Dear
Readers,
My
patient, whom I’ll call Jane, (not her real name) is a woman in her 30s who has
suffered from anorexia and bulimia for the past 15 years. She was unable to
finish her college degree because of the severity of her symptoms. Here is a
recent email exchange I had with Jane:
Jane: This is probably a really
stupid-sounding question, but it is a serious one. Do people actually recover
from anorexia?
Marcia: You ask a great question.
With improved treatments available, an increasing percentage of people totally
recover from anorexia. The latest studies show that 50% (up from 30%) totally
recover.
Jane: Wow. That is a pretty
impressive statistic—one that has changed a lot from when I was first
diagnosed. But in your personal experience, do people really recover? I can't think of a single person I know who has. I
can't picture all of it just going away, as much as I would like that. People
talk about recovery, but it sounds like some sort of mystical lie, a myth. So,
if it really is possible to get better, what are the chances when you are past
the 10-year mark? I feel horrible for not yet being "well" after all
this time, but it seems so impossible.
Marcia: I myself recovered from
anorexia. I have a large number of patients who have fully recovered. Your 15
years with an ED will make your recovery hard work, but if you want recovery it
can be yours.
Readers,
I hope this email exchange will be an encouragement to you. My take home
message is that it is motivation that counts, not length of your struggle.
And I will sign off with one of my favorite points when working with patients:
there are no “stupid” questions!!!
Take care, Marcia
Marcia Herrin and Nancy Matsumoto, authors of The Parent's Guide to Eating Disorders, 2007, Gurze Press
Comments