Next to Nothing: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with an Eating Disorder (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative)

"Wise, hopeful, funny, and inspiring. Next to Nothing unravels the mysteries of eating disorder treatment and recovery. Carrie Arnold makes sense out of the confusion as she guides us along her personal journey of healing. I wish my family and I could have read this book during my struggle with anorexia and bulimia. This is a must-read!"―Jenni Schaefer, author of Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too

"In this well-written and readable book, Carrie Arnold guides the adolescent with an eating disorder through what to expect in the recovery process using her own often-bumpy recovery as illustration. Providing tips for everyday survival in the real world and a broader view to help stay the course to health, her message is a powerful and encouraging one, made all the more believable to the adolescent sufferer because she has been there. Carrie also provides information on internal thoughts of the eating disorder that can help parents gain insight into what their adolescent is experiencing and how they might respond."―Kathleen A. Mammel, MD, Chief, Adolescent Pediatrics, William Beaumont Hospital, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Wayne StateUniversity

"Humor and stark honesty are Arnold's trademarks. Most writers uncritically throw in everything that has ever been said of eating disorders; Arnold pares it down to up-to-date and accessible science. This book is a wonderful combination of wit and wisdom."―Laura Collins, author of Eating with Your Anorexic

"This book is an insightful account of one person's struggle with an eating disorder. It offers a helpful mix of information, ranging from the personal to the professional. I expect this book will be helpful to young adults with an eating disorder and their families."―Daniel le Grange, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Eating Disorders Program at The University of Chicago

More than simple cases of dieting gone awry, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are among the most fatal of mental illnesses, responsible for more deaths each year than any other psychiatric disorder. These illnesses afflict millions of young people, especially women, all over the world.

Carrie Arnold developed anorexia as an adolescent and nearly lost her life to the disease. In Next to Nothing, she tells the story of her descent into anorexia, how and why she fell victim to this mysterious illness, and how she was able to seek help and recover after years of therapy and hard work. Now an adult, Arnold uses her own experiences to offer practical advice and guidance to young adults who have recently been diagnosed with an eating disorder, or who are at risk for developing one. Drawing on the expertise of B. Timothy Walsh, M.D., one of America's leading authorities on eating disorders, she reveals in easy-to-understand terms what is known and not known medically about anorexia and bulimia. The book covers such difficult topics as how to make sense of a diagnosis, the various psychotherapies available to those struggling with an eating disorder, psychiatric hospitalization, and how to talk about these illnesses to family and friends. The result is both a compelling memoir and a practical guide that will help to ease the isolation that an eating disorder can impose, showing young people how to manage and maintain their recovery on a daily basis.

Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series of books written specifically for teens and young adults, Next to Nothing will also be a valuable resource to the friends and family of those with eating disorders. It offers much-needed hope to young people, helping them to overcome these illnesses and lead productive and healthy lives.