I am not a medical professional, but I am a human that cares. If you're suffering from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or anything that consistently disrupts finding your happy place, please get help.
There are numerous avenues that are available to find someone that understands what you're going through. You can even chat with professionals if you're apprehensive about talking on the phone by clicking this link. http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/LifelineChat.aspx.
Set this as your desktop so you always have access to these important phone numbers.
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (8255)
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
SAMHSA's National Help Line for individuals and family members facing mental health and/or substance abuse: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/
Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5 stars
Thoughts:
Meg Haston does an incredible job of capturing the emotional conflict of a teenager in mourning. The internal dialogue of 17 year old Stevie throughout her treatment is raw and heartbreaking. Stevie is recovering from an eating disorder that developed after her mother's abandonment, and her brother's death amplified her loss. She blames herself for his death and is determine to end her life on the anniversary of the day he died. Stevie enters into a toxic friendship/pseudo relationship with a girl named Eden, who immediately takes advantage of Stevie's vulnerability and uses it to manipulate and destroy her family. It takes a very talented therapist, time in an eating disorder rehab, and a group of genuine friends for Stevie to understand that she deserves to survive her tragic loss and honor her brother's memory in a way that he would want.
This book was an emotional rollercoaster for me, bringing me to tears more than once. It brings to light how suffering from an eating disorder is different for everyone, and you don't necessarily need to experience a tragedy in your life to trigger a disorder. Everyone has their own varying degree of struggle, and if you notice someone you care about displaying symptoms of an eating disorder, talk to them about it. Sometimes the struggle is more than they can handle by themselves.
Book Club Discussion
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Disclosure: I do receive compensation for the links provided, but it does not influence my reviews or the books I choose to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.