledacceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT, to teach readers thatefforts to control and stop anorexia may do more harm thangood. Instead of focusing efforts on judging impulses associated withthe disorder as "bad" or "negative," this approachencourages sufferers to mindfully observe these feelings withoutreacting to them in a self-destructive way. Guided to this morecompassionate, more receptive frame of mind, readers are coached toemploy various acceptance-based coping strategies.

Structured in a logical, step-by-step progression of exercises, the workbook first focuses on providing readers with a new understanding of anorexia and the ways they might have already tried to control the problem.Then the book progresses through techniques that teach how to use mindfulness to deal with out-of-control thoughts and feelings, how to identify choice that will lead to better heath and quality of life, and how to redirect the energy formerly spent on weight loss into those actions that will heal the body and mind. Although this book is written specifically to anorexia sufferers, it includes a clear and informative chapter on when readers need to seek professional treatment as well as advice on what to look for in a therapist.Amazon.com Review
"You will learn to accept and live with the uncontrollable thoughts and feelings that haunt you about your weight, and you will learn to take charge and move your life in directions that you value," promise the authors, both specialists in treating people with anorexia. They use the ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) philosophy: Accept the thoughts and feelings, and commit to actions that take charge of your life in a positive way. Step by step, you learn to understand that what you've been doing isn't working, deal with emotions and thoughts more effectively, identify your life values, start living a life that reflects those values, and cope with barriers. The overriding point is that you can act before you "get things right in your head." The style is warm, simple, and accepting--no stern lectures or commands to eat. The workbook has large pages and is well laid-out and easy to follow. Each chapter presents bulleted preview points at the beginning, clear content, and plenty of self-tests, exercises, and worksheets to get you immediately involved in each part of the process. Highly recommended for people challenged by anorexia and those who love them or work with them. --Joan Price ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Anorexia Workbook
This workbook has been such a big help in my struggle with anorexia.I am seeing a therapist and we are working through this book together chapter by chapter.I didn't think that any book could really help me, but this one did.It has given me strategies to take back control of my life.It truly has been a lifesaving book!

wouldn't give to a teenager
I skimmed this and decided not to give it to my adolescent daugther who is recovering from A.N.; more approrpiate for an adult who has decided they want to make a recovery and lookwing for a workbook--there are some frightening pages that say, imagine you have died, what would you want your tombstone to say--I regret that i wasted the money

Helped me gain control and seek help
As someone with an "Eating Disorder Personality" I found myself in a difficult place before this book. I felt I couldn't talk to anyone because I wasn't fully anorexic but I knew that I was having thoughts. I found this book after skiping sevrel meals and i bought it . I can't tell you how much it helped me . It not only helped me with the way I was feeling but also to understand that I could talk to someone about it and not feel ashamed. I decided to see someone and helped me step away from the "edge" as I call it . It was really helpful to me and hopefully someone else out there. SO from someone who wasn't really an outsider but not really an Insider I recomend this to anyone who is dealing with an E.D. or cares for someone who is.

helpful
This book was helpful. It did not cure me. What it did do was help me realize that I didn't want to keep going in the path I was in. After having the eating disoder for many years and refusing help the entire time, thats actually an accomplishment. I would recommend this book to anyone who is on their last leg and not sure what to do.

A book of hope help and reassurance
Written in such a way that it helps people to understand how to overcome the addiction of anorexia and its hold on one's life. In doing that it makes it possible to change one's mindset instead of just covering up the layers. ... Read more

Product Description
This practical manual offers a step-by-step guide to the treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescents. Unique in its focus on mobilizing parents and siblings as a resource in treatment, the approach is ideal for short-term treatment and has demonstrated effectiveness in controlled clinical trials. Intervention is divided into three clearly defined phases. Using such innovative methods as a family meal, the clinician first learns strategies for helping families gain immediate control over the adolescent's eating behaviors. Once the patient accepts parental demands to eat, related family problems are addressed in the second phase. The third and final phase of treatment aims toward getting adolescent development back on track and establishing family relationships that do not revolve around the eating disorder. Featuring detailed guidelines for conducting each family session, the manual is illustrated with extensive clinical transcripts and vignettes.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent manual for evidence based approach
As a child and adolescent psychiatrist with more than 32 years experience treating anorexia nervosa, it's no exaggeration to assert that the Maudesley Model has finally given us a fighting chance of conquering this devastating disorder. It also happens to be the only approach that has a better track record than non-treatment in randomized controlled trials. Moreover now that a session by session manual is available, it becomes possible for psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and mental health workers with a family therapy background to deliver effect treatment to anorexic teenagers and their families - with minimal additional training.

The approach is very prescriptive - from the initial "intense scene" where the therapist informs the parents that their child has a fair chance of dying unless they both take a leave of absence from work to personally supervize all her meals - to the hard and fast rule that all famiy members participate in all sessions until the patient reaches 95% of her ideal body weight. The emphasis that the father attend all sessions is especially important in families (which happens commonly in families with anorexics) where he has somehow become disengaged from the rest of the family.

The focus throughout the initial phase of treatment is empowering the parents to make appropriate food choices for the teenager, until she frees herself from the spell anorexia holds over her. The second session in this highly structured approach always involves a picnic lunch the family brings to the office - enabling the therapist to "coach" the parents regarding their responsibility to get their daughter to eat. This is followed by weekly visits to ensure the family is continuing to provide close supervision of dietary choices, meals, exercise and purging.

According to the authors, restoring appropriate body weight with the Maudesley Model takes 20-30 weeks, at which point the patient enters Phase 2, a transition phase in which she begins to re-take responsibility for her own eating.

After four to six months of transition, the patient enters Phase 3, in which the patient begins work on social issues linked to anorexia, an all-consuming affliction that leads most teenagers to withdraw from normal healthy relationships.

By Dr Stuart Jeanne Bramhall, author of THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY ACT: MEMOIR OF AN AMERICAN REFUGEE

Not as user friendly as it could have been.
I had heard about the Maudsley Method from an article about Johns Hopkins' Eating Disorder program so I ordered this book along with "Skills-based Learning for Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder." Unfortunately, this book, "Treatment Manual for Anorexia Nervosa: A Familiy-Based Approach" was much less helpful than I thought it would be. It gives a good overview of the conceptual basis for the Maudsley Method, but for the non-professional is not very helpful or informative. That being said, the two books put together make an excellent overview of the program.

Great concepts
Important new wrinkles on tx.Opens up new possibilities.
Surprisingly for a professional manual, a page-turner.

great manual
This is a comprehensive and useful treatment manual both as a guide for those beginning to use this treatment and as revision for those trained in the approach. An excellent buy

An Excellent Resource for Clinicians!
This is an excellent book for clinicians treating teens struggling with Anorexia.This model taps into the power of the family to successfully fight this horrible disorder.I also highly recommend Help Your Teenager Beat An Eating Disorder, a well-written guide for the clinician and an outstanding resource for parents!! ... Read more

Product Description

I've never had anorexia, but I know it well. I see it on the street, in the gaunt and sunken face, the bony chest, the spindly arms of an emaciated woman. I've come to recognize the flat look of despair, the hopelessness that follows, inevitably, from years of starvation. I think: That could have been my daughter. It wasn't. It's not. If I have anything to say about it, it won't be.

Customer Reviews (34)

Brave Girl Eating
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and could not put it down.It is extremely well written and very insightful.I was educated on newer treatments for anorexia.It is a honest view of the myths that plague this condition.I was enlightened about how society is quick to pass judgement on a family when the disease caused the appearance of a "dysfunctional family".I would recommend this book !!Bravo!

Painfully accurate, yet helpful read
As someone closely involved in an on-going, year-long battle with anorexia, I can attest to the accuracy of Harriet Brown's "Brave Girl Eating".This is the 4th book I've read so far on this horrible illness and the impact eating disorders (ED) have on the individual suffering and the family.This may also be the most helpful and supportive book I've read for several reasons.

First off Harriet Brown has lived the nightmare and writes from a completely different perspective than that presented by the professionals in the field. "Brave Girl Eating" is a reflection of what it is like to live with ED as it takes its toll on the individual with the disorder and the family. As I read Ms. Brown's recollections of meal-time battles, visits with doctors and therapists, the "re-feeding" process, and adapting to life with ED, I found myself frequently nodding in both agreement and sympathy.

Journalist Brown has also done her research and clearly explains the various schools of thought on what causes eating disorders (the jury is still out) and how to best approach treatment. Ms. Brown is clearly an advocate of the Maudsley approach which is a Family Based Therapy (FBT) approach: one in which the family is NOT blamed for the disorder AND is very much involved in the treatment and recovery process. She references Lock, James, and le Grange's Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder (also *****) which was the first book I'd read on eating disorders and is also a great resource.

"Brave Girl Eating" is a well researched and educational read as well as one that is heartbreaking and all-too-real. Yet it is ultimately inspirational and uplifting and I gained a lot of emotional strength from Harriet Brown and "Kitty's" perseverance and bravery. Recommended.

Myth-busting, dramatic exploration of a family dealing with a daughter's anorexia
Reading Harriet Brown's excellent book I couldn't help thinking of The Exorcist -- in which the innocent child Regan is possessed by a demon, spewing obscenities, repelling all attempts to cast out the evil force that is threatening her life. Just as inexplicable and life-threatening is the sudden possession of 14-year-old Kitty Brown by the demon of anorexia which spawns self-hatred and the uncontrollable urge to punish herself through the withholding of food.

When I titled my review "myth-busting" I meant that, before reading this book I thought of eating disorders as the neuroses of the hyperprivileged raised by mothers who bought into the "a woman can't be too thin or too rich" credo.But Harriet Brown is grounded, well-informed; her family is functional and loving; the message she and her husband have always given to their daughters is of acceptance of the full range of healthy body sizes.So when Kitty starts limiting her diet to a few leaves of lettuce and a precisely-counted number of grapes, wasting away before her family's eyes, erupting into tirades that seem voiced by some alien within her that calls her a pig, disgusting, worthless, Harriet is mystified and fearful.

Despite inept therapists and obstructive insurance companies, and books that perpetuate outdated and downright damaging information, Brown rallies her journalistic discipline and her lioness-mother heart to save her daughter's life, and, by the book's end, has come to a place of hope.Not complete, easy triumph -- but hope.Her research leads her to FBT - Family Based Therapy, a grueling but effective treatment for anorexia that requires a family member to stay with the anorexic victim at all times, patiently coaxing her through every meal (which can take hours), making sure she doesn't purge afterward, helping to establish a zone of safety around the truly terrifying ordeal that eating has become.

It is amazing that this family weathered the trial of a mentally-ill family member and still stayed together, loving and supportive.Little Emma, ten at the onset of her sister's ordeal, is a voice of wry and often funny sanity. Jamie, Harriet's husband, doesn't understand, but remains a stand-up husband and dad. Kudos to this family. The book is a page-turner, and I would imagine a lifesaver for families and individuals experiencing this bizarre kind of hell.

Amazing read
I've spent the past year researching eating disorders for my senior thesis for college (studio art major doing an exhibition of the physical and emotional effects of eating disorders). This book was truly insightful into the effects that Anorexia has on both the person with the disease and the families of people with the disease. It was an absolute page turner, and I found myself tearing up at some points. Excellent read, I would suggest it to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

More than wanting to be skinny..............
I wanted to read this book because I am the antithesis of anorexia. I couldnt understand how someone could willingly starve themselves. Do I want to be thin? of course! But to deny myself food, its not happening! This book helped me understand that it is more a mental thing, a brain illness, an inner voice telling you that you should not eat. My inner voice says that too, but I dont pay attention, LOL! Then after a while of self starvation, you seem to lose all sensations of hunger. Weird. Kind of self preservation I guess, like some POWs from Vietnam cant or wont talk about their time there. They seem to forget their bad experiences or block them out, like an anorexic blocks out the hunger pangs, because food is too scary or harmful.

I'm glad I read it but I am still a bit fuzzy about anorexia and why some people get it and some people dont. Is it chemical? Is it hereditary? Is it how you were parented? Was it one comment or look from a stranger? Was it one snub by a boy you liked? Was it being teased by a mean girl at school? Is it because we, as a culture, put so much emphasis on looks and appearance through TV, magazines or movies?

I dont think we give young women enough credit for being smart, or strong or capable or independent. It shouldnt matter if you weigh 100 pounds or 200 pounds or more. The essence of who we are lies at our core, not in the outside covering.

I have to give a standing ovation to Harriet Brown and her family. She showed some fierce mother love to her daughter, instead of just putting her in some facility because it would be easier.I wish nothing but the best for the author and her family. They deserve it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A light in the darkness
I got this devotional several years ago, and it gave me hope.
Earlier this year I spent time at Remuda Ranch, and this devotional continued to lift my spirits. I have, unfortunately, relapsed badly, but my little devotional continues to give me encuragement and to remind me that recovery is possible.
Barb-bulimic/walking addict since 1986

little steps toward recovery
As a former patient of Remuda, I was given this book on my first day of treatment.I read it faithfully throughout the year, and I found hope and encouragement in those pages as I read the stories of women like me.For anyone struggling with an eating disorder or for their loved ones, this book is an important tool for recovery.

Good daily meditation/devotional
My daughter has used this book and was recommended by a counselor to her.It is very good for beginning the day with God and touches on many struggles, joys, fears, etc. that those with an eating disorder go through. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A provocative and engrossing memoir of a young mother's spiral into eating disorders and exercise addiction, and her subsequent struggle to reclaim control of her life.

At twenty-four, Erica Rivera appeared to have it all: a B.A., two daughters, a successful husband, a house in the suburbs-and a great body. But under the surface, Erica was struggling with an addiction. She developed a self- destructive obsession with dieting, bingeing, purging, exercising, and, ultimately, anorexia. It wasn't until her very young daughters began to imitate her actions that she decided to get help-and to trace her disordered eating and body-image patterns across three generations of women in her family.

Insatiable is the raw, candid, and ultimately uplifting story of one woman's plunge into the depths of addiction and her fragile fight to climb back out. Getting to the root of her own problems helped her show her own daughters where happiness truly lies: in loving oneself. Though her road to recovery has not been easy, Erica Rivera is reassuring in her honesty-and inspirational in her triumph.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Misrepresented and Disappointing
The jacket cover misrepresents the author's condition as adult-onset anorexia by indicating that her obsession with weight loss started off as a desire to lose her baby weight after her second pregnancy. Upon reading what is essentially a food diary, you learn that the author has dealt with an eating disorder since her teens. The book's jacket cover also purports to describe how the author dealt with her eating disorder. Unfortunately, it is only the last few pages that refer to how Ms Rivera decides to seek help. The majority of the book talks about her obsession with food, often with very detailed and creative descriptions of items of food.

If you are interested in reading about the psyche of someone with an eating disorder and what factors may have influenced or driven them, this is NOT the book. The author describes how as a child she watched her mother pick at her food and how she intervened in her mother's suicide attempt but does not go into these factoids in much detail, which I think is one of the book's shortcomings, as it may have helped the readers better understand the author's actions.

On the plus side, I do feel the book is well-written. Ms Rivera does have a creative writing style. I just feel the book has no real substance and portrays her as a highly unlikable character that cannot be empathized with in the least.

What is most disturbing, more than the descriptions of her 4-hour daily exercise regimen, her bulimic purges and suicidal thoughts, are the confessions of her parenting skills, namely the emotional and physical neglect of her two young daughters. I appreciate the author's candor but all I kept thinking about while reading this was how Child Protective Services can use this manuscript as evidence to take away her children from her.

I am giving this book a star as the writer does have a flair for words but overall a highly disappointing, and I would like to repeat, misrepresented memoir.

Pretty darn EXCELLENT
I ordered this book in spite of the negative reviews on Amazon. I try to read pretty much every ED memoir, and believe me, I have read MANY crappy ones. Insatiable is NOT crappy; it is actually one of the best ED memoirs out there. It is very well written, well paced, and interesting (even interesting to those who do not seek out ED books). I think Erica is a terrific writer, and an extremely brave woman for writing in such detail about the horrific effects of EDs. If Marya Hornbacher's Wasted showed ya the repulsive side of vomiting, this book certainly shows laxative abuse in all its gory horror. Hornbacher's"Wasted" is definitely my favorite ED memoir- far superior to its predecessors in quality of writing, introspection, and, most importantly to me, the way Marya write EVERY GROSS and DISTURBING DETAIL about her EDs, where most authors (the ones I've read at least) depict EDs as much-sought-after afflictions of ballerinas and other beauties who are greatly loved and easily cured. In this way, INSATIABLE is very much like WASTED- i.e., nothing is sugar-coated, Erica describes all the gory behaviors of an ED sufferer and the disurbing bodily side effects of this disease.

Insatiable is honest, well-written, and an interesting read. I feel guilty that I read the account of someone's suffering with such enthusiasm, but I have to say, this book really held my attention and I read it within a day.

A Young Mother Forsakes Her Children for Food, and Thinness
Insatiable is not, like any memoir about an eating disorder, an easy read. There are binges and paeans to suicide and disturbing moments when Rivera leaves her two sleeping toddlers to go for a run. I found the chapters in which Rivera plans to commit suicide the most compelling, and they most starkly show the depths to which Rivera sank over the course of her eating disorder.

Yes, there are dramatic, detailed descriptions of food here and what Rivera did with it, everything from amassing it to hiding it to chewing and spitting it. In one scene, her daughter's keen sense of smell sniffs out the binge Rivera is sneaking. In many ways, this is telling, in that Rivera is able to hide her affliction from many around her, including her parents (despite a teenage eating disorder episode), but her daughters bluntly call her on her issues. Rivera, to her credit, does not gloss over these moments, or the ones where she ignores her daughters to focus on Ana and BB (anorexia and Binge B---h, as she calls them). By personifying her eating disorder, she helps make it relatable.

Rivera doesn't necessarily get into where her eating disorder came from, though she touches on the instability of her childhood; instead she focuses on the damage her eating disorder did to her thinking, her body and those around her, including men she dates after her divorce. It's to her credit as a writer that some of the most beautifully written scenes are the most unnerving. Other reviewers have pointed out that Rivera was self-involved; indeed, that seems to me the very point of this memoir, that food, above all else, was what ruled her (well, food combined with body image). Even when doctors questioned her motives, she resisted, enthralled by her affair with Ana.

I've read many eating disorder memoirs and while, to a degree, they all echo each other, due to the nature of the subject matter, Rivera's stands out both in covering the children and family life, and the nuance of the writing. While extreme, Rivera's body dysmorphia will also, sadly, be familiar to many women.

Very Disappointing
I bought this book for my 15 year old daughter who will be returning home after an extended stay at an eating disorder facility in Arizona.Thank goodness I read the book before I gave it to my daughter.This book would be of no benefit whatsoever for my recovering daughter.I can't imagine how it would be helpful to anyone struggling or recovering from an eating disorder, at least the struggle my daughter has endured with anorexia and bulimia. I felt like I was reading someone's personal diary and some of the sexual content was, in my opinion, inappropriate and not necessary.My daughter would not be able to relate to the author's exercise addiction and her bizarre relationships with food and men.The story was difficult to follow and I didn't end up caring much about the author.I returned the book to the store.I cannot recommend this book to anyone struggling with an eating disorder.

Don't Bother
A complete waste of time.The book is boring, over-written, cliche filled, confusing, and interspersed with poorly linked personal stories. Overall, this book has very little to do with the real and honest complexities of an eating disorder (something with which I have personal experience). The author awkwardly dances around her so-called "eating disorder" which seems to indicate that she doesn't even have an eating disorder. More than anything, the author is addicted to herself and exercise, and making sure she is in the attention spotlight and that her own narcissistic needs are met at the emotional expense and hurt of innocent others, especially her young children.She obviously has way too much free time on her hands given the exorbitant amount of time she chooses to spend on exercise, eating, thinking and writing about food.Her story is so shallow, it's almost laughable!Definitely not worth the read!
(Bo-ooooring - YAWN!). ... Read more

Product Description
Anorexia nervosa, in simple terms, is self-starvation. However, it is a complex problem with intricate roots; and, recovery is best accomplished with a grasp of sound information, specific tasks, and the support of others. All of that is provided in this guidebook, which includes:

o Answers to questions most often asked about anorexia

o Insight from recovered and recovering anorexics

o Monika Ostroff’s story of recovery

o Specific things to do that have worked for others

o Information on healthy eating and weight

o Suggestions for how to stay committed

o A special section for parents & loved ones ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Anorexia
I wasn't sure if this book would be helpful, but it is by far one of the best books on eating disorders that I have found. There is a checklist to see if you are in danger of becoming anorexic, and also steps to recover that are very useful and encouraging.

Great Advice!
This book was required for a college course I took and the book really helped me to jump into the shoes of a person with anorexia nervosa.I highly recommend this book to a person with or without the disorder.

Inspirational
I've read 3 other books on this topic and found this to be the easiest to read and very inspirational.Short chapters, pick-up and read as much or as little in one sitting.Practical, real life examples of dealing with the complexities of an eating disorder.Not sugar coated, yet it does not dwell in the depths of dispair.Encouraging, hopeful, realistic.I consider this a must read for anyone dealing with an eating disorder, their friends, and family included.I am a mom to a recovering daughter.

Encouraging and Full of Insight
This book is not only a wonderful resource for sufferers of anorexia.But it is also a resource for thier family and friends.The book explains anorexia, tells Monika Ostroff's personal story, and has a special chapter for family and loved ones.Everyone who suffers from anorexia or has a spouse, family member, or friend with anorexia, should read this book.

Gentle, reassuring and helpful
Reading this book evokes the feeling of talking to a concerned and supportive friend about anorexia.The authors don't throw out harsh statistics or Freudian theories, and there are no disturbingly graphicdepictions of binging or purging.Instead, the reader is treated withaffection and respect.It is assumed that anorexia develops as a method ofcoping, and the reader receives suggestions for new ways to deal withfeelings.This book gives the reader a feeling of hope and self-reliance,and avoids shaming language.The authors give helpful, practical methodsof overcoming anorexia and learning to love oneself. ... Read more

Product Description
Anatomy of Anorexia is a tremendous tool for families: now more than ever, early diagnosis and treatment, and family participation, are crucial in helping the anorexic. Preeminent therapist Steven Levenkron demystifies this life-threatening disease and shows how the millions of girls and women who are afflicted with anorexia can be helped--and can look forward to rich and productive lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Very insightful and educational
I shared this book with my therapist because while I am a "recovered" anorexic, I still have occasional relapses.When I had one recently, I bought this book and devoured it.So much of the passages in the book spoke to me, and resonated with my own thoughts and feelings, that I felt it was vital to my therapy progress to discuss it.The main points that stood out were how much of an impact parental behavior can have on a child even if it's unintentional; that the nature of anorexia causes the sufferer to lock into very rigid thought and belief patterns that are extremely difficult to break.

Before others immediately criticize Levenkron for his ego and self-congratulatory attitude, think about the fact that treating anorexics is nigh-impossible, and any doctor who has found a method that works *should* be proud and should be congratulated.Anorexia and bulimia are hateful, destructive illnesses that are notoriously hard to treat.It's really akin to alcoholism.If he can help his patients, bully for him.

Should Be Required Reading
Brilliant, elegantly written and insightful, Anatomy of Anorexia
by Steven Levenkron offers a panoramic view beyond most medical treatises and personal accounts on Anorexia. For parents, the medical community and laypersons seeking to understand this seemingly unfathomable condition, this book sheds light on the ever present and haunting question, "Why would a seemingly healthy child or young adult purposely starve?" If you're searching for answers to the poignant questions surrounding this disorder, Anatomy of Anorexia provides more than clues and theories. This book reveals a path that may very well lead to the light at the end of the dark tunnel for patients, families and caregivers dealing with this wrenching and heart breaking disorder. This is an invaluble guide that fills a need not completely met by other books on anorexia nervosa. I agree with a previous reviewer that this book may not be suitable reading for some sufferers of anorexia. The knowledge within could prove to be a two-edged sword for the patient who hasn't fully embraced the long journey to recovery.

Clear, comprehensive, and useful.
I've been teaching young adults on the college level for a couple of years now, and in that short amount of time, several of my female students have confided that they've struggled with eating disorders.This book helped me to understand what they went through, and it therefore has my unequivocal recommendation.

The strength of this book is that its author has written such a clear, easy-to-understand dissection the anatomy of anorexia. Levenkron analyzes factors contributing to anorexia; its effects on victims, their families, and friends; and several treatments.He uses explanations and case-study examples to demystify a disease that often seems inexplicable, making this a useful book for anyone who wants a clearer picture of anorexia.

Readers will come to understand the mental nature of anorexia as Levenkron does: as an obsessive-compulsive disorder.This concept is critical for family members and friends of anorexics to understand, for, as Levenkron states, it is impossible for anyone but a professional to cure an anorexic.

His major point: that the longer anorexia goes untreated, the more it strengthens its grasp on its victims, underscoring the need for *professional* help as early as possible. Therefore, if you think someone you know has an eating disorder, don't understand why, and don't know what to do about it, then this book is for you.

good book
This book was had lots of examples of his patients in it and the different types. Steven Levenkron explained anorexia very simply yet well. It is good for both readers who know about the disorder and people who are new to it. It is very comprehensive and breaks up the aspects of anorexia into different sections that are easier to manage.

Incredible insight
As a recovering anorexic, I found Dr. Levenkron's insight into this disease almost frighteningly accurate.He was not only right on with his descriptions of the stages of anorexia--I couldn't stop nodding as I was reading--but he managed to put words to things I've felt/am still feeling, but have been unable to verbalize.With his emphasis on listing the weights of his patients, I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone not yet ready for recovery.But for family, friends and those fighting their way out of this disease, Anotomy of Anorexia is excellent. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

New Point of View
As an OT (occupational therapy) student, I am interested in working with adolescents with psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders.This book had a wealth of clinical information by describing the client perspective in a way I would have never thought an eating disorder worked.The voice of IT and YOU bring an entire new implication of the interactions and conversations necessary for therapy.

The actual OT sections of the book were interesting because it provides a look into how a patient perceives what an OT is doing.Although the events occurring in the book were in the late 1980s and OT has since then changed dramatically, the book's description of OT as an arts and crafts session really stresses the need for all health practitioners to define what they are doing for the patient with the patient and discussing with the patient choices and likes and dislikes versus assuming the purpose of therapy will fall into place.

I recommend this book for any future or current health practitioner who wants an entirely new perspective from their patients with eating disorders.

Important work on disordered eating in males
This book should be required reading for every professional who treats patients suffering from eating disorders. The fact that males, as well as females suffers from this type of mental illness has long been, at best, ignored, or at worst, denied. Thanks to Gary Grahl for his contribution to the understanding of how anorexia can be as deadly to men as to women. This book is well-written, with honesty and even humor, but the points it makes are dead serious.Highly recommended reading.

Excellent
I thought the book was an excellent, rare insight into the mindset of a male struggling with an eating disorder.A definite read.

Needs more editing; general idea is good but the writing needs some more work
This books is full of grammatical and spelling errors! It certainly needs either a new editor or another revision. Furthermore, I felt the book's beginning could use some revamping. For instance, it begins narration from the writer's point of view without giving us some general background about who this person is, how old he is and so forth. It's not until much much later do we begin to get some sense of who this person is--that is, the context surrounding this author.

The Kindle/ebook version of this book is really poorly formatted. Horrible. It distracts from the content.

Do I recommend this book? Well, yes because it is rare to hear the store of an [...] male. But, be prepared for some poor editing and for some writing that needs revising!

Amazing!
I'm currently struggling with anorexia, and when i read this book it not only motivated me but made me feel not so alone. I related to Gary's thoughts and feelings. This book would be perfect for a parent with a child who has and ed, a friend, or for anyone else who's interested in the subject. It's fast moving...and hard to stop reading. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description

After knowing friends with anorexia and being baffled by their behavior, Laura Moisin suddenly found herself prone to the same disease—not eating at all and going weeks at a time consuming nothing but water and the occasional black coffee. Deceiving therapists by misleading them with symptoms of depression, her anorexia is prolonged, and her health deteriorates rapidly. Recognizing that she has a serious disorder, she quickly finds a therapist working at her university and openly confesses that she’s an anorexic seeking treatment. Her therapist looks at her doubtfully and says, shockingly, “No, I don’t think you’re an anorexic.” Already swirling in a state of confusion, the attacks on New York’s World Trade Center—an event the author witnessed first-hand from her apartment—only accelerate her path to further self-destruction. Without preaching, this memoir offers a reassuring first-hand voice for the many who suffer silently, and provides strength for family and friends to help heal destructive behaviors.

Customer Reviews (3)

Beginning grabbed my attention, but later half left me wanting more.
I appreciated the author's revealing her experience with anorexia and her courage to share her inner experience.When I read personal accounts, I want the author to delve deep into their emotional states, ask themselves honestly why they do this and what does it prove. She didn't get into the physical, emotional or spiritual pain enough or question herself the "why" of this disease enough for me. I would like her to have written more in depth about how 9/11 changed her and her environment. I was left wanting more raw feeling, maybe more maturity in the writing - and I was a bit disappointed in the second half of the book. I'm a pretty critical reader though, so my comments might be a bit harsh.One does not really get over the disease; the hardest part is realizing there is no achievement in being the thinnest, anorexia steals time one never gets back.

Anorexia as a metaphor for a deeper metaphysical struggle
Amazing, astute, and awe-inspiring! In contrast to many other books on eating disorders, Laura Moisin's _Kid Rex_ does not focus on the symptoms and behaviors of the disease, nor does it offer an over-simplified, linear plan for recovery. Instead, Laura's chilling memoir helps illuminate the darkness of the disease by exposing the core inner struggle of the person beneath the symptoms. Throughout the book, her narratives and insights are simultaneously subtle and profound. For example, in a few poignant sentences, she is able to capture the essence of the anorexic experience (p. 125):

"Anorexics experience a sense of power, calm, and well-being when we deprive ourselves. By looking frightful and skeletal we are simultaneously pushing people away in a most destructive, passive-aggressive way, and challenging those we love to accept us and to fight for us, regardless....Food becomes symbolic of that which we can't control but must, that which we absolutely need but absolutely reject. Attempting to detangle oneself from this complicated interplay between pleasure and pain, destruction and creation, is in fact a metaphysical struggle for the very life and survival that become increasingly impossible to grasp."

Although _Kid Rex_ is about Laura's struggle with anorexia,it can also been seen as a metaphor for how we are all in danger of starving to death if our lives lack nourishing meaning and purpose. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to better understand eating disorders--or, for that matter, anyone who wants to gain insight into living a life that feeds the body, mind, and soul.

Touching, sad and hopeful
I have an eating disorder and I am currently in recovery - its not easy.However, what makes it much easier for me is knowing that there are many, many people out there who suffer from the same disease as I do.That is why I absolutely love to read books on the subject - especially when they are of the sensitivity, quality and honesty displayed in Kid Rex.

This is a heartwrenching, honest and beautiful book written by someone who has been there and has lived to tell about it.

Yes, its extremely difficult to read this book - the experiences, thoughts, feelings and emotions of the author are on display for all to see, but that is just the point - no more hiding before the food (whether it be anorexia, bulimia or overeating).

The author tells us like it is - this is not a fairy tale where everyone comes out at the end with a big smile, having resolved all of the issue. Eating disorders are insidious and run deep, but Kid Rex gives up hope - illuminates without judging and is touching and moving.

I LOVED this book and I am in awe of the author who has the courage to 'feel' again and to share with us. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you are a newly diagnosed patient, a friend, or a relative of someone with anorexia nervosa, or if you simply wish to gain a better understanding of this condition, 100 Questions and Answers About Anorexia Nervosa offers help. This book offers a complete guide to understanding the causes of anorexia, warning signs and diagnosis, and practical suggestions on how to help loved ones suffering from anorexia as well as the treatment options available. Written by a clinical psychologist with nearly 20 years experience in the field of eating disorders, along with contributions from actual patients, this book is an invaluable resource for learning about and fighting this disease. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

This one's a keeper
This book presents an unbiased and informed overview of anorexia nervosa, an illness with a high morality rate. There are new discoveries of the causes (and they are multiple) and treatments of anorexia, including some genetic, inherited, and physical ones. For people with eating disorders, or their friends and loved ones, "100 Questions & Answers About Anorexia Nervosa" is an excellent starting point for finding out more about it, and helping themselves or sufferers to cope, and possibly enter recovery.

Sometimes, while meaning well and trying to help, people say and do things which make it worse for the patient. After reading this book, family and friends will have more insight into the anorexic's mind and avoid causing harm or triggering more self-starvation. What possesses a bright, seemingly happy woman or girl (and sometimes boy or man) to starve themselves? Answers and educated speculations can be found here. No, parents, it's not your fault. However, family therapy is very useful with young or married anorexics. Everyone, not just the victim, suffers when someone is anorexic, so getting everyone in on recovery is important.

While not written from a feminist viewpoint, the rule of cultural damage done by mass media, whether print or broadcast, is investigated. We must stop sending messages to females that denigrate all but one body type--a type that few can achieve without pathological food restriction and exercise.

It's an easy book to get through, written for laypeople, not medical experts. If you are an anorexic, know one, or are simply interested in the disorder, this is a good addition to your library.

Excellent resource!
100 Questions & Answers About Anorexia Nervosa is the most comprehensive, up-to-date, easy to read guide to this much too common eating disorder.I often recommend Dr. Sari Shepphird's book to patients, parents, colleagues and friends.If you are interested in learning more about anorexia, are caring for somebody with anorexia or are suffering form anorexia yourself, this is the best book to teach and help you recover.

A must-read resource on anorexia nervosa
I've collaborated with eating disorder specialist Sari Shepphird, Ph.D, many times now, and she's always incredibly insightful and inspiring. So is her book, 100 Questions & Answers About Anorexia Nervosa. It's a valuable guide for anyone wanting to learn more about anorexia. Maybe you're trying to recover from this debilitating disorder or have a love one who is. Maybe you're a guidance counselor who'd like to know more, an athletic coach, a primary care physician or a concerned friend. Either way, this book is a great practical resource that's packed with important information. And its author has extensive experience in the eating disorder field as a clinical psychologist - almost 20 years!

There's a lot of confusing, and misleading information out there on eating disorders, but Dr. Shepphird's book provides accurate, up-to-date information, which is laid out in an easy-to-read structure and style. She debunks many pervasive myths throughout. For instance, Dr. Shepphird debunks the myths that anorexia is a choice or just a phase; and that eating will fix everything (it's part of recovery but it's important for sufferers to seek professional help).

She devotes an entire chapter to support for loved ones, with crucial questions like "how can I get through this?" when your child has been diagnosed with anorexia and "what do you hear most often from the parents of anorexia patients regarding their experiences? what can I learn from other parents who are facing the same struggles?" Parents and loved ones reading this book will really get a sense of relief, hope and, again, tons of great insight into anorexia. One of the best things you can do for a loved one is to educate yourself about the disorder, and this book gives readers the opportunity to do that.

Other things I loved about Dr. Shepphird's book: Like mentioned in earlier reviews, Dr. Shepphird includes comments from two eating disorder survivors throughout the book. Their stories help to shed light on the disorder from a patient's perspective. They help individuals better understand the disorder and help sufferers know they aren't alone (and that recovery is possible!). Dr. Shepphird also includes a list of resources for additional information. Plus, though the book covers a lot of information, it isn't overwhelming at all. The structure allows you to easily browse through it and get the answer to whatever question you need right away. You don't have to search endlessly for a certain fact. So it works as a quick reference, too.

In general, I love that Dr. Shepphird demystifies anorexia and its treatment. She provides information on what causes anorexia, the warning signs (along with a self-test for eating disorders), and effective treatments, in addition to how to choose a treatment team and how to make the most of your recovery. You'll also find a section on prevention and advocacy and what you can do, something I haven't seen other books cover.

Overall, I think this is an excellent resource that you'll come back to time and time again. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

What you need to know about anorexia nervosa
A valuable additon to the literature on anorexia nervosa, this book is a go-to reference filled with useful information and insights on every aspect of this serious and complicated disorder. The engaging Q & A format, along with contributions from patients and their loved ones, creates an accessible, comprehensive, practical, and up-to-date resource. Recommended for patients, their families, and anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of anorexia.

Excellent and Informative Guide to Understanding Anorexia
This straightforward book offers answers to all who wish to be more informed about the diagnosis, treatment and experience of anorexia. The author, Dr. Sari Sheppherd, offers tremendous insight and help to families, loved ones, professionals and eating disorder sufferers.A must read!

Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC
Founder of Eating Disorder Hope
[...] ... Read more

Product Description
Winner of four major awards, this updated edition of Joan Jacobs Brumberg's Fasting Girls, presents a history of women's food-refusal dating back as far as the sixteenth century. Here is a tableau of female self-denial: medieval martyrs who used starvation to demonstrate religious devotion, "wonders of science" whose families capitalized on their ability to survive on flower petals and air, silent screen stars whose strict "slimming" regimens inspired a generation. Here, too, is a fascinating look at how the cultural ramifications of the Industrial Revolution produced a disorder that continues to render privileged young women helpless. Incisive, compassionate, illuminating, Fasting Girls offers real understanding to victims and their families, clinicians, and all women who are interested in the origins and future of this complex, modern and characteristically female disease.


... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Intriguing
I never knew the history of anorexia nervosa, but it would make sense.Throughout history if someone behaved differently then mainstream society, that behavior needed to be studied and possibly cured.Food was not plentiful in the earlier centuries and that would explain why the woman would go without eating.I was very pleased with the detailed insight of anorexia nervosa.I should not have been surprised though, I have read previous literature from Brumberg and was pleased then.

great
This book has a lot of great info in it. I enjoyed reading it and found a lot of it to be new information.

Necessary Reading
The obvious strength of this book as a history of the development of Anorexia Nervosa comes from its unbiased approach.As a historian, the author has walked brilliantly the fine line between simply retelling the past and critically evaluating it.(Sometimes stupid ideas need to be called stupid ideas!)It is essential reading for anyone with an interest in eating disorders or nutrition.

The subtle strength of this book is its format for discussing disease development in a social and political context.Anyone interested in disease etiology beyond simply the biochemical approach should also read this book, as a guide to how to put disease in a realistic context.

Brilliant all round!

Fun Informational Read

This book was very well done.

I had previously read a book like it called "From Fasting Saints to Anorexic Girls" which was written in the manner of a stuffy academic. At first I was afraid this book might turn out to be the same but thankfully I read the reviews on it and decided to give it a try.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an eating disorder or interested in the history of the relationship between women and their bodies.

Absolutely fascinating
This book was totally absorbing.I didn't want to put it down.Who would have thought that such a terrible disease would have its origin in the Medievel church, as women starved themselves for their beliefs and to become (as they believed) holy.But, like most things under the sun, it's all been done before, so there really shouldn't be any surprise that self-starvation has a very long history.

I really enjoyed the histories of the individual "fasting girls."And Ms. Brumberg's description of the Victorian middle class was priceless and eye opening, considering how that era is so romantizied by a lot of us today.

The book revealed so much about how culture (present and past) shapes our opinions of ourselves, especially us women.Reading the book brought out my anger that society and culture expect women to have "perfect" bodies..."perfect" everything, and the pressure that is on us, both as teenagers and adults.

I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about anorexia nervosa and its history.There is a great deal of fascinating information.Just keep your dictionary handy to look up all the medical terms Brumberg quotes (and for some of her own words as well).My only disappointment in the book was that it ended too abruptly.Her book had me hooked, and then, finally, it had to end.I think there is a great deal more to be said about this disease, and I hope that she keeps up with the history and maybe writes another volume.Kudos to you, Ms. Brumberg.Very well done. ... Read more

Product Description
A unique eating-disorder memoir written by a mother and daughter.

Unbeknownst to food critic Sheila Himmel-as she reviewed exotic cuisines from bistro to brasserie- her daughter, Lisa, was at home starving herself. Before Sheila fully grasped what was happening, her fourteen-year-old with a thirst for life and a palate for the flavors of Vietnam and Afghanistan was replaced by a weight-obsessed, antisocial, hundredpound nineteen-year-old. From anorexia to bulimia and back again-many times-the Himmels feared for Lisa's life as her disorder took its toll on her physical and emotional well-being.

Hungry is the first memoir to connect eating disorders with a food-obsessed culture in a very personal way, following the stumbles, the heartbreaks, and even the funny moments as a mother-daughter relationship-and an entire family-struggles toward healing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Honest, compeling, first-hand and engrossing story on a complex illness
"HUNGRY covers a deadly and serious topic in a poignant story that addresses the irony of our culture's obsession with food. Sheila Himmel brings her talent as a journalist and food critic to show intimately how this disorder took over her family's life for the eight years that daughter Lisa suffered from a spectrum of disordered eating--from anorexia to bulimia to anorexia.As Sheila notes, `eating disorders function like addictions, but no you can't `just say no' to food, especially in our culture where...America is a 24-hour buffet.'The Himmels bravely share their ups and downs, with honesty and sometimes even humor. Mother and daughter both learned a lot during the recovery process and report on helpful resources they found along the way. I love that the book ends with an optimistic tone and their two lists on 10 Things we learned about eating disorders. Having read many books on this topics,I highly recommend "Hungry" as one of the best first-hand and easy-to-ready mother/daughter accounts of a complex illness that will provide comfort, insight, and support for anyone struggling with or affected by an eating disorder."

--Janice Bremis, Executive Director, Eating Disorders Resource Center

We Are All Hungry for Love
Hungry: A Mother and Daughter Fight Anorexia is truly a tour de force...a daring that is beyond what one could have dreamt of when I was suffering from anorexia twenty years ago. I know Sheila Himmel's work through her writing as a food critic, her outreach support for parents and teenagers coping with anorexia and bulimia, and personal interviews; all in addition to this collaborative and rather revolutionary book written with her daughter, Lisa.

The daring of this prolific writer and budding literary daughter (from what the text promises) is a breath of fresh air for the mother and/or daughter confronted with such suffering. Beyond that - and outside of the scope of the starving, purging, and all of the outward manifestations of the illness that one will likely gain new insights into - the book stands out in its own right as a loving exploration of mind and spirit for both mother and daughter who are willing to expose the painful stages of growing up... together.

Inspiration for my own website created in order to help mothers dealing with teenage anorexia, the wisdom of Sheila and the insights of her daughter insure that my own assessments of the disease and possibilities for recovery and life after starvation remain true to life. The book is triumphant - a must read for mothers, daughters, clinicians and anyone who believes that pain can be the touchstone for growth, new relationships and new beginnings.

Written by Kim Bistrong, host [...]
Visit my site to hear Sheila in her own words.

Eating away the family
Without a doubt, _Hungry_ shows how eating disorders are truly family affairs.A fascinating and compelling read, the book primarily offers a mother's-eye-view of the devastation her daughter's eating disorders inflict on the family. Of course, it's easy to be an armchair therapist when reading this book and cringe at some of the decisions, comments, and interpretations mother Shiela made while dealing with daughter Lisa's eating disorders. But, to do so would take away the value of what the book truly has to offer: an honest portrayal of a mother who does the very best she can in the face of feeling helpless, ineffective, andoverwhelmed as her daughter sinks into the depths of anorexia and bulimia. Although this book may not be the best for offering objective and non-biased information about eating disorder treatment approaches, it provides families, friends, and sufferers of eating disorders what may ultimately be the most healing-- the reassurance that they are not alone in their inevitable frustration, confusion, and despair...and, the hope that beneath all of the darkness is light struggling to break free.

powerful and moving story
I am so impressed with Sheila and Lisa Himmel's book, Hungry! They tell their own story honestly and with great willingness to explore the challenges of an eating disorder. They make their story relevant for others -- I know so many families struggling with anorexia and bulemia. Hungry is beautifully written -- smart, revealing, sometimes even funny. I most highly recommend this book!

False Advertising
This book should really be titled " Sheila Himmel's Illustrious Career and how her obsession with it created her daughter's sense of alienation".Lest you think I am generally one to judge, I need to tell you that I run a peer-to-peer support group, at no charge, for parents whose teens are in therapeutic boarding schools.By simple objective standards, if you count the pages talking about Sheila's career, and compare that to the number of pages spent talking about her daughter's issues, you'll quickly understand what I mean.The comment that upset me the most was Sheila's revelation of the small dress size she wore when she attended the James Beard Award ceremonies.It stands as a stark indictment of her repeated claims that she didn't obsess about appearance.During the book she repeatedly talks about Lisa's behavior during Sheila's job-related forays into eating out.Where are the pages about this family doing ANYTHING not food related?Never a trip to the movies, the beach, or simply a quiet night of playing board games or reading together as a family.When there is a choice between supporting LIsa and advancing her career, by her own admission Sheila chooses career every time, then justifies it in her book.I have read outstanding books written by parents who really cared and really shared what they went through when their teen's life fell apart.For an excellent Mother-Daughter book, this one dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, read Kritsina Wandzliak and Constance Curry's book The Lost Years.Or tryBeautiful Boy, David Sheff's poignant story of his teen son's meth addiction.
... Read more

Product Description

First published more than twenty years ago, with almost 150,000 copies sold, The Golden Cage is still the classic book on anorexia nervosa, for patients, parents, mental health trainees, and senior therapists alike. Writing in direct, jargon-free style, often quoting her patients' descriptions of their own experience of illness and recovery, Bruch describes the relentless pursuit of thinness and the search for superiority in self-denial that characterizes anorexia nervosa. She emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and offers guidance on danger signs. Little-known when this groundbreaking book was first published, eating disorders have become all too familiar. Sympathetic and astute, The Golden Cage now speaks to a new generation.

"The story of the disorder itself is beautifully written, presented with a deftness, lightness, and accuracy that make the reader yearn to turn the page, to watch the unfolding of this very enigmatic disorder. This is the single most important professionally written book for laypersons and parents."
-Shervert H. Frazier, M.D., McLean Hospital

"The Golden Cage is eminently readable and generously spiced with vivid illustrations from Bruch's own clinical case material. Her discussion of and generalization from this material is wonderfully astute."
-Contemporary Psychology

Hilde Bruch was Professor of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicineand the author of Learning Psychotherapy: Rationale and Ground Rules (Harvard) and Eating Disorders. (20070501) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

best author on eating disorders
I developed anorexia nervosa back in 1975.I discovered I had this disorder through a Good Housekeeping magazine article written/published in June of 75. After learning about this bazaar illness I went to the library to read as much as I could about this illness.At that time I could only find books written by Hilda Bruch.Wow, what an eye opener.Even though this illness nearly killed me, it was Bruch's books that gave me incredible insights about my disorder. This is the only book on anorexia nervosa I would recommend to anybody.

Looking for the personality that precedes anorexia
I was looking to find the personality behind anorexia before I recognized that my 7-year-old niece was well on her way in terms of personality.(If the anoretic in a large family is known as the snitch, no-one would recognize that in the usual small family.)I've read any number of books about anorexia, but none more sympathetic from an outsiders view.Unfortunately, most books on the subject are written by anoretics.It's a stretch to believe that they can be objective about their own condition.But they have lived it.There are never solid comments such as "no sense of humor" or having a "tiny little voice".These are physical manifestations that can be easily recognized.I think that's important.

descriptive account of anorexia nervosa
empathic portrayal of anorexia nervosa by a pioneer in the field;it has human descriptives of everything characterized scientifically in textbooks and journals.

Not just
This book was extremely informative about the underlying causes of eating disorders. It gave me a better understanding for how they can develop in the home, how parental pressures at a young age can have a huge influence, and also supports the fact that you don't have to have a tragic up bringing to be subject to an eating disorder.

A must read for any parent with a mentally ill daughter
A remarkable description of the basic personality and family mechanisms involved in teenage mental disorders and their anorectic expression. ... Read more

Product Description
Recovering sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa describe in their own words their personal experiences of this illness, providing not only support for fellow sufferers but also invaluable insights for the families of sufferers and for carers and professionals. In each case the contributors describe:

* the progression of their illness
* the effect on their families
* the treatment they received and its effectiveness
* their perceived reasons for developing the illness
* where they are now. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

I only had one issue with this book
...and that is that when the individuals weight was mentioned it was in measurements not used by the united states, so when I read "8 stone", or "4 and a half stone" any measurement I had no idea what that was equivalent too in the US.I think that if there had been a chart, or just some sort of small reference to the break down of stones to ponds it would have helped in that area.Other than that, its a decent book, quick read, stories are told by the individuals themselves, which I like.If you have an interest in reading about eating disorders, add this to your collection.

Excellent
I really enjoyed this book, and would highly recommend it. Not only is it useful to any sufferers or carers, but it is also an excellent book to educate people whose knowledge on the subject is very little.

The fact that the book is made up of a wide selection of sufferer's personal stories means that a very varied picture of the disease is painted. The editor has ensured that every gender and age is represented here, which helps to highlight the way in which Anorexia can effect many different people. People who are recovered, people who are still suffering, people who had fairly short experiences of the illness and people who had lengthy battles are all shown here.

I can find absolutely nothing to fault with this book. In a word, superb.

not bad, but expected better
I couldn't wait to get this book.I wanted to hear others' insights into their anorexia--I wanted to hear from others going through the same thing I am.It wasn't a bad book.Maybe I would have liked it more if it were one of the first books I read on eating disorders.Maybe now I'm too picky because I've read so many books.I just expected more from this one.It's a good read though, and I don't regret that I read it.It was good to hear from those who have conquered their anorexia as well as those who still battle through recovery.I do recommend that people read it even though I was a bit disappointed.

A different perspective
I think this book is important for ANYBODY involved with anorexia nervosa - not just the victim but also family and friends. The book gives you an incite into how other anorectics feel and think about the disease, and help one to understand the complexities lying behind anorexia. I highlyrecommend this book to read for a general understanding of feelings andemotions as well as a device for recovery. ... Read more

Product Description
Spanish Version of Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide to Recovery

Estas guías son una herramienta amable para entender y vencer la anorexia nerviosa (la inanición autoinfligida) y la bulimia (el ciclo de comilona y purga). Cada libro incluye lo siguiente: respuestas a las preguntas más comunes; una historia verdadera de un proceso de recuperación; pasos específicos para dar que han funcionado con otras personas; información sobre la alimentación saludable y el peso saludable, y consejos específicos para los seres queridos. Estos libros serán de gran utilidad para personas con trastornos de la alimentación y sus familias, así como para educadores y terapeutas.

Translated in english:
This intimate guidebook for understanding and overcoming anorexia nervosa (self-starvation). Each book includes answers to commonly asked questions, a true story of recovery, specific things to do that have worked for others, information on healthy eating and weight, and specific advice for loved ones. This useful book is for individuals with eating disorders, their families, educators, and therapists. ... Read more

Product Description
Emotionally and physically devastating, anorexia nervosa is the third most common chronic illness in teenage girls, striking one in every two hundred (boys only make up 10% of all cases). And while there are many books on the subject, most are either personal accounts of recovery or attempts to explain the disease from only one perspective, be it psychoanalytic, behavioral, cultural, or biological.
Now, in this much-needed resource, Dr. Alexander Lucas draws on 40 years of experience mostly at the Mayo Clinic to offer clear guidance and authoritative advice on how to overcome anorexia nervosa. Based on his own unique research with thousands of patients, and striking a careful balance between psychological, cultural, and biological approaches, Dr. Lucas demystifies this seemingly irrational disease and guides parents through the harrowing process of recovery. The book defines anorexia, illustrates how it can evolve and how common it really is, and outlines every part of the treatment process, from the early warning signs that parents should watch out for, to the initial evaluation, to specific treatment plans. Dr. Lucas emphasizes the patient's role in defining the healing process, with the support of the family and medical team. Throughout the book, he counsels optimism, stressing that in spite of the destructive power of the disease, most who suffer from anorexia nervosa fully recover and are able to live normal, healthy, and productive lives. In his new Introduction, Dr. Lucas stressesthe need for controlled studies of treatment in anorexia nervosa, and reiterates the hard truth that anorexia will always be a complex disorder that takes time and patience to overcome.
For anyone seeking level-headed, medically sound, and comprehensive guidance on the most effective treatments for this life-threatening disorder, Demystifying Anorexia Nervosa offers a wealth of reliable, reassuring information.

"A clear, informative book for every patient and parent to read and for every physician to recommend." --Lenore Terr, M.D.

"A must-read for patients and family as well as clinicians who want a concise, balanced, and up-to-date discussion of the art and science of the treatment of anorexia nervosa." --L. K. George Hsu, M.D. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A book directed chiefly to the families of Anorexia Nervosa
20 years ago being a parent to an Anorexia Nervosa patient often meant being subjected to scrutiny bordering onassumption that there must be some family "problem", overenmeshment etc. causing the child's illness.Dr. Luca's book sets the story straight and is genuinely helpful to parent's struggling with this disorder in an offspring, e.g. p 17, "Work with patient's) parents focused on helping them to cope better with Andrea's illness and on assuring them that they were not at fault."

This book is written in a very readable style and, reflecting Dr. Luca's academic credentials, it is accurate and informative.
I enthusiastically recommend it to my patients & their families.

Well written with a warm bedside manner
This book offers lots of information, backed by both scientific sources and the author's personal experience as a physician.But what I appreciated most was the author's calm and reassuring tone.The book lives up to its subtitle, An Optimistic Guide to Understanding and Healing.Although Lucas describes admittedly alarming situations in detail, he does not sensationalize the disease.Instead he presents a very human side of both the victims and the loved ones (usually the parents).

I found that Demystifying Anorexia Nervosa is an excellent complement to Ellyn Satter's books about children's eating and the "division of responsibility" idea.Lucas, like Satter, place great importance on respecting the individual and the individual's desire to make decisions for him/herself.(For those who have not read Satter's books, they describe how to have the right feeding relationship with your child, and also offer excellent practical advice on feeding babies through school age children.) ... Read more