The Body Betrayed: A Deeper Understanding of Women, Eating Disorders, and Treatment

I struggled with bulimia for years and this book was one of several books which helped me on my road to recovery. The author is sensitive and cares deeply about men and women struggling with eating disorders and she delves deep into the causes as well as treatments. Another book that helped was the Minirth-Meier Clinic book on Eating Disorders. Fantastic resources for anyone dealing with this often deadly disease.

The Body Betrayed is an outstanding book! Kathryn J. Zerbe writes with much knowledge and compassion about the many complicated aspects of the different disorders, and devotes a lot of time to the discussion of dually-diagnosed patients. She gives careful analysis to the varied influences that effect the onset of these illnesses, and shares some of the real life experiences from her treatment facility. This is a very detailed, but readable book for patients, family, friends, clinicians, and anyone wanting to know more about eating disorders.

This book might not be your best first introduction to eating disorders, but if you are somewhat familiar with the subject, Kathryn J. Zerbe adds tons of new insights.Especially helpful are the sections on eating disorders accompanied by other psychiatric problems, and the sections on the relationships between the mother/daughter and the father/daughter in connection to developing eating disorders.The writing is on a fairly high and intelligent level, but Zerbe never becomes caught up in psycho mumbo-jumbo that is beyond the scope of a lay person.

This book is informative and tremendously educational. The Body Betrayed is one of the best books out there. The author touches on almost every aspect of eating disorders and how a sufferer uses the disorder to make sense of the chaos their lives have become. They educate you on signs, symptoms, and causes, as well as treatment, comorbidity, and relapse. It is well written and some of the best material I have found to date.

This was an excellent book. I have purchased and read several books on eating disorders, and have been frustated by how the authors address the treatment phase. "A body betrayed" takes a deeper look into the reason why women develop an eating disorder and gives much needed insight on the background, treatment, and recovery of eating disorders, and it is not "sugar coated". I have been dealing with Bulemia now for over 9 years, and found this book to be just what I needed to get me back on the road to recovery. I give this book two thumbs up!