Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are a growing problem in today’s society and the age of sufferers is getting younger. Many people believe that eating disorders are just ‘out of control’ diets but there is much more to them than that. They are not actually about food and weight at all. They are about self-esteem and confidence, as well as abuse, control and communication within families.

In “Diet Of Despair”, I am hoping to help people who are struggling to understand and/or recover from an eating disorder. I am not a doctor or a counsellor but I have a great deal of personal experience in this area. I suffered from anorexia nervosa for over 14 years and have been in recovery since 1999. I am now at a healthy weight and no longer feel afraid of food. However, I do understand how desperately lonely, frightened and confused you can feel when you have these illnesses.

I have also tried to learn all that I could about these disorders and have talked with many people suffering from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders. I want to use the knowledge I now have to try and help people recover. I know what helped me to fight my anorexia and I have tried to include all this information in “Diet Of Despair”. It IS possible to beat your eating disorder but first you have to understand the illness and why it developed. I hope that with this book I can help you to learn more about these frightening illnesses. As I have discovered, it is not always an easy battle to win but it is such a worthwhile one.

I have described anorexia and bulimia in the greatest detail in this book, although other eating disorders are mentioned. If you are suffering from compulsive eating, you may find it helpful to read the sections on bulimia, as these will also give you some practical tips and solutions for beating your own illness.

Throughout “Diet Of Despair” you will find therapy exercises, diet plans and personal diary extracts. These describe my experiences of anorexia in more detail. I spent a number of years in therapy and have learned many helpful tips for recovery. I have shared these and explained how they can help you beat your eating disorder too. I have also addressed issues such as learning to live at a healthy weight and how to cope with life without your eating disorder. “Diet of Despair” is intended to give hope and provide practical assistance for sufferers and those who care about them.

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