Kamis, 11 November 2010

Unbearable Lightness


Portia di Rossi aka Portia deGeneres has written an autobiography titled "Unbearable Lightness" which touches on her struggle with anorexia and bulimia as well as her sexuality. The book was released to the public on November 1st 2010, and I bought and finished it that week.
The book is an open and honest account of her daily struggles with shame, drive and the insanity that comes with obsessing about body weight and living for other people.

As an eating disorder specialist it is interesting to hear different accounts of how people cope with the illness of anorexia, bulimia or body dysmorphic disorder. Reading this book was like hearing the account of any number of patients in my office - the stories are all so similar, but from the inside, each person feels as if he or she is the only one that feels this way or thinks this way or acts this way. Some are ashamed of those thoughts and behaviors and some are proud of them. That's the bizarre world of an eating disorder.

She does reveal numbers, which some in recovery choose not to do, since those who are active in their disorders tend to use those numbers as a goal or a new record to beat. She reveals things like her highest and lowest weight, number of calories consumed in a typical restrictive day and number of times she binges, purges and hours spent at the gym. Obviously if you see these numbers as a personal challenge...you my friend, belong in my office.

Its a must read for anyone who struggles with body image, anyone who has a child and anyone who is active in their own disorder.

A+ Rating from this ED dietitian!

Pick it up from itunes or ibooks or from Amazon:

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