Figures of Lightness: Anorexia, Bulimia & Psychoanalysis

What desires and fears do the anorexic or bulimic seek to avoid through his or her obsessive behaviour? This text explores the psychoanalytic treatment of eating disorders using the theories of Freud and Lacan. The author argues that present classification of eating disorders are too crude and defines different forms of anorexia and bulimia. She also uses famous works of art and literature to enrich the conclusions she draws from clinical studies and further the understanding of these disorders.