Dear Readers,
I just finished a new book that many of you will want to know about, Unlocking the Mysteries of Eating Disorders: A Life-Saving Guide to Your Child’s Treatment and Recovery (McGraw Hill, 2008). It is written by David B. Herzog, M.D., a Harvard psychiatry professor and head of The Harris Center at Massachusetts General Hospital; Debra L. Franko, Ph.D., a Northeastern University psychology professor and Harris Center associate director, and Pat Cable, R.N., the Harris Center’s director of publications.
Marcia and I know Dr. Herzog to be one of the most compassionate and expert professionals in the eating disorders field. He and his colleagues have written an eminently sound guide. You hear the voices of lots of parents and their kids who are struggling with eating disorders, both boys and girls. I especially liked the section on setting up a treatment team for your child, which is broken down into important issues and questions that should be asked, as well as the section on the use of antidepressants in treating both bulimia and anorexia.
One common denominator the authors find among their patients is the feeling, “I’m not good enough.” They note that eating-disordered kids come from a wide variety of backgrounds: some report idyllic and happy childhoods, some have a history of trauma or abuse. “The paths that lead to ‘I’m not good enough,’ differ from one person to another,” they write.
A good piece of advice is to counsel your perfectionistic child to strive for “excellence, not perfection.” The authors explain, “Excellence is achievable; perfection isn’t.”There is also a very helpful section on how to appeal a denial of coverage from your insurance company.
In short, this is a book well worth reading.
Take care,
Nancy
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