Can I tell you about Eating Disorders?

A guide for friends, family and professionals

Fiona Field, Bryan Lask, Lucy Watson

• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781849054218
• eBook ISBN: 9780857007971
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Abnormal Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Part of the Reading Well scheme. 35 books selected by young people and health professionals to provide 13 to 18 year olds with high-quality support, information and advice about common mental health issues and related conditions.

Meet Alice - a teenage girl with anorexia nervosa. Alice invites readers to learn about anorexia nervosa and how it makes her see herself differently from how other people see her. She also introduces readers to Beth who has bulimia nervosa, Sam who has selective eating problems, Francesca who has functional dysphagia and Freddie who has food avoidance emotional disorder. They all explain why they find food difficult and how their eating disorders are different.

This illustrated book is an ideal introduction to understanding the complex issues surrounding eating disorders. It shows family, friends and teachers how they can support a young person with an eating disorder and will also be a good place to start when encouraging open conversations about eating disorders at school or at home.

Alice: “There are a number of ways you can help me with my Anorexia Nervosa:

•Please don’t expect me to understand what’s happening inside me.

•Please try to understand that:

•I get very worried about myself all the time.

•I do not like myself.

•I am full of shame, I am truly embarrassed by myself.

•I feel guilty when I eat.

•I know what I think about myself might seem silly to you, but I just can’t help it!

•Please try to stay friends with me.

•Please try to remember that I like doing lots of things that you do.

•Please try to remember that I haven’t chosen to be like this.

•You can help me best by treating me like any other person.”

Beth: “There are a number of ways you can help me with my Bulimia Nervosa:

•It would be helpful if you could try to distract me after I’ve eaten.

•Please don’t expect me to understand why I can’t stop binging.

•Please try to remember after I’ve binged or purged that I feel full of shame.

Like Alice:

•Please try to stay friends with me.

•Please try to remember that I like doing lots of things that you do.

•Please try to remember that I haven’t chosen to be like this.

•You can help me best by treating me like any other person.”

Freddie: “There are a number of ways you can help me with my Food Avoidance Emotional Disorder:

•Please don’t expect me to understand what’s happening inside me.

•Please try to understand that I often feel sad and worried.

•I know what I think might seem silly to you, but please try to remember that I just can’t help it.

Like Alice and Beth:

•Please try to stay friends with me.

•Please try to remember that I like doing lots of things that you do.

•Please try to remember that I haven’t chosen to be like this.

•You can help me best by treating me like any other person.”

Sam: “There are a number of ways you can help me with my Selective Eating:

•Please try to remember that I’ve had this all my life – I’m not going to change quickly.

•It would help most if you could stop trying to get me to eat new foods.

•Please don’t make fun of my lunchbox just because I have the same foods every day.

•Please do invite me round for a meal, but it would be helpful if you tell your mum and dad what I can’t eat.

•Please remember that I do get very worried about eating, especially if there’s food on the table I can’t eat.

Like Alice, Beth and Freddie:

•Please try to stay friends with me.

•Please try to remember that I like doing lots of things that you do.

•Please try to remember that I haven’t chosen to be like this.

•You can help me best by treating me like any other person.”

Francesca: “There are a number of ways you can help me with my Functional Dysphagia:

•It would be helpful if you could try to stop making me eat foods I’m afraid of.

•Please don’t make fun of me; it’s not my fault that I’m afraid.

•Please don’t make fun of my lunchbox just because I have the same foods every day.

•Please do invite me round for a meal, but please remember to tell your mum and dad that I can only eat soft foods and that lumpy or solid foods scare me.

•Please remember that I really do believe that I will choke or be sick if I eat solid foods; I know you mig...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Of Related Interest
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• Introduction
• Introducing Alice and friends who have eating disorders
• Avoiding food
• Why we avoid food – Anorexia Nervosa
• Why we avoid food – Bulimia Nervosa
• Why we avoid food – Food Avoidance Emotional Disorder
• Why we avoid food – Selective Eating
• Why we avoid food – Functional Dysphagia
• It is not just about eating
• What causes eating disorders?
• Problems we have at school
• Problems we have at home
• How can you help
• How Adults Can Help
• Recommended Reading, Organisations and Websites
• Also available