Statistics suggests that as many as 2.5 percent of American women suffer from anorexia; of these, further research indicates that one in ten of these will die from the disorder. This is the only book available that addresses the particular needs of anorexics with the techniques of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a revolutionary new psychotherapy. The authors of this book are pioneering researchers in the field of ACT, with numerous research articles to their credit

Despite ever-widening media attention and public awareness of the problem, American women continue to suffer from anorexia nervosa in greater numbers than ever before. This severe psychophysiological condition-characterized by an abnormal fear of becoming obese, a persistent unwillingness to eat, and severe compulsion to lose weight-is particularly difficult to treat, often because the victims are unwilling to seek help. This book demonstrates that efforts to control and stop anorexia may do more harm than good. Instead of focusing efforts on judging impulses associated with the disorder as ibadi or inegative, i this approach encourages sufferers to mindfully observe these feelings without reacting to them in a self-destructive way. Guided by this more compassionate, more receptive frame of mind, the book coaches you to employ various acceptance-based coping strategies.

Structured in a logical, step-by-step progression of exercises, the workbook first focuses on providing you with a new understanding of anorexia and the ways you 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, howto identify choices that lead to better heath and quality of life, and how to redirect the energy formerly spent on weight loss into actions that will heal the body and mind. Although this book is written specifically as self-help for anorexia sufferers, it includes a clear and informative chapter on when you need to seek professional treatment as well as advice on what to look for in a therapist.

Sound, sensitive advice for overcoming an eating disorder.

Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, exercise addictions . . . these disorders can be devastating, but they are in no way unbeatable. Therapist Carolyn Costin, herself recovered from anorexia, brings three decades of experience and the newest research in the field together, providing readers with the latest treatments, from medication and behavioral therapy to alternative remedies.. .

Whether you are living with an eating disorder or you are a loved one or professional helping someone who is, "The Eating Disorder Sourcebook" will help you: . . Recognize and identify eating disorders. Discover and work with the underlying causes of an eating disorder. Make the right choices when comparing treatment options. Understand what is expected in individual, group, and family therapy. Know when outpatient treatment is not enough and what else can be done

This work challenges the popular notion that eating disorders occur only among white, well-to-do, heterosexual women. Based on in-depth life history interviews with African-American, Latina, and lesbian women, this book chronicles the effects of racism, poverty, sexism, acculturation, and sexual abuse on women's eating patterns and bodies. By revealing how these girls and women use eating to "make a way outa no way", it dispels popular stereotypes of anorexia and bulimia as symptoms of vanity and stresses the risks of mislabelling what is often a way of coping with society's own disorders. With its multicultural focus, this book not only brings women of colour and lesbians into our picture of eating problems, but also clears up many demeaning and sexist ideas about these problems among white women. By featuring the creative ways in which women have changed their unwanted eating patterns and regained trust in their bodies and appetites, it also offers a message of hope and empowerment that applies across race, class, and sexuality.

In this powerful, intimate collection, a young woman travels between Paris and New York to pursue a career in modelling. Alternating between the world of fashion, where "it's no longer enough / that the sample size fits," and the eponymous Program, a place to "discover / what's underneath," Jones's debut collection pulls the reader deep into the realms of psychiatric care and romantic relationships and probes a long tradition of female suffering. Taking inspiration from New York school poets such as Frank O'Hara, Jones employs an unadorned and at times funny narrative style that also calls to mind the work of Sheila Heti and Sally Rooney. Summoning images from the worlds of fashion, art, and therapy, and exploring the allure of pain and of suffering, The Program is a compelling debut about how we are seen, and how we see ourselves.

The upheaval of pregnancy and new motherhood can often trigger a relapse for women recovering from eating disorders, or contribute to their development. This book supports pregnant women and new mothers struggling with changing body image, eating disorders, postpartum depression or perinatal anxiety. Many of the emotional challenges of recovering from an eating disorder - isolation, perfectionism and identity issues - are compounded during pregnancy or early motherhood, when women also have to tackle hormone fluctuations, food cravings and perceived pressures to lose baby weight. The author combines friendly, non-judgmental advice and professional expertise with candid personal experience. She offers recovery tools, support strategies and realistic advice on how to make time for self-care while navigating the chaos of sleep deprivation and feeding schedules. Most importantly, this book will help women let go of social and self-imposed pressures, and embrace being good enough during the massive learning curve of new motherhood.

An astonishingly moving and mature account of a young woman's struggle with anorexia nervosa, a serious mental illness affecting 1.1 million people in the UK. At fourteen years of age, Constance Barter was admitted as an in-patient to a specialist eating disorders unit where she remained for seven months. During that time, she kept a diary which sheds light on what it means to have anorexia, how it affects your life, and how it is not just a faddy diet or attention seeking disorder. Constance is an example to anyone suffering from this potentially life-threatening illness that with perseverance and support it can be beaten and sufferers can go on and lead a fulfilling, everyday life. This inspirational diary will help and inspire other sufferers to seek help and overcome their illness as well as providing an invaluable insight into the nature of the illness to families and friends.

Approximately 3 percent of all females suffer from anorexia and up to 4 percent suffer from bulimia in their lifetimes. Whether you're a newly diagnosed patient with an eating disorder, or are a friend or relative of someone suffering from an eating disorder, this book offers help. The only text available to provide both the doctor's and patient's views, 100 Questions & Answers About Eating Disorders gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions. Written by an expert on the subject, with

A Books on Prescription Title Step-by-step - the proven path to recovery from bulimia nervosa and binge-eating One in twenty women in the Western world experiences bouts of uncontrolled binge-eating and many of these are suffering from the eating disorder bulimia nervosa. Stringent dieting and making yourself vomit after overeating are common features of bulimia nervosa, as are depression, anxiety and feelings of worthlessness. This illness causes great distress to sufferers and those who care about them, but in recent years there have been real advances in treatment. In this third edition, Peter Cooper's sympathetic and highly acclaimed guide gives a clear explanation of the disorder and the serious health issues that can result from it. He describes the treatments available today and, most importantly, sets out a self-help guide for those who want to tackle their difficulties with a step-by- step program. This program has been found in independent clinical research to be of substantial benefit to people with bulimia nervosa (Psychological Medicine, 2005). This book will also give friends and family a much clearer understanding of the illness and its treatment.

This self-help book explores the problems created by having ready access to high fat foods designed to taste good. Because we evolved in conditions of relative scarcity we have few natural food inhibitors and so most diet books try to encourage people to inhibit their eating by highly rule governed behaviours which have to be constantly worked at. However, this can lead to various forms of self-criticism which can undermine efforts at self-control. As a result our relationship with eating can be complex, multifaceted and problematic. Beating Overeating Using Compassion Focused Therapy uses Compassion Focused Therapy - a groundbreaking new therapeutic approach - to understand and work with our urges and passions for food. We can learn to enjoy and accept food and pay attention to our biological and emotional needs. This book is for people who have tried diets and found that they don't work and will enable the reader to have a healthier and happier relationship with food and their body. Topics covered: The relationship between our brains and food, the evolutionary background to finding, conserving and eating food How too much or too little food affects the brain, why diets don't work, factors affecting our eating behaviour (tastes, stress, comfort, etc) Body shape and culture Developing an inner compassion for one's relationship with food - recognising what we need and what is helpful