Motivating Loved Ones to Seek Recovery
People suffering from eating disorders are often ambivalent about recovering, which makes these types of illnesses harder to treat. Helping loved ones find their motivation for recovery can sometimes be hampered by the circumstances under which they “accepted” the need for treatment in the first place, i.e. was it their choice? A parent’s? A medical professional’s? Helping […]
Issues in Attachment That May Contribute to Eating Disorders
The majority of parents deeply feel and convey love for their children. The majority of parents of children with eating disorders are no different. There has been a lot of confusion and knee-jerk reactions to what attachment issues are and how they may contribute to eating disorders. But to be clear, attachment issues have nothing to do […]
Shame, Blame and Eating Disorders
Shame and blame can play no part in real recovery The concepts of shame and blame have emerged lately in relation to people with eating disorders and those who care for them, i.e. parents. We have long been dealing with helping patients with eating disorders not feel ashamed of their disorders, the secrets around their symptoms, […]
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week In the last few years, there’s been a lot of progress in understanding what drives the development of eating disorders. And there will be an even stronger focus on understanding eating disorders between February 26 and March 3, 2012, as we recognize National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Understanding eating disorder sufferers—the person […]
All or Nothing Perspective is No Perspective at All
There is general consensus that weight restoration in Anorexia Nervosa significantly improves mood, positively affects cognition and psychological functioning. Individuals diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa with concurrent significant depression whose weight was restored show significant improvement in their depression without the use of medication to treat their depressive symptoms. The lessening of cognitive impairment and improvement in psychological functioning subsequent to weight […]
Teen Power Struggles and Eating Disorders
The teenage years typically bring on feelings of separation and autonomy, often leading to a power struggle between a teen and his or her parents. Keeping an open line of communication between parents and teens is difficult, but integral to their development and growth. Power struggles, however, can be especially difficult—and frightening—for families who have […]
Loss and Eating Disorders During the Holidays
Separation and loss are an inevitable process in life, and really all relationships. By being attached to someone, we are essentially setting ourselves up to experience the pain of loss and separation. Though normal, these are very difficult emotions to navigate through. And with the coming holidays, when there is so much focus on families, […]
Will the Real Authentic Voices Please Stand up and Be Heard
“Anorexia Nervosa and the Language of Authenticity” is a recent report conducted by Tony Hope, Jacinta Tan, Anne Stewart and Ray Fitzpatrick and published by the Hastings Center (Nov-Dec 2011, Vol 41., Pp 23-29.). In this report, the concept of authenticity is explored thoughtfully through interviews with 29 young women suffering from anorexia. The goal of the […]
Coping with Holiday Health
The holidays are a time of family togetherness, and for the typical family, that often means plenty of holiday food and lots of time spent together. But for families coping with eating disorders, holiday meals can so often be more of a struggle than a celebration. In addition to issues around food, the stresses, appearances […]
Linking Early Attachments to Eating Disorders Later on
Those of us in the clinical field know that eating disorders are complex, and what causes them and how to treat them is ever evolving. Research, for instance, is looking into genetic links, biological roots (including anxiety and depression) and personality traits, which all may play a role. We are also learning that inherent nature, the disposition we pop out […]