From Publishers Weekly
Lock, a psychiatrist specializing in adolescence, and le Grange, an assistant professor of psychiatry, have written a comprehensive book on a difficult topic. They present some new concepts on the management of eating disorders that are somewhat contradictory to current thinking, and make valid points backed by research (the authors have a five-year grant for studying the treatment of anorexia nervosa). Early on, Lock and le Grange emphasize the need for parents to take immediate action in obtaining help for their teens and to not dwell on the "why." Many therapists balk at this approach, believing the motivations for an eating disorder are an essential part of treatment. But Lock and le Grange present research suggesting the disorder can be linked to personality traits and even genetics. The book then moves on to help parents understand eating disorders by delving into the complexity of these disorders, the distorted thinking behind a teenager's behavior and what the research says about the best ways to treat anorexia and bulimia. Finally, the authors address ways to make treatment work, drawing on experiences they've have had with families they have helped. There are many red flags that parents should recognize when it comes to their adolescent daughter or son's eating habits, and this intelligent book points them out clearly and concisely. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Book Description
Always harmful and potentially deadly, eating disorders can wreak havoc on families. Unfortunately, the same can often be said of their treatment: blaming parents for the illness, many eating disorder programs exclude parents and widen the rift in an already shattered family. This powerful and controversial book by top researchers James Lock and Daniel le Grange argues that parents are not the culprits but the key to their teen's recovery. Based on new research, Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder shows how parents can break the disorder's control over their child's mind and re-establish normal eating and family relations. The odds for full recovery drop precipitously if treatment is delayed. A radically important wake up call, this book urges parents to act now.
