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Desperately Seeking Self: An Inner Guidebook for People with Eating Problems.
By Viola Fodor. California: Gurze Books, 1997, 172 pp. $12.95.
Within American culture, it seems as if the number of individuals suffering from eating disorders have skyrocketed. In a country so obsessed with body image, it is not surprising that children as young as ten years of age are now preoccupied with their body size. It has become a national crisis, killing our daughters, and sometimes even our sons. An awareness of the problem is beginning to occur, as the media has been taking a greater interest in this serious issue in recent years. Now there are hundreds of books available that address eating disorders. Desperately Seeking Self is one of many books that try to undercover the underlying root of the issue, while simultaneously inducing self healing. The book is very simple, in style as well as content. The major advantage of Fodor's book is that it can be read within a few of days. Unfortunately, Fodor's book was disappointing. Even as a supplement to psychotherapy, it did not seem to be very useful.
The author does convey a sense of understanding. Fodor suffered from Bulimia and Anorexia for over 15 years. She instills a sense of hope, that the reader is not alone in his or her situation. Fodor also gives many examples of her own clients, to be sure that the reader can identify with at least one story. She tends to be overly simplistic in her explanations of the cause of eating disorders. When the reader sees the cover, it conveys the message of an inner guidebook, which implies some self-exploration will occur. The only such activity is just a few pages long, asking simple questions such as, "I believe that my body is..." (p.96).
Fodor borrows from other psychologists in her book. Her iceberg analogy originated in Freudian theory. Fodor states that the eating disorder is only a symptom of deeper issues. Below the symptom level is the psychological level. Here we see issues of perfectionism, low self-esteem, and societal myths. At the deepest level, is the spiritual level. This is the meaning of life and the purpose of being. Once these issues are resolved, the symptom that is the eating disorder will disappear.
Fodor also uses cognitive psychotherapy principles and concepts in her book, asking readers to identify their core beliefs about themselves. These beliefs are seen in statements such as "I am helpless, I am worthless, I cannot trust my body, I can never be normal" (p. 75). These statements show the depth of anguish the reader might be experiencing. However, Fodor makes no effort to resolve these ideas. They are simply brought to attention, then dropped. When using this book in bibliotherapy it will be important for the psychotherapist to actively follow-up on such issues. It will also be important to be sure such a cognitive approach is consistent with the treatment being provided by the psychotherapist.
Most of the content of the book is a conversation between a psychotherapist and a client. The author anticipates what the client might be thinking and questions he or she might want to ask. She answers them in a straightforward manner, encouraging the client to be introspective. Fodor wants readers to identify where they are in terms of their eating disorder. She proposes there are five phases; denial, resignation, ongoing battle, apparent resolution or recovery, and healing or transformation. Once the reader has identified where they are, she says the "healing process can begin" (p.68).
The book is also sprinkled intermittently with quotes selected to empower the client. One such quote is by A.J Muste, "…when the self has been confronted, when the hidden has been brought to the surface, the perhaps paradoxical result is horror and paralysis-they come when the hidden has not been faced-but release and new birth" (p.31). Her use of quotes may be one of the more effective parts of the book.
A later a section on what Fodor calls Quiet Time. Essentially, Quiet Time is spending 15 minutes alone without any distractions. Fodor states that "when we quiet our minds, and suspend our logic, we allow for a quality of thinking that helps us to access our deeper being-our spirit." (p. 165). She goes on to say that when you give attention to yourself, you open the doors for inner healing. Quiet Time seems to be a form of relaxation that can be incorporated into one’s treatment.
This book is not highly recommended for individuals suffering from an eating disorder. Fodor is overly simplistic in her explanations and her "self-healing." Her use of inspirational quotes and the recommendation that clients practice relaxation skills are likely to be insufficient to help clients even when used as an adjunct to ongoing psychotherapy. Most people who are suffering with an eating disorder do have negative core beliefs about themselves. However, simply identifying them is not going to solve the deeper issues. The search for a useful bibliotherapy resource for those suffering from eating disorders should continue and not stop here.