Anorexia Nervosa and Recovery: A Hunger for Meaning

Through the voices of 21 women, Karen Way presents a compassionate picture of what anorexia nervosa is about and of the complex individual variables and obstacles in the journey to recovery. From the premise that anorexia nervosa is an addiction - an obsession controlling all aspects of an individual’s life - and that complete recovery is possible by finding meaning in life, she lets the reader hear the personal struggles of women who have fought this powerful disease. They describe how anorexia controlled their lives and how, once they overcame their obsessions with food, weight and thinness, were able to lead fulfilling lives. This book aims to encourage and inspire women who are in the throes of anorexia nervosa. Therapists and clinicians who treat anorexic women will find chapters on events which trigger anorexia and what anorexics do to maintain their strategies for coping. Concerned friends and family and others interested in understanding this controlling disease may be encouraged from stories of success in this compelling book.