Rebecca's Interview with Carol Normandi
Co-Author of
Over It.

Rebecca :
Over It: A teen's guide to getting beyond obsession with food & weight is all about those terrifying years when appearances mean so much & our eating habits become monsters. What are the reasons we develop dangerous, uncontrollable eating habits?

Carol :
There are many reasons why individuals develop dangerous & uncontrollable eating habits. One of the strongest contributing factors is the culture's obsession with thinness & dieting which is passed on to our children at very early ages. Instead of teaching our children to eat intuitively (i.e. eating when hungry, stopping when full, & listening to what foods feel good in their bodies) we teach them to diet by restricting foods & defining foods as “good” or “bad”. This leads to a fear of food that results in restricting foods that are necessary for healthy development (such as fat), & deprivation. The physiological & psychological backlash that responds to this severe restriction sets up a diet/binge cycle.

This is encouraged by the cultural pressure to be thin. Studies show that 81% of 10 year old girls are afraid of being fat & 51% of 9 & 10 year old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet. Dieting & exercising is encouraged in our culture as a way to be thin. Self-esteem becomes based on how thin you can be.

We have heard so many stories of eating disorders starting because a young adult got such positive praise for losing weight, even if it was from an illness! In addition, when our children aren't taught to process their feelings in a healthy way, or when there are psychological stresses in their life (such as emotional, physical, sexual abuse or neglect), they might lean towards food to take care of themselves emotionally. For some individuals this can start at a very young age, & food becomes a very important part of how they cope with life's stresses.

Adolescence is a very stressful time, so it is not unusual for teens to be looking towards food & other substances to soothe themselves. At the same time they are ultra-conscious of fitting in & being liked, so being thin is extremely important. It is a natural set up in this culture to develop uncontrollable & dangerous eating habits.

Rebecca :
Why is telling our stories so important - aren't they all the same?

Carol :
Most individuals with food & weight issues carry a lot of shame. They feel bad because they can't control their behavior. Many feel isolated, even though they might know others who struggle with it. Sometimes there is so much shame that they have difficulty being honest with others & even themselves.

Telling their stories to others allows them to be truthful about their situations & to have other people witness their process without judgement, which in turn allows them to view themselves without judgement. It reduces the isolation. It helps them to look at the past & start to understand what the pieces of the puzzles are that led them to this place, so they can begin to re-arrange the pieces. Even though individuals with eating disorders have the same core issues, the stories are just as different as each individual is.

One of the reasons why we run support groups is because you can learn a lot about yourself by listening to other people; listening to each others' stories develops compassion for one another, & helps to shine light on the underlying causes of eating disorders.

Rebecca :
In one girl's story she says: “There were so many voices telling me what to do, but the only voice I could hear was the one that said I was too fat...” What are all these voices?

Carol :
As a teenager, we experience many voices. There are those outside of us telling us what to do, such as parents, relatives, teachers, peers, lovers, coaches, advertisements, magazines, TV, video games, etc. Then there are many voices inside of us, some of which have been internalized from the outside, others which represent the different perspectives & feelings that we have. As a teenager, still in the middle of developing an identity, it is challenging figuring out which voice is our truth. Sometimes it is very simplifying & comforting to condense all of these voices, especially critical ones, into one, manageable, tangible voice, like “I am too fat”.

Just like it is easier to have one feeling, “I feel fat”, instead of experiencing all of the complex feelings that are underneath. It may seem much easier in the short term to go on a diet & get thin and have a false sense of security, than to face the underlying pain & the challenges of growing up. But in the long run, eating disorders take a terrible toll on your life.

Rebecca :
What are the two most deadly eating disorders & why are they dangerous?

Carol :
Anorexia can lead to abnormally slow heart rate & low blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart failure. Severe dehydration can also result in kidney failure. Anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental health condition.

Bulimia is also dangerous because purging can lead to electrolyte & chemical imbalances that can lead to irregular heartbeats, heart failure & death. Unfortunately, many times bulimics are secretive about their behavior, & it may not be outwardly obvious they are in severe physical danger.

Compulsive overeating (otherwise known as binge eating disorder) can lead to severe obesity & can also be life-threatening. If you or someone you know suffers from any of these eating disorders, whether it be compulsive eating, anorexia, or bulimia, it is extremely important to get ongoing medical monitoring to ensure you are not at physical risk.

Rebecca :
You have a couple of chapters addressed to parents - why, if this book's for teenagers?

Carol :
Good question. We believe that parents are usually an integral part of the teen's healing process. Educating a parent about eating disorders & what they can do is an important part of supporting a teenager in his/her recovery. Parents need to know what is helpful & what isn't, and they need to know how to get support for themselves. Also we have a lot of teens who want parents to know what helps, & we wanted to include this information.

Rebecca :
You have a chapter on boys & eating disorders - why? Isn't this just a girl thing?

Carol :
Unfortunately, it is not just a girl thing. One million boys & men in the US have eating disorders & borderline conditions, & that number is on the rise. As boys & men receive more pressure to be thin, strong, built, etc, they become more susceptible to dieting & obsessive exercising & eating disorders. Unfortunately, most of the resources are oriented towards females, however this is beginning to change. For more information on males & eating disorders, see the book: Making Weight: Men's Conflicts with Food, Weight, Shape & Appearance by Andersen, Cohn & Holbrook.

Rebecca :
What is Beyond Hunger & how may we contact it?

Carol :
Rebecca, thank you for the interview! Beyond Hunger is a non-profit organization that we created after recovering from our own eating disorders. Beyond Hunger provides support groups, workshops & education for individuals with eating disorders & body image issues.

Please contact us at http://www.beyondhunger.org or
Beyond Hunger
P.O. Box 151148
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-459-2270.

We also have an adult book titled It's Not About Food: End Your Obsession With Food And Weight.

Rebecca :
Do check out my review of Over It

(Published April 08, 2001)