Anatomy of Anorexia

"The nation's premiere expert in treating anorexia has written the nation's premiere book for parents, relatives and friends of young women afflicted with this life-threatening disease. Steven Levenkron's Anatomy of Anorexia is a book full of hope and common sense for such young women and those who love them."

-Joseph A. Califano
President of the National Center on
Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University
and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare

"Steven Levenkron has done it again. Once more he has taken a complex clinical entity and clearly explained what is known of its symptoms, etiologies, and treatment. His many years as a therapist, his obvious love for the work he does and his writing skills combine in a work that is fascinating, human, engaging and chock full of information that the reader painlessly assimilates. I heartily recommended it to patients, their families, their interested friends, and their therapists."

Michael Kenin, M.D.,
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry,
New York University School of Medicine

"Steven Levenkron's exploration of identity and eating is invaluable to clinicians, parents, teenagers, and adults who are struggling with anorexia. Anatomy of Anorexia clarifies the basic nature of eating problems."

Lynn E. Ponton, M.D
Author of The Romance of Risk:

Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do

"Steven Levenkron's Anatomy of Anorexia is a timely account of the still-baffling psychological illness anorexia nervosa. Easily readable and thorough in its coverage of relevant new scientific information, it gives the reader a broad perspective on the many causative influences underlying this condition, and what families and patients can plan for in terms of its treatment, and the prospects for recovery."

Michael Strober, Ph.D.
Professor of psychiatry and director
Eating Disorders Program
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute & Hospital

"According to the author, a psychotherapist who has treated close to 300 anorexics and written widely in the field (Treating and Overcoming Anorexia Nervosa, etc.), this very serious mental illness, which chiefly afflicts teenage girls, has a recovery rate of only 25%-35%. Because current health care policies severely limit hospitalization for anorexia, Levenkron concentrates on the importance of detecting early symptoms. Drawing on case studies from his practice, he outlines the progressive physical and psychological stages that, if unchecked, lead inexorably to life-threatening weight loss. Reacting to a societal obsession with thinness, adolescent girls at first delight in the sense of achievement they feel after successfully dieting away a few pounds. For some, it can lead to a compulsion to lose even more weight by engaging in rigorous exercise programs and severely restricting calories. When those close to a girl express concern about her thinness, the anorexic typically responds by aggressively defending her behavior, often frightening her parents--who usually wish to avoid exacerbating the situation--into leaving her alone. The anorexic now considers her thin body a special accomplishment and resists all efforts to make her gain weight. In this clearly written and informative study, Levenkron reviews several treatment options, including individual, group and family psychotherapy, self-help groups and behavior modification, as well as medication and hospitalization when necessary, and emphasizes the importance of tailoring treatment to the complex and highly individualized needs of each anorexic. He recommends combining professional treatment with altering negative family dynamics when possible--even between divorced parents--and fostering an atmosphere of communication and trust."

Publishers Weekly