Picture Blurrfect

Naomi chats with Cara Lisette, mental health campaigner in the UK about her recovery story for both anorexia and bipolar disorder.  While more research is needed, studies suggest that the comorbidity of these two diseases ranges from 0.6 to 33.3 percent.  Naomi and Cara talk about the awful comparison game that the eating disorder tries to play with our minds, how COVID-19 complicated recovery for so many, and why therapy is so important.

As part of her recovery, Cara wrote "The Eating Disorder Recovery Journal," an interactive workbook to facilitate physicians, therapists, caregivers, and especially those navigating recovery. Coming April 2022! 

Pre-order here:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eating-Disorder-Recovery-Journal/dp/1839970855/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cara+lisette&qid=1629971238&sr=8-1

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E-mail the host with all thoughts, questions, or if you just want to say hey!, [email protected]

Naomi chats with Dr. Sarah Fischer of George Mason University about her ongoing research with neuro-imaging to study the way acute stress impacts overall eating behavior, and how this differs in those with and without eating disorders. 

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Naomi welcomes listeners back to the podcast after a few weeks hiatus by sharing stories and insights from her recent vacation to Iceland and Greece. Navigating life outside our "regular routines" can be difficult, especially with an eating disorder that tries to dictate our every move. For the host, in several instances there was growth on this trip. But on various other levels, the eating disorder still persists and wins out. So it begs the question... is 100% recovery ever possible? 

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Psychiatrist Guido Frank, MD, joins Picture Blurrfect to discuss his lab's most recent paper in JAMA Psychiatry that sheds light on how eating disorder behavior can activate different circuits in the brain that control food intake. Naomi and Dr. Frank also talk about the importance of treating depression and anxiety concurrently with eating disorder behavior during treatment and recovery. 

Read more about Dr. Frank's work: https://profiles.ucsd.edu/guido.frank and view his most recent publication here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2781384

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Dr. Rachel Goode of UNC Chapel Hill joins Picture Blurrfect to discuss her research that addresses the racial and socioeconomic disparities in eating disorder treatment, particularly among Black women with binge eating disorder. What do we know so far and what are the existing knowledge gaps that still need to be addressed? 

In the episode, Dr. Goode emphasizes that if you don't know where to go to for help, start with a book. She offered the following recommendations:
1) Overcoming Binge Eating by Christopher Fairburn 
2) Appetite Awareness Workbook by Linda Craighead
3) Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Binge Eating and Bulimia by Debra Safer et al. 

Also be sure to check out Dr. Goode's research laboratory website! The Living FREE (Focused on Reducing Excessive Eating) Lab: https://livingfreelab.org

Follow Picture Blurrfect on social! E-mail the host any time with thoughts, questions, or if just need someone to talk to: [email protected] 
Twitter: @Blurrfect
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Naomi talks with Dr. April Smith, Director of the Research on Eating Disorders and Suicide (REDS) Lab at Auburn University about her ongoing research into suicidal thoughts and behaviors among those with eating disorders and/or disordered eating. Dr. Smith discusses interoceptive deficits among these individuals, how technology could facilitate treatment, as well as her research on the rates of suicide among males with muscle dysmorphia. 

And a special guest appearance from husband of the pod, Brad Wilkerson! 

If you or a loved one is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please know you are not alone and there are numerous resources out there: 
1) Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
2) Text "hello" to 741741

Also mentioned on the podcast was a new resource from Dr. Kathryn Gordon, available everywhere July 1: "The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook: CBT Skills to Reduce Emotional Pain, Increase Hope, and Prevent Suicide" Check it out on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Suicidal-Thoughts-Workbook-Emotional-Increase/dp/1684037026 

Naomi talks with Dr. Cheri Levinson, Associate Professor and Director of the Eating Anxiety Treatment Lab at the University of Louisville about how eating disorders are becoming more prevalent in young adolescents as research funding for eating disorders continues to dwindle. 

Follow Dr. Levinson and her lab on social media:
Twitter: @CheriLev ; @uofleatlab
Instagram: @uofleatlab 

The EAT Lab is currently recruiting individuals for its Predicting Recovery Study! More information available here:   http://www.louisvilleeatlab.com/predicting-recovery-study-online.html

Be sure to follow Picture Blurrfect on social media!
Twitter: @Blurrfect
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Contact the host: [email protected] 

Naomi talks with Jason Wood, a survivor of orthorexia who shares his story to raise awareness about this lesser-known eating disorder. More importantly, Jason uses his message to encourage others--especially men--to speak up and help break down the stigma surrounding eating disorders. 

Follow Jason on social media and check out his website www.orthorexiabites.com. His new book, Starving for Survival will be released later this year!
Twitter: @OrthorexiaB
Instagram: @orthorexiabites 

Have questions? Or you just need someone to talk to? E-mail Naomi at [email protected] and follow the podcast on Twitter! @Blurrfect

In this episode, Naomi talks with PhD Candidate Laura McGeown of Lakehead University to discuss the problems associated with calorie labels on restaurant menus. According to the evidence, this practice is not only ineffective but causes more harm for those suffering from mental health diseases including eating disorders. In order to implement evidence-based and effective policies, we must understand the data and listen to stakeholders, including those that may be affected by potential proposals.

Read (soon-to-be) Dr. McGeown's 2019 paper on menu calorie counts published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30701412/ 

Have questions? Need someone to talk to? E-mail the host any time at [email protected] 

Be sure to follow Picture Blurrfect on Twitter! @Blurrfect 

Naomi chats with Hope Virgo, multi-award winning author, speaker, and advocate for eating disorders in the UK about her previous struggle with anorexia, and how she's using her story to make waves around the world. Naomi and Hope talk about a wide-range of issues including triggers, exercise obsession, and her leadership with the "Dump the Scales" campaign, an initiative that calls for doctors to not use weight as the sole indicator for eating disorder treatment. 

Follow Hope on social media:
Twitter: @HopeVirgo
Instagram: @hopevirgo_

Have questions or suggestions for the host? Need someone to talk to? E-mail Naomi any time at [email protected]