Neural Rewiring for Eating Disorder Recovery: For real and meaningful mental freedom

by Tabitha Farrar

Tabitha Farrar identifies two core components to achieving full recovery from an eating Nutritional Rehabilitation and Neural Rewiring. This book is specifically about neural rewiring, what it is, what it looks like, how it feels, and what you need to understand. Most importantly, this book is about how to "do" neural rewiring with examples for eating disorder recovery.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

70 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2019

Reviews

[Hannah H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short read is a FANTASTIC guide to the neural reworking process that is needed for full ED recovery. I found it helpful, resonant, and very easily-understandable. I definitely want to purchase a copy of my own to have for the future. And I know I’ll utilize my notes in the future.

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

short little book - didn’t learn a huge amount of new things but a good quick refresh/reminder to drum in the important concepts! definitely best read after reading her other books/if you already know about rewiring

key concepts:
- currently, ED behaviours/thoughts/reactions/emotions/beliefs etc are learned, comfortable, automatic -> changing these will be hard but it can be done and eventually you will have ‘healthy’ automatic reactions/thoughts/behaviours instead
- brain is like a sponge/toddler - it absorbs everything we do/think/see - therefore can’t wait for our thoughts to change, our actions have to change first/we have to actively work to rewire (if you want to recover from an eating disorder, you have to act like you don't have an eating disorder)
- ED is like cancer/weeds - can’t let even the smallest parts remain, because they don’t stay small - the ED will take whatever it can get and expand again. low-level restriction/any ED behaviour - even the smallest thing - is still strengthening the same neural pathways as ‘more serious’/risky behaviours - meed to challenge everything therefore, no matter how small or unimportant it seems
- ED can present itself in ways you might not realise e.g., fear might be disguised as something else
- can help to understand the biological reasons for our responses - but use this to help ‘out logic’ the ED
- need to learn to not engage with unhelpful emotions - rewire
- opposite actions opposite actions opposite actions
- restriction does not make you superior. eating/avoiding certain foods doesn’t make you a better person
- ED thoughts can become so normalised and we just automatically believe them - question everything, don’t take anything at face value

“your body is not a robot. your body has desires. these desires are honest and innocent. resisting these desires doesn’t make you superior; resistance leads to an inferior experience of life. it leads to struggle and is the opposite of health.”

“rewiring works. i often used to think that i was just ‘broken’ and it was an incredible relief to realise that, actually, my brain was working perfectly and doing exactly what i had taught it to do and that i had the power to tach it to react, think and believe differently.”

[Kate Seabrook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is applicable both for eating disorders and for the "disordered eating" phenomenon that is so prevalent among society that has largely led to the intuitive eating movement. This book does not directly discuss intuitive eating, but it does put a focus on trusting your body to know what it needs. The main point of this short book is realizing that your energy is going to go where you give your attention and that your brain takes note of what you are giving attention to, which then develops into making your body register things as important, stressful, etc. Good, quick read, but I do think there needed to be more discussion about balance -- while foods are not virtuous in an of themselves, there is a general level of health that needs to be maintained to be an optimally functioning person.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do I explain to you that I started following your advice from the moment I opened the book a week ago, and I already feel happier 😭😭 It's not like I don't have a lot of things to work on myself but I feel like this is a great start... Later on I'm thinking of reading RRR, I'm quite sure it would have been better If I started it first but it's alright.

AND WHY IS MY RATING 5*
I really do recommend this book to everyone. You can learn a lot from it even if u don't have an ED. That reminds me- if you know people or have friends struggling with ED or just food in general please guide them to read this book. It's short, and a very helpful read. ❤️

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as useful as RRR, but still has some good point (and I like Tabitha!). And I'm in a much better position rn compared to I was in reading RRR. The sentence I like the most occurs at the end "Your brain is a product of the thoughts that you pay attention to, and your actions. Your actions inform your brain and, in turn, inspire your thoughts and your beliefs. If you don't want to have an eating disorder anymore, the single most important advice I can give you is to stop acting like you have an eating disorder." Gold.

[Marco Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Tabatha's second book/novel...

Yes, a must read book, shorter than her first book RRR but still great. I recommend people read this book especially those of whom struggle with an eating disorder, I would love it if treatment professionals/doctors read this as well, highly recommend them to read it actually, especially her first book. 🥊🖤👍

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helpful!

As someone who suffers/ is beginning recovery for anorexia and a restrictive ED, this book is really helpful! I’m seeing some counsellors, but this book has really helped me understand the neural side to the ED and how to overcome these thoughts!

[Jess d'Artagnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think you need to read her other book first to fully appreciate this one, but even without that, this was helpful. I can see it being helpful strategies not just for eating disorders, but any time you are trying to change a disordered behavior pattern.

[Chloe Mabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

Absolutely love Tabitha, she has literally changed my life my outlook and I can't be more thankful for this book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet but very important

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic and very helpful book, recommended to anyone struggling with their relationship with food.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

1

[Diana Bueno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Al final no deja de ser un libro más escrito por un coach, que habla de su experiencia personal como si fuera la guía definitiva para tratar un tema tan complejo como los TCA.

[Kinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, a very good read and quite eye opening, only problem is a lot of it refers back to her earlier book which I haven't read... but soon will!

[Alex Laycock · Rating 5 out of 5]

there is is all written down , oneself exposed, all the behaviours that need to be addressed, the compulsive movement the inability to sit , automatic No before the person has even got to the end of their sentance when they offer you food or a social life, deliberate sleep restriction is something i struggle with too food restriction is only part of having an eating disorder the other punishments people do not notice but so strangle ones LIFE and real experience of LIVING, so buy this book, it is a precise no nonsense quick read and Do it , get your life back it can be done

[Ck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unpretentious and to the point

I love that Tabitha uses language to explain what she has to say in a way any person can understand. That she doesn't try to impress the reader with endless name dropping meant to inspire awe and deference to her superiority references. I understood what she is saying at once. Well written. Thank you Tabitha for your honesty and clarity of thought.

[Mariana Mera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agradecimiento

Me ayuda mucho para poder recuperarme. Es corto pero muy directo. Gracias por los consejos y dar ánimos de apoyo❤️