Anorexia

Anorexia - the story of my mother

If this helps other families and friends afflicted by anorexia, then well and good.

Family Ties Helping Teenagers Rise Above Anorexia

The link is to an article in 'The Age' newspaper (Melbourne, Australia) by the journalist Jill Stark published in January 2012. There is also the Australian Butterfly Foundation which has great resources and materials.

I post the link to the article because it rings true with my experience. My mother, Monica, died in 1979 when I was in my late teens from anorexia nervosa. She was only 42 years old. She had a loving husband, raised 2 kids, was a well loved teacher, actively gardened, nurtured her high intelligence and kept interested in life and community. Still she was brought down by this nasty disease.

Interestingly, even though she died in the late 70's, it's clear to us (my father & sister) that the principles outlined in the article above worked to keep her around long enough so that I'm typing this. There's resonance with how Quakers treated mental illness in the 19th Century. Patience, quiet, nurture and more patience. See Mad in America.

She was first afflicted while living in Scotland with her parents in her early teens. He was a GP, so she got the 'best' of then current treatment, which included EST. Monica and her mother then left Scotland and came to Australia. Monica was badly affected at that point. Loving care by her uncle Dr John H Begg and his wife Edith kept her alive and got her well enough to attend Melbourne University. Where she met my father...