Anorexia Nervosa : Judy's Story

Hello! Welcome to my webpage. Let me begin by introducing myself to you. My name is Judy Sargent. I am 45 years-old and a recovered anorexic. I suffered from severe anorexia nervosa for 10 years, was hospitalized 26 times, and landed myself in intensive care units on multiple occasions. You would never guess any of these things looking at me today. Right now, I am a registered nurse with a Master of Science Degree in Psychiatric Nursing. In my spare time, I have written a book about my descent into anorexia and the subsequent recovery process. My book is titled, "The Long Road Back: A Survivor's Guide to Anorexia." I wrote the book with the hope that it will offer individuals currently suffering from an eating disorder, family members, friends, and therapists insight, compassionate understanding, and hope. My book provides a hopeful and uplifting journey through the recovery process. The links provided below will assist you in finding helpful information. Thank you for visiting this site.

Online Support and Other Links
Provides a list of chat links, newsgroups, online support services, and other eating disorder related websites.

Eating Disorder Organizations
A listing of Eating Disorder Organizations. They are able to provide information and referrrals to resources in your local area.

Eating Disorder Treatment Centers
Provides a list of treatment centers with URL links, addresses and phone numbers.

***For a referral to an Eating Disorder Specialist in your local area (United States Residents), you might try calling the Renfrew Center's National Referral Line @ 1-(800)-332-8415 or the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) @ 1-(800)-800-8126 ***

DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Eating Disorders
The diagnostic criteria are taken from the following reference: American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. The material is provided for educational purposes ONLY!

Anne's Poem
A beautiful poem written by my sister Anne. Nicely portrays the impact of anorexic illness on the family system.

Full Recovery I & II Audiocasette Tapes, with Jane E. Latimer M.A.
Taped interviews with women who have overcome Anorexia Nervosa (Full Recovery I) & Bulimia Nervosa (Full Recovery II). Includes interviews with Carolyn Costin, Cindy Bitter, Judy Sargent, Lindsey Hall, Jane Latimer, and many others.

My Life Today
On October 10, 2010, I married my best friend and first pair skating partner. I still maintain an active nursing license, but have taken a break from nursing & am currently working as a full-time figure skating coach. I have a wonderful family with loving husband, step-son, and 2 bichon frise dogs. In my spare time, I like to visit with friends, read books, play my violin, and figure-skate. My life finally has balance & meaning!




Judy Today

For those of you who are still struggling, here are a few words of advice from someone who has been there. Anorexia nervosa (and other eating disorders) is not really about losing weight, eating or not, exercising like a maniac or not, it is about self-esteem, it is about how you feel about yourself. The key to recovery is in finding other healthier things that bring you joy and happiness. True happiness comes from within, it cannot be gleaned from reading the numbers on a scale. Work to find other means of gaining a sense of control over your life and the world around you. Work to channel your energy into another direction. Just imagine how much you could accomplish if you were to channel the energy that you are currently using for your eating disorder into another area, the possibilities are unlimited!! Make goals and work towards them. What do you see yourself doing 6 months, 3 years and 5 years from now? Is an eating disorder in your future? I encourage you to set your goals high and dream. You have the ability to accomplish anything that you set set your mind to accomplish. A full recovery is within your reach !! My thoughts and prayers will be with you. ------- Judy