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. (20010801)

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 6 reviews)

Parents beware! by Patsy (Wisconsin)

1 Stars
October 09, 2009
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 by C. Ringel

5 Stars
April 24, 2008
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 by T. Kobito (Nc, USA)

5 Stars
February 09, 2008
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 by Scarlett (Greenville, SC)

5 Stars
September 24, 2005
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!

5 Stars
November 10, 2003
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.

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