BOOK recommendations about ANOREXIA for 15 yo DD?

[ColdFeetAgain]

Hi. My DD is being seen by an NHS eating disorder service and is going through a rough patch after an improvement in the early summer. She has lost about 2 stone and is underweight, but doesn't have a full blown anorexia (i don't think).

I have been trawling the internet for ages looking for a book that will help explain her condition to her and maybe give her some coping strategies. in particular, i'd like her to be able to read up on how this illness affects her hopefully improve her understanding and challenge some of her misconceptions (e.g. she sees the fact that she is no longer hungry as proof that she is eating enough).

The trouble is, i cannot find anything geared towards the teenage reader that doesn't loom like a dodgy kindle book or very dated and american (loads of books for parents, though ).

Even the B-eat website appears to have only memoir type books geared towards teens.

Any advice, please?

[Doowop]

Hi. My dd was diagnosed with AN in June 2017.

I would recommend you visit feast-ed.org. They have a forum called Around the Dinner Table which has been an absolute life saver for me. I wouldn't get too hung up on the weight - there is a very good video produced by Janet Treasure from the Maudsley hospital called State not Weight - ultimately, many of the AN behaviours are present without being terribly underweight.

In terms of books to recommend for you daughter, I would exercise caution. It is my understanding that until their brains start functioning normally again, the ability to reason with the "Eating Disorder" voice in their heads is futile.

I am pushed for time at the minute so cannot reply as fully as I would like but I would really urge you to check out the website and forum above (can't work out how to do links). It is an international forum with many from the UK and is full of very wise caregivers who have fought all these battles and and can offer some very sage advice.