When Dieting Becomes Dangerous: A Guide to Understanding and Treating Anorexia and Bulimia

This primer on anorexia and bulimia is aimed directly at patients and the people who care about them. Written in simple straightforward language by two experts in the field it describes the symptoms and warning signs of eating disorders explains their presumed causes and complexities and suggests effective treatments. The book includes: guidance about what to expect and look for in the assessment and treatment process; emphasis on the critical role of psychotherapy and family therapy in recovery; explanation of how anorexia and bulimia differ in their origins and manifestations; information on males with eating disorders and how they are similar to and different from female patients; a separate chapter for health care professionals who are not specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with eating disorders; up-to-date readings Internet sites and professional organizations in the United States and in Europe.

Deborah M. Michel is clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and neurology at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Susan G. Willard, director of the Eating Disorders Treatment Center at River Oaks Hospital, is professor in the department of psychiatry and neurology and the department of pediatrics at the Tulane University School of Medicine.