Anorexia During Middle-Age

Harriet Brown, I knew my daughter had an ed when she wanted to read your book. She is now 6 months out of treatment, family-based, and is doing so well. Thank you.

Ms. Brown, I'm sure your book is well-written and informative, and you obviously have experience with anorexia as the parent of a daughter who suffered with it. However, your experience doesn't put you in the position to make sweeping generalizations as to what does or does not cause this complex illness, and your condescending comments (ie "actually it's not about control" or "there is no evidence to support this") are both misleading and alienating. Your assertion that anorexics' restrictive behavior is a way to alleviate anxiety well documented among the professionals, but where the anxiety comes from originally is another matter. It most certainly CAN come from a fear of growing up, or from feeling out of control in the face of a loved one's death, or from having been powerless to stop sexual advances from an adult. But you say it's a brain hardwiring issue, without addressing traumatic events that could lead to unbearable anxiety. The extent to which people ignore the mind/body connection frightens me. Because you have written a book about your own family's struggle with anorexia does NOT mean you know the cause or cure for all victims, and suggesting that others are wrong is irresponsible and alienating.

Dear Harriet Brown.

I agree that there are "brain wiring" components to eating disorders and that they may be linked to anxiety disorders.  It is my very sincere wish, though, that in a women's forum we can all learn to temper our commentary with maturity, grace and respect.  When you adopt an attitude of superiority and cast yourself in the role of teacher and of the writer of information with which you disagree in the role of failing student, you create a dynamic that eliminates the safety and support of open dialogue, and bring us right back to a competitive, hostile space.  It is my sincere belief that we are all more intelligent, more kind, and more caring about disseminating useful and beneficial information than we are committed to our own position of superiority.  I'm sure a thoughtful person such as yourself would not want to alienate the very women she is attempting to educate?

This is a ridiculous post. With all due respect, you don't know what causes anorexia any more than the experts do. I believe mine began as a way to control a chaotic and sexually abusive childhood. There is not one single member of my immediate or extended family with an eating disorder. It took thirty years for me to understand the causes of this horrible disease in my case. 80 percent of anorexics were abused as children--I don't believe it's coincidence. As long as Americans continue to blame genetics for a myriad of diseases--obesity, depression, eating disorders, etc, etc., we will continue the cycle. People are not born with emotional problems.

I also respectfully disagree. It has nothing to do with the cost of nutritional food or income. It has everything to do with control, emotions, and not feeling good about yourself.

Signed - A Middle-Aged Slowly Recovering Anorexic

I respectfully disagree.