Product Description
A new understanding and approach to eating disorders from a renowned expert, coauthor of the classic Dying to Be Thin Nearly 5 percent of Americans face an eating disorder — and eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Long considered an affliction of young women, they are now common among young men, middle-aged women, and even children as young as five. This is a health crisis of epidemic proportions. Regaining Your Self… More >>
Regaining Your Self: Breaking Free From the Eating Disorder Identity: A Bold New Approach
This book may be a good introduction for those who have never read anything about eating disorders, but those familiar with the literature are likely to find themselves disappointed in this somewhat strange little book. While Dr Sacker is a well-known individual in the field, on examination, it’s hard to really know just how much of this book he actually wrote. The book is attributed to Sacker “with” Shela Buff…yet we never once hear who she is, a fairly sure sign that the book has been ghost written. To compound the mystery, inside we find Laura McDonald M.S. given credit for “writing, editing and development of theory”, as well as providing “heart and soul” to the book. Given both of these attributions, one begins to wonder just how much Dr. Sacker actually had to do with the production of this book.
Readers may also find the organization of the text irritating. Perhaps 50% of the pages contain excerpts from that page’s text, extracted and highlighted in boxes of their own. In some instances the excerpts are direct quotes from the text, in others several sentences have been modified or combined to make new sentences. I found this unrelenting editorial convention to be obnoxious and distracting and other readers may find it the same.
In regards to the book’s content, while case studies are mentioned, rarely, if ever, do we hear from the clients themselves. This sort of summarizing may leave many readers who have eating disorders themselves feeling like bystanders.
When we finally get to Dr Sacker’s “Bold New Approach” we find that it consists of discovering the things in life that the client is truly passionate about, encouraging the client to pursue these passions, thereby establishing a more authentic self-identity to replace that which their ED currently provides them with. While this approach is a useful, honest and legitimate one, those familiar with ED treatment may find it somewhat simplistic, and not quite the bold and novel approach the book promises.
While Dr Sacker is obviously a caring and insightful individual, those familiar with the many good books on EDs currently in print may find themselves left wondering about the nature of Dr Sacker’s connection to it, and how and why it came to be written in the first place.
Rating: 2 / 5
I’ve struggled with an eating disorder (ED) for over 10 years now. Last year I was admitted to Remuda Ranch in AZ for inpatient treatment. Had I not gone doctor’s say I would have died a week later. So, now I’m one year into recovery and realize it’s an everyday, no, every minute battle. My mom saw this book advertised and bought it for me. I can relate to it so much it’s really ridiculous! I’ll be feeling one way that is so indescribable, then turn the page, and read my feelings word for word! When you are sick with an eating disorder, finding someone or anything to relate to is close to impossible. This book explains perfectly what someone with ED goes through before, during, and after treatment! I’ve told my family and friends that if they want to know me, they need to read this book. I’m so grateful for this book as it’s given me a voice in the midst of the most horrifying battle I’ve ever faced.
Rating: 5 / 5
I found this book to be of interest so far as framing the core issues surrounding eating disorders. However it is lacking in practical application. I did not find any concrete guidance on what I could do myself to attack these issues. Instead the author focuses on his prowess in the theraputic environment and offers little advice on how to find a similar environment or tangible activities a person suffering from a disorder can follow. There are many web links and organizations listed in the back – but that does little to guide me on where to go from here. I think the book is ultimately better for the therapist versus the patient.
Rating: 3 / 5
Take an appearance-fixated society, add an individual with an obsessive personality, a dash of anxiety and a measure of perfectionism, and you have the perfect recipe for an eating disorder. Dr. Ira Sacker has been treating people with eating disorders for more than two decades and thoroughly understands the dynamics of this devastating condition. He’s cooked up a compassionate, interactive therapeutic approach to healing that reaches past the boundaries of food, weight and calories. People suffering from eating disorders become their disease, focusing solely on it as their identity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The author’s premise is that the way to usurp this “eating disorder identity” is to develop a real, healthier identity based on discovering and pursuing your passions. If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, getAbstract suggests that you will find hopeful information in this book. It certainly serves up food for thought.
Rating: 5 / 5
Dr Sacker has addressed the essence of eating disorders in “Regaining YourSelf”. He has shown how the eating disorder is not about food or weight but rather about a lost, or more correctly, an undiscovered self. He has demonstrated by presenting the theoretical along with the personal how he has successfully touched the lives of numerous patients. This book is a valuable resource for the professional as well and for the patient and family members who would like to gain from Dr Sacker’s years of success treating eating disorders.
Rating: 5 / 5