It's Not About the Weight: Attacking Eating Disorders from the Inside Out [Paperback]

Susan Mendelsohn PsyD (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 22, 2007

Dr. Susan J. Mendelsohn is all too familiar with eating disorders: she has personally wrestled with them for more than fifteen years. It’s Not about the Weight: Attacking Eating Disorders from the Inside Out is part self-help guide and part memoir that tackles growing up with—and growing through—the challenge of body image distortions.

Whether you’re just beginning your battle with an eating disorder (ED) or have struggled for years, this guide addresses the common themes of weight and body image preoccupations, the psychological place in which you may find yourself and, most importantly, how you can manage these obsessions through practical steps of self-healing—from the inside out.

Weaving real-life cases of Dr. Mendelsohn’s clinical practice with her own personal struggles, this compelling success story shows you the appropriate steps in how to overcome the obstacles of weight and body image, how to triumphantly manage weight during recovery, how to maintain an overall satisfying existence, and how to finally live your life no matter what shape, size, or weight you are at any given time. Take this unique opportunity to let It’s Not about the Weight guide you to a successful recovery and an overall healthy and balanced lifestyle!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan J. Mendelsohn, Psy.D., is a doctor of clinical psychology and has been a professor of psychology for fourteen years. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (February 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 059541883X
• ISBN-13: 978-0595418831
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #851,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, April 4, 2007

By 

Diana Kline (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: It's Not About the Weight: Attacking Eating Disorders from the Inside Out (Paperback)

This book is an excellent read for anyone who struggles with an ED, or knows someone who does, or who just wants to understand ED's better. The author communicates psychological terms into layman's words, so that the concepts as to why human beings develop eating disorders are very understandable and easy to grasp. In a very personable, compassionate, and often humorous way, she dictates how eating disorders are NOT about weight or food, but much deeper, hidden issues and internal conflicts that have often been going on subconsciously for years inside the minds of those who suffer.

As a survivor of anorexia in the maintenance phase, I am all to familiar with this struggle. I grow so weary of talk shows and magazine covers that turn eating disorder sufferers into "freak shows." The world still has a long way to go in understanding this type of disorder! I applaud Mendelsohn's efforts and courage to bring this topic out of the closet and discuss it in a very frank yet understandable way. This is a fantastic read which I highly recommend to anyone!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Somebody finally gets it!!!!, May 28, 2007

By 

Nicole Robinson (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: It's Not About the Weight: Attacking Eating Disorders from the Inside Out (Paperback)

Dr. Mendelsohn's new book does what no book has ever done before. It looks at ALL eating disorders from the inside. She touches the souls of those who suffer from an ED by sharing her own personal story. This is the first book I've read that I felt did not glorify or scold people who are living with ED's. If you are living with an ED and want to understand what its about, and why its not your fault- READ THIS BOOK!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shedding New Light on EDs, March 6, 2007

By 

Jennifer Swafford (Dayton, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: It's Not About the Weight: Attacking Eating Disorders from the Inside Out (Paperback)

I think Dr. Susie Mendelsohn does a fabulous job of drawing the reader in and making everything understandable in such a way that they can take the new information gleaned and start making real changes in their life. Some of the concepts discussed are not necessarily new but presented in a way that not only makes sense but seem viable to actually implement. The prevalence of eating disorders is alarmingly high, and it's very difficult to reach into the minds and touch the hearts of those silently suffering with Ed, day in and day out. As the reader you KNOW the author actually undertands the facets of each eating disorder and so has this marked ability to speak to each person reading the book. And, if you are not a sufferer but a friend or a parent of one, I think this book would also be very helpful in gaining a new perspective on what is going on. As a personal Ed sufferer in recovery, it was a joy to read this book. It not only empowered me in that moment and that day, but stayed with me to help me have the courage to fight. It helped me realize that I have the power to be in control and I can say no to being a victim. I'm far from perfect but keeping a positive attitude and holding onto my control, while actually believing I do have a great deal of control over my own health and life, has made a huge difference in getting my freedom back. To all you suffering out there, there is hope and the greatest defeat would be letting Ed take over your identity and your life. Each and every one of you are worth it, you are worth a fighting chance, and you matter. It may sound cheesy but if you think about it, it's true. And as the book says, it's not about the weight... when will the world understand?!!!