The Secret Language of Eating Disorders: How You Can Understand and Work to Cure Anorexia and Bulimia - Hardcover

Claude-Pierre, Peggy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0812928423 ISBN 13: 9780812928426

Publisher: Crown, 1997

Synopsis

"I feel so dirty, hopeless, no-good, fat, scared, a failure. I don't deserve to live."

"My daughter is 5'8" and 60 pounds. She won't comply with anyone. She has ruined the family."

"I can't be cured. I'm too bad. I'm going to have to deal with this the rest of my life."

"My doctor told me that I don't want to grow up."

"I hate myself for being the cause of all of this."

"I don't want my daughter to die. They say we are a dysfunctional family, but we don't fight and we love our daughter. Surely something can be done."

All of these statements are based on myths and misconceptions about anorexia and bulimia. Unfortunately, these myths and others not only deepen the suffering of victims of eating disorders, but shape how we regard and treat those victims. If you are a parent , family member, loved one, or caregiver of a victim, or a victim yourself, you know the punishing pain and sense of hopelessness caused by eating disorders. Now an extraordinary new book offers new hope and help to all whose lives are threatened by these scourges. In The Secret Language of Eating Disorders, Peggy Claude-Pierre, founder of the world-renowned eating disorders program at the Montreaux Clinic in Victoria, Canada, puts these damaging myths to rest and reveals her groundbreaking theories on the ultimate cure for illnesses that current medicine treats with little success.

Peggy Claude-Pierre developed her unique insights into eating disorders through successfully treating her own two anorexic daughters and hundreds of acutely ill patients at Montreaux, which specializes in treating victims near death whom doctors and hospitals haven't helped. She became convinced that eating disorders stem from a complex negative mindset. Often established at birth, it causes sufferers to feel an overwhelming sense of worthlessness that frequently results in a slow process of self-destruction. It is Peggy Claude-Pierre's conviction that this mindset--and the resulting eating disorder--can be permanently reversed through a program based on unconditional love, regard, positive reinforcement, easing of the victim's burdens of blame and responsibility, and objectivity training.

In The Secret Language of Eating Disorders, Claude-Pierre details her theories on the true causes of anorexia and bulimia and lays out the basis of the Montreaux program, which has an astonishingly high success rate, curing even the gravest cases. She describes the origins of the negative mindset and the five stages of recovery from eating disorders, spotlights the special challenges of coping with them at home, and offers clear, practical guidelines to working effectively with health professionals. She also shares the voices of dozens of former patients who offer their own stories of recovery as inspiration to victims, their families, and loved ones. Peggy Claude-Pierre's heartfelt message of hope is that eating disorders can be cured, not merely managed, and that deep within every person suffering from these illnesses is a loving, deserving soul who can and should be saved. As Peggy Claude-Pierre writes to victims, "You are not failures at life, merely at understanding your own value. Soon professionals across the globe will discontinue treating the symptoms of eating disorders as the cause." This powerful, compassionate book will revolutionize the way we think about eating disorders and their victims. It will literally save lives.

About this title

Review

What makes Claude-Pierre's treatment of anorexia and bulimia revolutionary? Perhaps it's that the astonishingly high success rate of even the most chronic cases at Claude-Pierre's Montreux Clinic (only sufferers near death who have not been helped by doctors and hospitals are admitted) defies the common misconception that eating disorders are incurable. Claude-Pierre has made a personal commitment to dispel this damaging myth. Having cured her own two daughters of anorexia, you might say hers was a vested interest. The Secret Language of Eating Disorders reveals the details of Claude-Pierre's unique program.

Myths and misconceptions have shaped conventional treatment of anorexia and bulimia, leading to a cycle of hopelessness for those who suffer. Claude-Pierre's work reveals that victims share a common feeling of self-contempt. Further, she asserts that these overwhelming feelings of worthlessness are established at birth and slowly erode the healthy self. The revolutionary aspect of Claude-Pierre's program stems from her conviction that this negative mindset can be completely reversed.

The book describes the five stages of recovery, discusses the challenges peculiar to working with them at home, and presents a plan for working with health professionals. Also offered are stories of former Montreux patients, adding insight and depth to understanding these disorders. The book and the program have already saved many lives and will continue to do so.

From the Back Cover

"An exciting new interpretation of anorexia and bulimia... A must-read." -Quill & Quire

"Provocative... A gripping, often chilling view of what it's like to battle these horrific diseases." -Newsweek

"Claude-Pierre's compassion and dedication are evident on every page of this account, and her insights are stimulating... Its humane and caring message will reach deep into the hearts of those who suffer from eating disorders." -Publishers Weekly

Edition details

• Publisher: Crown
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0812928423
• ISBN 13: 9780812928426
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288