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A review by mgerboc
Overcoming Binge Eating by Christopher G. Fairburn
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Sort of personal but I like book tracking so here goes...
I have an unhealthy relationship with food and have for most of my life. I finally sought professional help for it last year and have been seeing a therapist (virtually) for several months now with very good results. She recommended this book to me a little while ago and I got around to reading it today. It is broken into two parts - Part I gives the context of disordered eating, specifically for those who have binge habits. The testimonials were extremely relatable and the history itself was interesting. This section also includes the psychological and physical effects that come along with disordered eating, as well as some conclusions about the cause (although this has, to this day, eluded most researchers).
Part II is an up-to-date enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy plan for those who have disordered eating. It is very similar to the therapy I am participating in right now, and gives more reasoning behind why it should help (and also stating that it's okay if it doesn't - not all therapies work for everyone).
I really like the tone Dr. Fairburn uses throughout the book. It is accessible while still providing all the appropriate research and data, and, most importantly, empowering for the person who is dealing with these issues. It avoids all-or-nothing abstinence/avoidance, and indeed argues that that leads to further binging behavior. What helps me as well is the idea of separating the eating problem from the weight problem. They can both be dealt with, but they are separate issues, and dealing with weight problems will be much easier when you have better control over eating problems. Ultimately, the message is hopeful - disordered eating can be overcome.
It's all very personal, so I won't say I'd recommend this to everyone, but if you suspect you have a binge eating disorder and want to clarity on what that means and help determining if you need help and if so, what that help looks like, this is a good starting point.
I have an unhealthy relationship with food and have for most of my life. I finally sought professional help for it last year and have been seeing a therapist (virtually) for several months now with very good results. She recommended this book to me a little while ago and I got around to reading it today. It is broken into two parts - Part I gives the context of disordered eating, specifically for those who have binge habits. The testimonials were extremely relatable and the history itself was interesting. This section also includes the psychological and physical effects that come along with disordered eating, as well as some conclusions about the cause (although this has, to this day, eluded most researchers).
Part II is an up-to-date enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy plan for those who have disordered eating. It is very similar to the therapy I am participating in right now, and gives more reasoning behind why it should help (and also stating that it's okay if it doesn't - not all therapies work for everyone).
I really like the tone Dr. Fairburn uses throughout the book. It is accessible while still providing all the appropriate research and data, and, most importantly, empowering for the person who is dealing with these issues. It avoids all-or-nothing abstinence/avoidance, and indeed argues that that leads to further binging behavior. What helps me as well is the idea of separating the eating problem from the weight problem. They can both be dealt with, but they are separate issues, and dealing with weight problems will be much easier when you have better control over eating problems. Ultimately, the message is hopeful - disordered eating can be overcome.
It's all very personal, so I won't say I'd recommend this to everyone, but if you suspect you have a binge eating disorder and want to clarity on what that means and help determining if you need help and if so, what that help looks like, this is a good starting point.