Lifestyle Book Reviews
Eating, Drinking, Overthinking : The Toxic Triangle of Food, Alcohol, and Depression--and How Women Can Break Free by Susan Nolen-Hoeksema
Henry Holt, 2006Hardcover, 255 pages
ISBN: 0805077103
Ordering information:
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There have been a number of books written about compulsive overeating, alcoholism and
the devastating effects of negative self talk or ruminating.
But Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema is the first to propose a comprehensive
theory which she calls the "Toxic Triangle": where women
suffer from all three conditions at once. Nolen-Hoeksema (author of
Women Who Think Too Much) strongly believes that women's
ability for self-analysis can be a handicap when they ruminate
endlessly about the past or negative events instead of searching for
solutions. Combine this habit with overeating or drinking too much alcohol
and you have a disastrous mix. The author details a plan for breaking
out of the toxic cycle, which includes stress-reduction techniques,
journal-keeping, and the substitution of healthy habits for destructive ones.
She also teaches problem-solving techniques and recommends that
women teach their daughters these coping skills early in life.
Dr. Nolen-Hoeksema's sensible approach is recommended for anyone (not just women) who feels that stress
is slowly taking over her life and is having a negative effect on her health.
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