100 Questions & Answers About Eating Disorders: .

by Carolyn Costin

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

Genres: Psychology

221 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2007

About the author

Advocate/ Activist

Carolyn is renown for being an advocate and activist in her field receiving honors such as the National Eating Disorders Association's Award for Advocacy 2008 and in 2011 received the Spirit Recognition Award from Sierra Tucson. Carolyn lobbies congress, fights for insurance reform, organized the NEDA's Parent-Family Network, organizes campaigns against inappropriate advertising and continues to speak out on important social issues!

Therapist

After recovering from her own eating disorder Carolyn became a therapist in 1977 and has been treating people suffering from eating and body image problems since that time.

Founder

After serving as founder and clinical director of several hospital based eating disorder programs, Carolyn knew she wanted to create something different. "I wanted to create a center for healing in a home like environment, surrounded by nature."

Author

Carolyn is the author of five books with her most recent, "8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder: Effective Strategies from Therapeutic Practice and Personal Experience". She has also written extensively for magazines, newspapers, and journals and has been a contributing author to several books on eating disorders and body image.

Educator/ Lecturer

Carolyn's first love was teaching. She served as a high school teacher and counselor for 8 years prior to dedicating her career to the treatment of eating disorders. Carolyn still loves to teach and every month offers a free study group for professionals.

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

**100 Q&As, recommended 100%**

I read lots of books on eating disorders. (I’m an eating disorder therapist, and the subject also just endlessly fascinates me.) And, from all this reading, I’ve discovered a bunch of books that I’d happily recommend to clients and their families. I’ve recently added this one to that list!

For individuals who have recently been diagnosed with an eating disorder—and the friends, family and significant others who support them—this book is a great first step towards gaining a clear overview of eating disorder diagnoses, medical issues, causes, treatment, support, and recovery. (It’s also a nice refresher for anyone who wants to brush up on eating disorder essentials.)

Divided into ten easily digestible (the puns never get old) sections, this book provides answers to 100 common questions on eating disorders:

Part 1. Overview of Eating Disorders:
Questions 1-24 discuss the different types of eating disorders and the signs for recognizing an eating disorder, including:

1. What is an eating disorder?
2. What is the difference between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa?
3. I binge but do not purge. Is that considered an eating disorder?
4. Is it true that you can be a normal weight and still have an eating disorder?
5. If I only purge my meals but don’t ever binge, do I have bulimia?
6. My doctor says I have EDNOS. Does that mean my eating disorder is not bad?
7. Is obesity an eating disorder?
8. My 10-year-old daughter is a very picky eater. Is this an eating disorder?
9. Have eating disorders been around historically and for how long?
10. When does disordered eating become an eating disorder?
11. Is it true that exercise can be a form of purging?
12. My therapist says I am a compulsive exerciser, but I say exercise is healthy. Who is right?
13. My daughter is an athlete and I have heard that many athletes have eating disorders. How can I protect her?
14. How common are eating disorders?
15. Are eating disorders and adolescent illness?
16. Does males really get eating disorders?
17. Do other ethnic groups get eating disorders?
18. Are there eating disorders in other countries?
19. I have heard that people with eating disorders often have other problems and diagnoses. What are they?
20. My wife has an eating disorder but she is also depressed. Will her eating disorder go away if the depression is treated?
21. My daughter has bulimia and is also addicted to cocaine. Are they related and which should be treated first?
22. My daughter has also been very anxious and now she has lost a lot of weight. My wife believes she has an eating disorder, but I believe it is her anxiety. What should we do?
23. I have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Does this mean I don’t really have anorexia?
24. I have heard about Pro-ana websites. What are these?

Part 2. Medical Issues Associated with Eating Disorders:
Questions 25-34 describe different medical issues, including:

25. What is the role of the physician in the treatment of an eating disorder?
26. What are the medical complications involved in eating disorders?
27. What medical tests should I have done if I have an eating disorder?
28. How do I know if I need a bone density test?
29. My doctor says I have amenorrhea as a result of anorexia. Should I have hormone replacement therapy?
30. I have amenorrhea now but I’m on the pill. Does this mean I don’t have it anymore?
31. My teeth are eroding. Is this from purging and is there anything I can do?
32. What is refeeding syndrome?
33. I am pregnant and have an eating disorder. Will I hurt my baby?
34. I use laxatives to help me lose weight but now believe I am addicted. Does this mean I need to take them for the rest of my life?


Part 3. What Causes An Eating Disorder?:
Questions 35-44 discuss the causes of an eating disorder, including:

35. I often hear that eating disorders are all about control. Is this true?
36. Are eating disorders caused by the cultural emphasis on thinness?
37. Does the media cause eating disorders?
38. Do biological factors contribute to eating disorders?
39. I heard that eating disorders are genetic. Is this true?
40. My identical twin has anorexia. Will I automatically get it?
41. I had an eating disorder. What are the chances my daughter will develop one?
42. Do psychological problems cause eating disorders?
43. I heard sexual abuse causes eating disorders. Is this true?
44. Can the family environment contribute to the development of an eating disorder?


Part 4. Getting Help:
Questions 45-62 describe options of getting help, including:

45. If I think I have an eating disorder, what should I do?
46. What kinds of treatment are available for eating disorders?
47. How do I choose a good therapist?
48. What can I expect in therapy? What kinds of topics are explored?
49. What is group therapy and is it a good choice for me?
50. My friend is in a support group, and I am in a therapy group. What is the difference?
51. What is family therapy and should my family be doing it?
52. Is treatment different for adults and adolescents?
53. My therapist says I need to see a psychiatrist. Does he think I am crazy?
54. I’ve heard that Prozac is useful in treating eating disorders. Is this true? Is it good for me?
55. What medications are useful in treating eating disorders?
56. I am a woman over 40 with an eating disorder. Is there special help for someone like me?
57. Do I need to see a nutritionist?
58. What is the difference between a nutritionist and a registered dietician?
59. What can I expect from my nutritionist, in regards to my weight?
60. I have heard about intuitive eating and the nondiet approach. What do these terms mean?
61. I was told that my insurance company might not cover eating disorder treatment. What should I do?
62. I have heard that I can get help on the Internet. How does this work?


Part 5. When to Consider a Treatment Program:
Questions 63-69 discuss treatment program options, including:

63. How do I know whether I need to go into a treatment program?
64. What kinds of treatment programs are available?
65. How do I choose a treatment program?
66. What questions should I ask and what should I look for when interviewing programs?
67. What can I expect when in a treatment program?
68. What is an average stay for inpatient or residential treatment?
69. My loved one is in a treatment program. Should I be involved?


Part 6. Philosophical Approaches to Treating Eating Disorders:
Questions 70-76 describe philosophical approaches to treatment including:

70. What kinds of philosophical approaches are used to treat eating disorders?
71. What is psychodynamic psychotherapy?
72. I’ve been told that cognitive behavioral therapy is the best way to treat eating disorders. Is this true, and what is this approach?
73. What is interpersonal therapy and its relationship to treating eating disorders?
74. My therapist uses dialectical behavioral therapy. Will that help me with my eating disorder?
75. Is the 12-step approach appropriate for eating disorders?
76. How does a spiritual approach fit into the treatment of eating disorders?


Part 7. Guidelines for Families and Significant Others:
Questions 77-88 give information for families and significant others, including:

77. Are there symptoms that will help me identify a loved one with an eating disorder?
78. If someone I love has an eating disorder, what is the best way to approach him or her?
79. When someone has an eating disorder, are there any DOs or DON’Ts for their loved ones that are helpful?
80. My wife has an eating disorder. Where can I find information about my situation and how best can I help?
81. What is the role of brothers and sisters in the treatment process?
82. Are there specific books for family members or significant others to read?
83. My mother was diagnosed with an eating disorder. What can or should I do?
84. My adolescent daughter has bulimia and is in treatment. Am I supposed to be involved?
85. If I lived with someone who has an eating disorder, should I throw away my scale?
86. My loved one has an eating disorder but I know I need help for myself. What should I do?
87. My child just got out of an eating disorder treatment program. What do I do now?
88. It felt good when my family member got help, but sometimes I get angry or lose hope. Is this normal?


Part 8. Getting Better:
Questions 89-97 discuss getting better, including:

89. Can you be recovered from an eating disorder?
90. What does the term “recovered” mean?
91. My therapist uses the term “recovering” from an eating disorder. How is that different from “recovered”?
92. Can you die from an eating disorder?
93. What is the prognosis (expected outcome) for people with eating disorders?
94. Are there things that are indicative of a better treatment outcome?
95. How long does treatment take?
96. I have been treated for binge eating disorder and I have successfully abstained from binging for over six months but I have not lose weight. Is this really successful treatment?
97. Are there certain phases of the recovery process?


Part 9. Preventing Eating Disorders:
Questions 98-99 describe how to prevent eating disorders, including:

98. Can an eating disorder be prevented?
99. Is there anything I can do to prevent eating disorder?

Part 10. Alternative Treatments:
Question 100 describes alternative treatments, including:

100. What are alternative therapies for the treatment of eating disorders?

In my book, _100 Questions & Answers About Eating Disorders_ gets a recommendation rating of 100%!

[Jordan Ormsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly informative and insightful with an easily digestible delivery. (Albeit a bit outdated due to publication date) Read this for potential dissertation topic research purposes and would highly recommend to a parent/spouse/sibling of someone who struggles. Costin’s insights are timelessly applicable and stand the test of time in terms of relevance

[Jodie Gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent resource for clinicians and those seeking more information on eating disorders.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have close friends who have struggled with eating disorders and even though there is a lot of good information available on the internet, I was feeling like I needed something comprehensive and basic to educate me. It’s really hard to be ignorant and supportive at the same time. This book is the perfect beginner’s guide to the complex world of eating disorder recovery.

The book is divided into small, readable sections answering basic questions about eating disorders. Here’s a sampling of some of those questions:

1. What is an eating disorder?
2. Is obesity an eating disorder?
3. Have eating disorders been around historically and for how long?
4. When does disordered eating become an eating disorder?
5. Is it true that exercise can be a form of purging?
6. I had an eating disorder. What are the chances my daughter will develop one?
7. My friend is in a support group and I am in a therapy group. What is the difference?
8. My loved one is in a treatment program. Should I be involved?
9. When someone has an eating disorder, are there any DOs or DON’Ts for their loved ones that are helpful?
10. How long does treatment take?
11. Are there certain phases of the recovery process?
12. Can an eating disorder be prevented?

Obviously that’s just a fraction of what’s covered in this book, but you can view the whole list on amazon if you’re interested. The most helpful section of the book for me was the first section which delves into the DSM categories for eating disorders and gives examples for each classification. Did you know that for anorexia, there are restricting types (the kind everyone thinks of automatically), but also a binge eating type and a purging type? And for bulimia there is a purging type and a nonpurging type. There are also a slew of serious eating disorders that fall into the “not otherwise specified” category. Anyway, I can’t recommend this book highly enough as a thorough introduction to eating disorders and their surrounding issues.