Eating Disorders: The Ultimate Teen Guide

317 Pages·2014·3.87 MB·English

by  Jessica R. Greene

IT HAPPENED TO ME
Series Editor: Arlene Hirschfelder
Books in the It Happened to Me series are designed for inquisitive teens digging
for answers about certain illnesses, social issues, or lifestyle interests. Whether you
are deep into your teen years or just entering them, these books are gold mines of
up-to-date information, riveting teen views, and great visuals to help you figure
out stuff. Besides special boxes highlighting singular facts, each book is enhanced
with the latest reading lists, websites, and an index. Perfect for browsing, there are
loads of expert information by acclaimed writers to help parents, guardians, and
librarians understand teen illness, tough situations, and lifestyle choices.
1. Epilepsy: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay and Sean McGarrahan,
2002.
2. Stress Relief: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Mark Powell, 2002.
3. Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny Hutchins Paquette
and Cheryl Gerson Tuttle, 2003.
4. Making Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by L. Kris Gowen, 2003.
5. Asthma: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny Hutchins Paquette, 2003.
6. CulturalDiversity—ConflictsandChallenges:TheUltimateTeenGuide,by
Kathlyn Gay, 2003.
7. Diabetes: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Katherine J. Moran, 2004.
8. When Will I Stop Hurting? Teens, Loss, and Grief: The Ultimate Teen Guide to
Dealing with Grief, by Ed Myers, 2004.
9. Volunteering: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2004.
10. Organ Transplants—A Survival Guide for the Entire Family: The Ultimate Teen
Guide, by Tina P. Schwartz, 2005.
11. Medications: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cheryl Gerson Tuttle, 2005.
12. Image and Identity—Becoming the Person You Are: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by
L. Kris Gowen and Molly C. McKenna, 2005.
13. Apprenticeship: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny Hutchins Paquette, 2005.
14. Cystic Fibrosis: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Melanie Ann Apel, 2006.
15. Religion and Spirituality in America: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn
Gay, 2006.
16. Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cynthia L. Winfield, 2007.
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17. Physical Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Denise Thornton, 2007.
18. Money—Getting It, Using It, and Avoiding the Traps: The Ultimate Teen Guide,
by Robin F. Brancato, 2007.
19. Self-Advocacy: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cheryl Gerson Tuttle and JoAnn
Augeri Silva, 2007.
20. Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Suzanne Buckingham Slade, 2007.
21. The Military and Teens: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2008.
22. Animals and Teens: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Gail Green, 2009.
23. Reaching Your Goals: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Anne Courtright, 2009.
24. Juvenile Arthritis: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kelly Rouba, 2009.
25. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Natalie Rompella,
2009.
26. Body Image and Appearance: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2009.
27. Writing and Publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Tina P. Schwartz, 2010.
28. Food Choices: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Robin F. Brancato, 2010.
29. Immigration: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Tatyana Kleyn, 2011.
30. Living with Cancer: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Denise Thornton, 2011.
31. Living Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2012.
32. Social Networking: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Jenna Obee, 2012.
33. Sports: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Gail Fay, 2013.
34. Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Revised Edition, by Suzanne Buckingham
Slade, 2013.
35. Bigotry and Intolerance: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2013.
36. Substance Abuse: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Sheri Bestor, 2013.
37. LGBTQ Families: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Eva Apelqvist, 2013.
38. Bullying: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Mathangi Subramanian, 2014.
39. Eating Disorders: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Jessica R. Greene, 2014.
40. Speech and Language Challenges: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Marlene Targ
Brill, 2014.
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EATING
DISORDERS
THE ULTIMATE TEEN GUIDE
JESSICA R. GREENE
IT HAPPENED TO ME, NO. 39
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
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Published by Rowman & Littlefield
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
www.rowman.com
10 Thornbury Road, Plymouth PL6 7PP, United Kingdom
Copyright © 2014 by Jessica R. Greene
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic
or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written
permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Greene, Jessica R., 1964– author.
Eating disorders : the ultimate teen guide / Jessica R. Greene.
pages cm. — (It happened to me ; no. 39)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8108-8773-2 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8108-8774-9 (ebook) 1. Eating
disorders in adolescence—Popular works. 2. Teenagers—Life skill guides. I. Title.
RJ506.E18G74 2014
616.85'2600835—dc 3 2014005390
™
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992. Printed in the United States of America
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For Laura Greene
(who’s been there, done that, and wears the T-shirt)
and for Emma
To the doctors and my nurses, Debbie and Patty, at University
Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, who saved my life in 1981.
And to Janelle, Diane, Lisa, Julie, Kristen, Dawn, and
other girls of the ED wing, whose faces I remember.
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Prologue: Eating Disorder Issues and Attitudes xi
1 Eating to Extremes: Mental Disorder or Lifestyle Choice? 1
2 It Starts in Your Head: The Science of Mood, Compulsion,
and Addiction 27
3 Keys That Turn the Lock: Complex and Combined
Forces at Work 53
4 Let’s Dish on the Past: The Origins of Extreme Eating 75
5 Boys Get Hungry, Too: Culture Wars on Perfect Bodies 103
6 Appetite for Destruction: From Habit to Compulsion 127
7 Truth and Consequences: The Ultimate Cost of Food Obsession 149
8 Who Can You Call? Practical Advice That May Help 173
9 It Gets Better from Here: Intervention and Treatment 197
10 Finding Balance: The Healthy Weigh to Recovery 227
Epilogue: What Recovery Looks Like 255
Glossary 261
Notes 269
Index 297
About the Author 301
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Acknowledgments
I’m extraordinarily grateful to everyone whose efforts made the creation of this
book possible, these individuals in particular:
Dr. Timothy Brewerton, Carolyn Costin, Dr. Michael P. Levine (the great
triumvirate of ED specialists), Lynn S. Grefe, Dr. Kimberly Dennis, Dr. Joel Jah-
raus, and Kourtney Gordon took time from their professional lives to contribute
their expertise.
Harriet Brown, Dr. Cynthia Bulik, Kjerstin Gruys, and Ryan K. Sallans are
incredibly generous.
Darryl Roberts and Christopher Hines are as awesome as the work they do.
Carolyn Jennings rocks as a writer, cheerleader, and friend.
Mark Taris gave me the confidence to complete the odyssey, granted me leave,
and then welcomed me back.
Anya Chrystal at EDC; Diana Kalogridis, Maggi Flaherty, Yasemin Merwede,
and Claire Mysko at NEDA; Aimee-Leigh Lerett at Hal Leonard Corporation;
Ilse Jung at the Museum of Art History–Vienna; and Chris Wild at Retronaut
helped make the pages come to life.
Every writer should be blessed with wonderful readers to critique and proof-
read work in progress. Thank you, Kelly Miller, Chris Coad Taylor, Lisa Vogt,
and Larry Judd. Joni Fisher gave her time in the early stages of the manuscript.
Carmen Cool came to my rescue in the eleventh hour.
Arlene Hirschfelder, Christen Karniski, Stephen Ryan, Jessica McCleary, and
Debra Kass-Orenstein are the nuts and bolts of this project.
Last, but never least, thanks to Chris and Libby, who keep my light on.
Permissions
Chapter 3
“Perfect”
Lyrics by Alanis Morissette
Music by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard
Copyright © 1995 SONGS OF UNIVERSAL, INC., VANHURST PLACE,
UNIVERSAL MUSIC CORP. and AEROSTATION CORPORATION
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