Food for Recovery Thought in the New York Times

Tomorrow is the official publication date of Restoring Our Bodies, Reclaiming Our Lives, and as luck would have it, I'm quoted in an Article in the New York Times today on the topic of recovery from anorexia.

The article is sure to stoke some controversy among ED veterans, professionals, and families.  Although it's not clear in the piece, I'm actually a true believer in FULL recovery, both physical and psychological.  But as the journalist, Abby Ellin, rightly points out, there is great variety in the definition of recovery. I applaud her for highlighting the cognitive, emotional and other psychological aspects of recovery, in addition to gains of weight and healthy eating behavior.

Abby and I talked at some length about the role of the insurance industry in "restricting" the definition of recovery in order to deny coverage for extended treatment.  Space constraints prevented her from examining this critical issue, but I hope the Times will pursue it in another article.

I am a little concerned, though, that readers will view this article as bad news for those in recovery. To brighten the picture, I'd just like to stress a few important points that did not make it into the piece:

1. The sooner you begin treatment with a professional eating disorder specialist, and the more you yourself genuinely want to recover, the greater your chances will be for full recovery.
2. No one can agree on a single timeline or pattern for recovery, because every case is different.  The time it takes to recover will necessarily depend on age, physical condition, the degree of severity and duration of the illness, the quality and duration of treatment, and the strength and health of relationships and support networks -- among other factors.
3. This article focuses on anorexia nervosa -- implicitly, restricting anorexia -- which has the highest level of genetic vulnerability of all the EDs, and is the most difficult to treat.That said, restricting anorexia nervosa also represents the smallest piece of the eating disorder "pie."  Vastly more people wrestle with binge eating, bulimia, and EDNOS.  It's unfortunate that the article did not have a broader focus, since the prognosis for full physical and psychological recovery is much more encouraging for these other eating disorders.

Personally, I absolutely consider myself fully recovered.  The key for me lay in recognizing that the half-life of eating disorders -- free of food obsessions and compulsions but still mired in self-criticism and perfectionistic thinking -- is far from a full life of health.  As long as I remained stuck in the half-life, I remained vulnerable to relapse. Writing my last book, Gaining, and working with an extremely gifted therapist on my whole life's health helped me reach full recovery at last. 

Fortunately, more and more ED therapists now take a much more holistic view of treatment and of health.  As a result, many of the contributors to my new book also consider themselves fully recovered. I hope you will find wisdom and inspiration in their words.  Recovery really IS within reach.

 

Comments

[K]

Thank you for this, truly. I was wondering what the people within the article thought of it.

I wonder how bad the negative repercussion of that article will be - with all of these medical professionals and eating disorder activists' views pieced together in a manner that has a defeatist tone.

Ending it on the note that you'll always carry your eating disorder with you I am certain will leave some wondering if they should even bother with recover... or continue fighting.

I hate to think of the harm it will do...

~K

http://recoveringinspirings.blogspot.com

[Sarah]

I think this is a little bit negative, but I also can read it and see that is just presents the confusion that exists out there about what recovered is and how it is defined by professionals dealing with ED's and how different people define it for themselves.
And I think the closing quote about the instinct to be to return to restricting is fair and honest. But that doesn't mean that she will. Maybe the next time something happens, she will have that instinct and be able to fight it. I don't think it is black and white.
I do think the article could have been more positive, but I think all the points and statements made are valid. Recovery is worth it, but for everyone is is not a clear cut defined place.

[Stephanie S]

Hi Aimee,

From my standpoint, the article wasn't overly pessimistic. (I know was just so excited to see you quoted, as I am your biggest fan and love everything you write!) But now that you point it out, and looking back at the title, I do see your point. Perhaps I didn't see it the first go-round because I was reading through a certain lens in which I know that recovery is possible. Had I been largely unfamiliar with eating disorders, I might have interpreted it more word for word. I agree with what Sarah (comment above) points out.

I love how the author of the article included a description of what you call the half-life. I think it's brilliant because so many people may be living in that mindset and still suffering, not having realized full recovery, but not getting the help they need to live free from the relentless internal harangue and self-criticism.

I'm excited!! I pre-ordered your new book off of Amazon. It shipped Monday, and I am to have it by Friday! yay!!!!

http://your1wildpreciouslife.blogspot.com/