This book combines the personal accounts of the author with a discussion of the science of these serious psychiatric illnesses. It provides useful facts and important information on such topics as how to seek professional help, how to talk to family and friends about eating disorders, and how to maintain recovery on a day-to-day basis.

1. A Very Heavy Weight - Life with Anorexia and Bulimia ; 2. Evolution of an Eating Disorder ; 3. The Basics - What You Need to Know about Eating Disorders ; 4. After the Diagnosis: Getting the Right Treatment for You ; 5. The Personal Challenges of Recovery: Practical Tips ; 6. Dealing with the World While in Recovery ; 7. Relapse: There and Back Again ; 8. Closure ; Appendix: For caregivers of young people with eating disorders ; Some Frequently Asked Questions for the Recently Diagnosed

"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

"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 State University "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 "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 State University "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

Selling point: Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series, sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands to educate the public and improve the nation's understanding of and response to adolescent mental illness. Selling point: Provides an accessible but in-depth look at the causes, treatment, and management of eating disorders in adolescents Selling point: An optimistic and practical guide designed for adolescents who have an eating disorder or are at risk for developing one Selling point: Combines professional advice and practical daily-management tips, oriented toward teens, with the first-hand experience of the author Selling point: Authoritative and insightful, yet witty and accessible

Carrie Arnold waged a seven-year battle with anorexia and bulimia. The holder of a Master's of Public Health in Epidemiology, she is actively involved in eating disorders advocacy and education. She is also the author of Running on Empty: A Diary of Anorexia and Recovery. B. Timothy Walsh, M.D., is the Ruane Professor of Pediatric Psychopharmacology in the Department of Psychiatry at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University. A past president of the Academy for Eating Disorders and currently an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, he established the Eating Disorders Research Unit at New York State Psychiatric Institute. His books include If Your Adolescent Has an Eating Disorder: An Essential Resource For Parents (OUP 2005) and Treating and Preventing Adolescent Mental Health Disorders: What We Know and What We Don't Know (OUP 2005).

Selling point: Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series, sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands to educate the public and improve the nation's understanding of and response to adolescent mental illness. Selling point: Provides an accessible but in-depth look at the causes, treatment, and management of eating disorders in adolescents Selling point: An optimistic and practical guide designed for adolescents who have an eating disorder or are at risk for developing one Selling point: Combines professional advice and practical daily-management tips, oriented toward teens, with the first-hand experience of the author Selling point: Authoritative and insightful, yet witty and accessible