Understanding Anorexia?

[Willow]

Is this a good book for the mom of an anorexic to read to better understand the disease?

Thanks Everyone!
God Bless <3

[Thomas]

Yes and No - on the one hand this may provide valuable insight and understanding of their child.

On the other hand this is a work of FICTION and should not be used as a definitive guide, and may mislead as the story resolves itself neat and tidily as good fiction should (but real life doesn't)

I hope this helped

[Mori]

Every person with Anorexia is different. I don't think this would be a good book to read if you want to get a better idea of anorexia. It exaggerates a lot of things.

[Ana]

I actually dont think it exaggerates at all, I think its one of the best representations of anorexia. But I am not sure it would be the best book for a mom to read, in my opinion, but you probably shouldnt follow my advice. I simply dont get along with my mom, and I would hate for her to get even more involve in my life, but hey maybe it is a great book. i just know i couldnt have my mom reading it, she would think I was insane and probably send me to an insane asylum.

[Sarah]

This book is anorexia. Everything that happens in Lia's head, is what goes through your mind with anorexia. Some of the events? No. But the thoughts and mind set, the struggle you see her endure. It's all real. Maybe not as extreme as hallucinating, but everything else. Yes. But as a mother reading it, don't take it all literally or base all your opinions on it

[Ashley]

Yes and no. After suffering from Anorexia for two years then eventually healing, the suffering this girl has gone through, all the voices she hears. It's all things people with this disorder suffer from. It may be placed in fiction but the battle that was faced was all too real and even triggering to remember. It's dead on.

If your child ever suffers from this I do not recommend the way her parents handled it. The yelling could just smash all progress made. You have to literally WANT to get better, being put in a hospital wont fix anything until you realize you want to get better.

[Staci]

I think this would be a good book show anorexia because its very moving and heartbreaking.

[Emily]

I know this book can't represent the experience of everyone who goes through anorexia, but it connected with me. This book saved me from sinking into that dark place that Lia falls into, I was at the edge when I read this book, but I recognized myself in Lia and it forced me to realize that what I was going through wasn't healthy or normal.

So, I don't know if it would be a good book for a mom to read to understand the disorder, but it helped me as a teen to understand my own problem.

[Maryam]

As a recovering "anorexic", I'd say it is something a person with anorexia could relate to. I don't think it's the right book for the mum to read though. There are better ways to understand anorexia like informative websites or books. (Not stories, EVER). And I don't understand why do we define and label ourselves based on the disease? Why don't we say "a person with anorexia" instead of "anorexic"? This has lately been bothering me a little.
God bless <3

[Dee]

another interesting book (at least for me) was Hunger becasue it addressed her realizing she needed to get help

[Lilac]

Maryam wrote: "Why don't we say "a person with anorexia" instead of "anorexic"? This has lately been bothering me a little."

It's been bothering me, too. A person isn't defined by their disease. All anorexics don't feel the same. Wintergirls tells Lia's story, not your daughter's story. To get a broader perspective, you need to read a wide variety of things about the disease-- particularly nonfiction.

That said, Wintergirls is a really gritty, no-holding-back type of novel, and it DOES give a good idea of what anorexia is like. (Though the ending was a little too positive in my opinion.)Just be aware when you're reading it.

[Marci]

I think it's a starting point, but if you're going to make grand generalizations like that, maybe it's better if you don't read this at all.

[Annemarie]

Anderson did a great deal of research for this book and it's a pretty good monologue on one girl's struggle. What I would caution about reading this book is that it can trigger. Lia is very free and forward with her numbers, eating and rituals. So there's a chance the book can trigger a response in someone struggling with ED.
As I've seen many people writing anorexics are not all the same so using this book to pinpoint the disease is not really correct. But this book can be a help for someone who has no reference point at all.