Anorexia & Bulimia (Control That Is Out of Control)

FACT: About 50% of all people in the U.S. either know someone with an eating disorder or have been personally affected by one.

Whether you are personally struggling with an eating disorder or you know someone who is, this 96-page book offers you key information on the causes, effects, and treatment options for anorexia and bulimia. It answers: What is anorexia and bulimia? What are the symptoms of anorexia? and How can someone recover from these eating disorders?

Anorexia and bulimia feed the minds of those starving for love and acceptance with the wrong answer. But there's hope! After personally counseling people struggling with eating disorders for 30 years, June Hunt has seen firsthand that healing and recovery is possible. This quick-reference guide on eating disorders combines her years of experience with timeless biblical truth, relevant information, and practical action-steps.

• Get key definitions, such as what is anorexia? What is anorexia nervosa? What is bulimia? What is "body image?"


• Learn how to spot the symptoms of anorexia and the warning signs of bulimia. Find out how eating disorders damage the brain and body, causing everything from seizures, infertility, heart failure, and even death.


• Discover the situational and root causes that often lead to eating disorders, such as unresolved pain.


• Get practical advice on how to personally overcome an eating disorder or help guide someone through the process. Includes 8 "first steps" to take to begin your journey toward recovery and also gives practical ways to start eating healthier.


• Dive into the Word of God and see what it says about your value, your image, and your worth. Be encouraged as you discover your incredible worth through God's eyes and be transformed as you align your thinking with God's thinking.

Recommended resource for pastors, church leaders, youth leaders, children's ministry leaders, parents, concerned friends and family members.

Make no mistake—anorexia and bulimia are life-threatening. Here's just a brief overview of the symptoms, signs, and effects of anorexia and bulimia. To find out more detail about the warning signs and how to help those struggling with an eating disorder, get June Hunt's Anorexia and Bulimia: Control That is Out of Control.

What is Anorexia?

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by compulsive, chronic self-starvation with a refusal to maintain a normal body weight.

• What are the warning signs of anorexia?
People who are anorexic deny ever feeling hungry. They diet and exercise excessively, feel bloated, fat, or nauseated from eating even small amounts of food; and they see themselves as fat when they are truly too thin.


• What are some of the effects and symptoms of anorexia?
• Damages the brain and nerves, causing disordered thinking, extreme forgetfulness, seizures, moodiness, irritability, and dizziness
• Destroys their heart, kidneys, hair, blood fluid, intestines, muscles, joints, bones, hormones, teeth, and may even cause infertility.
• Causes anxiety, depression, suicide, insomnia, and often causes those with anorexia to have a distorted view themselves (seeing themselves as fat even though they are "skin and bones")

What is Bulimia?

Bulimia is a psychological eating disorder characterized by repeated or sporadic "binge and purge" episodes. Bingeing involves eating large amounts of food in any setting in a short amount of time. Purging may be done by the intentional vomiting of food or by the use of laxatives and diuretics.

• What are the warning signs of bulimia?

People who are bulimic cope with emotional stress through overeating and then feel terrible afterward. They practice self-induced vomiting after eating. They often suffer from general depression; exercise excessively; and base self-worth on personal performance.



• What are some of the effects and symptoms of bulimia?
• Damages kidney, brain, lungs, and other vital organs.
• Deteriorates teeth, esophagus, and stomach due to purging. Acid from stomach destroys teeth and causes gum disease, sores in the mouth, bleeding of the esophagus, and pancreatitis caused by repeated stomach trauma.
• Causes heart failure (mortality rate from 5% to 15% of bulimics due to cardiac arrest)

What you need to know about those suffering from an eating disorder…

Those with eating disorders experience…

1. A strong desire to feel in control (especially when nothing else in life makes sense)
• "Eating is the one part of my life I can control."


2. Loneliness because of the desire to avoid discovery
• "I just cannot talk to anyone about this problem."


3. Low self-worth because personal value is based on appearance
• "I'm a fat pig. I don't deserve to live. I don't deserve any help! I am a bad person."


4. Depression over feeling "fat," (although weight is normal or far below—even to the point of looking like "skin and bones")

Steps to a Solution: How can someone overcome an eating disorder?

Here are just a few steps someone can take to start their journey toward healing.

• Recognize that you have an eating disorder and acknowledge your need
• Share your struggle with a trusted friend and consider getting professional help
• Evaluate past events that still impact your life today and influence your decision making
• Avoid your destructive patterns and devise a plan of action to overcome unexpected temptations to skip a meal or to binge/purge
• Flee your enticing triggers and commit to distract yourself whenever you suddenly feel compelled to "act out" with food

This books gives practical insight on HOW to apply each of these principles to their lives. You (and those you help) can be an overcomer as you discover your incredible worth through God's eyes. His love will satisfy your starving soul, and His truth will help align your thinking with God's thinking.

Paperback, 96 pages, 4 x 7 inches.
Product Code: 286X
ISBN: 9781596369313

Look for all 42 titles in the Hope For The Heart Biblical Counseling Library. These mini-books are for people who seek freedom from codependency, anger, conflict, verbal and emotional abuse, depression, or other problems.

June Hunt

June Hunt, M.A. Criswell College, is a biblical counselor whose award-winning radio program "Hope For The Heart" is heard on 900 radio outlets around the world. For more than 25 years, she has counseled people, offering them hope for today's problems. June has helped many people with emotional, relational, and spiritual problems experience God's love through biblical hope and practical help. Click here to find out more about Hope for the Heart.

Hope For The Heart Board of Reference

Dr. Henry Blackaby (Blackaby Ministries International), Dr. Rick Warren (Saddleback Church), Dr. Tony Evans (The Urban Alternative), Joni Eareckson Tada (Joni and Friends), Kay Arthur (Precept Ministries International), Dr. David Jeremiah (Turning Point), Dr. Tim Clinton (American Association of Christian Counselors), Dr. Bruce Wilkinson (Bruce Wilkinson Ministries), Dr. Chip Ingram (Living on the Edge), Roger Staubach (SRS Real Estate Partners), Steve Arterburn (New Life Ministries), Vonette Bright (Campus Crusade for Christ), Dr. Charles Stanley (In Touch Ministries), Zig Ziglar (Ziglar Training Systems)

Kind Words about June Hunt and the Hope for the Heart Minibook Series