{"product_id":"2940169694444","title":"Starving in Search of Me: A Coming-of-Age Story of Overcoming an Eating Disorder and Finding Self-Acceptance","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe true confessions of an eating disorders survivor\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis confessional self-help guide explores the complex emotional truth of what it's like when food, weight, and body image take priority over every other human impulse or action. Activist author Marissa LaRocca's revelatory tale includes her struggle with her secrets, including sexuality, and how she emerged as an outspoken advocate for gay rights and women's health issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany young women and girls struggle with the body image issues that engender eating disorders with elaborate rituals around food, binging, purging, and hiding it all while trying to maintain a face of normalcy to the world. Anorexia and bulimia have become major national health crises with skyrocketing statistics indicating that between three and five percent of the population suffer anorexia nervosa alone. Sadly, many never attain the sense of being \"normal\" and deal with a lifetime of body image and self-esteem issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis intimate account of courage and the search for truth and meaning will have you rooting for Marissa LaRocca as she unravels the emotional layers of her own battle with food, body image, and sexuality. Listeners of this riveting memoir, \u003ci\u003eStarving in Search of Me\u003c\/i\u003e, will relate to the coming-of-age story of a young woman confronting some of life¿s major issues while living, for a time, in two closets: one to hide her eating disorder and one to hide her sexuality and very identity. Echoes of Portia de Rossi¿s \u003ci\u003eUnbearable Lightness\u003c\/i\u003e resound in LaRocca¿s portrait of a life seemingly lived out in the open but, in truth, very much concealed. Through her inspiring triumphs and revelations, activist and author Marissa LaRocca invites listeners to confront themselves. She asks, ¿What if, at the root of all `disorders,¿ is the refusal to acknowledge or permit certain feelingsamp;mdash;feelings that, if witnessed, have the power to free their sufferers? To what extent are `disorders¿ actually doorways to helping us understand the truth about our lives?¿\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition to her personal story, LaRocca takes a close look at society's role in the development of eating disorders and other mental health challenges, establishing that the prevalence of such \"illnesses\" represent a collective yearning for connection, acceptance, and emotional nourishment amongst generations that are starving for so many things. \u003ci\u003eStarving in Search of Me\u003c\/i\u003e resolves with hope and an abundance of insights, tools, and resources to support eating disorder sufferers and members of the LGBTQ community alike. It's a head-on journey toward total self-acceptance that will nourish the spirit and inspire listeners to embrace their differences and nurture their authentic selves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat You'll Learn Inside This Book:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eIdentify the root causes, symptoms, and triggers associated with an eating disorder\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAcknowledge the \"life issues\" that are being masked by \"food issues\" or another addiction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDisempower compulsive behaviors like binging, purging, and obsessing about calories and exercise\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeal your relationship with food through healing your relationship with yourself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEscape the victim role, become empowered, and take responsibility for your own happiness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConnect with your life's purpose and authentic self, transforming your weaknesses into strengths\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree your mind through tuning in to the body and witnessing emotions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImprove your body image and self-esteem by aligning your lifestyle with your true values, desires, and what is realistic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffectively communicate your needs with confidence\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEstablish guilt-free lifestyle boundaries to reduce anxiety and maximize vitality\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnhance peace of mind by developing a reliable support system\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEliminate the need to be perfect by practicing forgiveness and compassion toward yourself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Blackstone Audio, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47123133628656,"sku":"2940169694444","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940169694444_p0.jpg?v=1769898738","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940169694444","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}