Shame and 'Fat Camp Fiction'

I'm not sure if anyone out there listens to the Story Collider podcast, but if you don't then I highly recommend it.  It's kind of like 'This American Life,' except with shorter (~15 minutes) episodes that focus on a single story, with some tie to science (although sometimes the tie-in is pretty vague).  Not science in the news, but actual, 'this is how a career in science or just some aspect of human biology resulted in an experience worth sharing with the world'.

I felt like sharing the link to one related to EDs, 'Fat Camp Fiction' by Diana Spechler.  There is one line in which she asserts that EDers are incredibly self-absorbed that really bothered me.  I was unhappy with her for a bit, but near the end she really shines a light on the shame that can result from being an otherwise upwardly mobile person dealing with an ED.

I had some friends over last weekend (yes, I do have some friends here, which I'm unfortunately becoming most aware of right before I move) to sort through my books before I donated everything to the library.  It wasn't til they were there that I realized how many ED recovery and other ED science/history/memoir books I have.  I have never, ever mentioned anything about the ED to anyone that I've met here, so it felt a bit exposing, but no one said anything.  I'm sure it made them wonder, because people are often more intuitive than we give them credit for anyway and they have probably picked up a bit about my gym and eating habits, but oh well.  If they ask I won't lie about it, but it's not something I ever introduce into the discussion.

 To be honest, I would be utterly mortified if any of my colleagues knew how much time every day I waste working out and how much mental energy I still burn on my ED.  I guess I am less squeamish about them knowing the blank fact of an ED or that I'm in therapy than I am of them knowing the exact details of what that involves.

So back to the podcast. I ended up 1) glad that Spechler was creating a bit of awareness about how EDs are much more than a teenage phase; 2) still wishing she hadn't made the statement about self-absorption, because she didn't make the point in way subtle enough to challenge the stereotype that EDs are just shallow examples of extreme dieting; and 3) with a healthy dose of respect for the way she challenged the shame factor by speaking up about her own issues.  Really interested to hear your thoughts on it.