While reading about treatment guidelines for eating disorders, I ran into this fairly recent study on the duration until recovery from eating disorders. Try to take a breath before you read this next part, the quote from an article, Clinical Approach to Eating Disorders: An Update, by Hay and published in 2020. EXCERPT “Research supports…Read more »
Tag: bulimia
From Dieting to Disorder
We live in a diet-minded culture. The annual revenues of our diet industry exceed $60 billion. About 90 million people in the United States are on a diet each year, which is almost one-third of our nation’s population. Daily, our technology and media offer a relentless flow of messages: we need to “lose weight,” “get…Read more »
Complaints and compliments – To the Bone
Recently, Marti Noxon told her recovery story in film, To the Bone. It has stirred quite a lot of controversy from people saying it furthers old myths, doesn’t show appropriate treatment, is outdated, perpetuates stereotypes, and more. OK. All these may have truth. AND I have some compliments for this Hollywood warrior who bravely told…Read more »
Bingeing: a rare but serious risk
A while ago, my colleague and friend, Dr. Lauren Muhlheim, and I wrote a paper (Eating disorders and scope of competence for outpatient psychotherapists). While researching potential medical consequences of different eating disorder behaviors, we came across something that is supposedly not common and there is very few articles on it: acute massive gastric dilatation.…Read more »
Eating disorder behaviors as habits: WHAT?!
Quite a few months ago, I read “Habit learning and anorexia nervosa: A cognitive neuroscience hypothesis,” by Steinglass and Walsh. This research revealed that a person with anorexia nervosa might actually make food decisions from an area of the brain associated with the habit. This may help to explain why it can be so difficult for…Read more »
What It’s REALLY Like to Live with an Eating Disorder?
The following blog is intended to help loved ones to understand what having an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, other specified and unspecified feeding and eating disorders, and likely avoidant/restrictive feeding and eating disorder) can/might feel like for the person who is afflicted. Please feel free to see if it helps…Read more »
Your traits: Friends or foes? On persistence
The following continues to be the most influential combination of words in my life. This hung on a plaque in my childhood home (Thank you, Mom and Dad). I remember being so young and fascinated by it–sounding out the words. I remember going to the family room dictionary (Yes, a big, big paper one with…Read more »
Eating super healthy can be a problem—whaaaat?
Organic. Pure. Clean. Healthy. Great words. And wanting to pursue a ____________ (insert whichever word applies in the blank–Organic. Pure. Clean. Healthy) lifestyle often is inspired by good intentions. However, for some of us, things can go haywire. Instead of ____________ (insert whichever word applies in the blank–Organic. Pure. Clean. Healthy) improving our lives and…Read more »
Feel free to vet your therapist!
Are you interviewing eating disorders therapists? Yes, you completely have the right to vet us. It can feel scary to realize you or a loved one might have an actual eating disorder. However, it is also an empowering realization that can help lead you to healing and more freedom in your life! (Cheering sounds.) The…Read more »
Beauty—an unpredictably moving target
I recently happened upon some interesting photography books—pin-up pictures classified by decade. As I perused through the 30’s, 40’s, 50’, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, anyone watching saw my mouth drop open. I noticed that with each decade, perceptions of beauty and sexiness profoundly and clearly changed. A recent blog in the Huffington Post, “Note to…Read more »