Surviving an Eating Disorder [Fourth Revised Edition]: Strategies for Family and Friends

by Michele Siegel, Judith Brisman PhD, Margot Weinshel

Overview

Thoroughly revised and updated with the latest research and methodologies, the fourth edition of the classic guide written specifically for parents, friends, and caregivers of individuals with eating disorders.

For more than thirty years, this classic guide has been an essential resource for the “silent sufferers”—those affected by a loved one’s eating disorder. This revised edition put family and friends at the center of the treatment process, providing the latest information on the methods and practices available to facilitate the recovery process.

Surviving an Eating Disorder is the first book for family and friends to use a psychological perspective to understand eating disorders. Other treatment manuals or self-help books propose change but Surviving is the first to consider why change can be so hard for everyone involved. The factors that can hinder progress are discussed and the methods that can work are emphasized. Illustrated with case examples, this fourth edition explains the latest treatments and provides the necessary tools to carefully evaluate what can be most effective for each reader’s individual care. The authors offer concrete advice and support, urging readers to care for both themselves and their relationships as they support their loved ones struggling with food and eating issues.

With its combination of information, insight, and practical strategies, Surviving an Eating Disorder considers crisis as opportunity—a time for the possibility of hope and change for everyone involved.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062954145
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/22/2021
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	498,365
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Michele Siegel, Ph.D., initiated the idea for this book and was co-founder with Judith Brisman of the Eating Disorder Resource Center. She died in 1993.

 Judith Brisman, Ph.D., CEDS, was the director of the Eating Disorder Resource Center. She is an editor of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Eating Disorders, is a member of the teaching faculty at the White Institute, and has a private practice in Manhattan. An international pioneer in the treatment of bulimia, she has published and lectured extensively. 

Margot Weinshel, L.C.S.W., is a clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry of NYU Medical School and has published papers, chapters, and a book. She presents nationally and internationally and has a private practice in New York City.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments IX

Introduction: How to Survive XI

Part I Gaining Perspective 1

1 What You See: The Behavioral Aspects of Eating Disorders 3

2 Hidden Feelings: The Psychological Aspects of Eating Disorders 51

3 Rules and Relationships: The Family Context of Eating Disorders 71

Part II Confronting the Problem 97

4 No More Secrets: Bringing It Out in the Open 99

5 When She Says Nothing is Wrong: Coping with Denial 123

6 No One Can Go It Alone: Seeking Help 145

Part III Using New Strategies 181

7 What to Do About the Problems with Food: Practical Advice for Those Difficult Moments 183

8 When It's Hard to Change: Why We Keep Doing What We Do-Even When it Doesn't Help 241

9 Wanting More: Relating to the Person, Not the Eating Disorder 257

Notes 281

Index 285

Editorial Reviews

Clear, wise, and eminently useful advice. This book offers solid and specific guidelines for understanding and change.” — Harriet Lerner, PhD, author of The Dance of Anger

“Deftly written, richly textured . . . Surviving an Eating Disorder is a wide-ranging and balanced book that offers a coherent guide for families and loved ones.” — Michael Strober, PhD, Franklin Mint Professor of Eating Disorders, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

“Surviving is richly respectful of patients and of their loved ones and is truly responsive to real-life situations and conflicts. It’s a wonderful resource that I highly recommend!” — Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-S, FAED, founder and medical director of the Gaudiani Clinic and author of Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders

“Filled with years of wisdom and hands-on experience, Surviving gives concrete and thoughtful advice to you and your loved one when facing the inevitable challenges of an eating disorder. Keep this important book at your side for specific guidance and care to allow for the best possibility of change—both with the eating disorder and your relationship with the person you love.” — Jenni Schaefer, author of Life Without Ed, Almost Anorexic, and Goodbye Ed, Hello Me

“A significant and important update to a comprehensive gold standard book—bravo!” — Judith Ruskay Rabinor, author of A Starving Madness: Tales of Hunger Hope and Healing in Psychotherapy and The Girl in the Red Boots: Making Peace with My Mother

“Well-organized and extensive . . . reasonable and practical suggestions provide numerous insights into helpful changes which can be tried by parents, spouses, friends, and even the identified patient.” — Vivian Meehan, former president, National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

“With clarity and compassion, Surviving an Eating Disorder provides much-needed advice for anyone with a loved one who’s struggling with food and weight. I highly recommend it.” — Ricki Lake

“The best answers to the hardest questions about eating disorders are found in this great book.” — Kristen Haglund, Miss America 2008

From the Publisher

Filled with years of wisdom and hands-on experience, Surviving gives concrete and thoughtful advice to you and your loved one when facing the inevitable challenges of an eating disorder. Keep this important book at your side for specific guidance and care to allow for the best possibility of change—both with the eating disorder and your relationship with the person you love.

Jenni Schaefer

Deftly written, richly textured . . . Surviving an Eating Disorder is a wide-ranging and balanced book that offers a coherent guide for families and loved ones.

Michael Strober

Well-organized and extensive . . . reasonable and practical suggestions provide numerous insights into helpful changes which can be tried by parents, spouses, friends, and even the identified patient.

Vivian Meehan

Clear, wise, and eminently useful advice. This book offers solid and specific guidelines for understanding and change.

Harriet Lerner

A significant and important update to a comprehensive gold standard book—bravo!

Judith Ruskay Rabinor

The best answers to the hardest questions about eating disorders are found in this great book.

Kristen Haglund

With clarity and compassion, Surviving an Eating Disorder provides much-needed advice for anyone with a loved one who’s struggling with food and weight. I highly recommend it.

Ricki Lake

Surviving is richly respectful of patients and of their loved ones and is truly responsive to real-life situations and conflicts. It’s a wonderful resource that I highly recommend!

Jennifer L. Gaudiani