Why My Daughter? From Binge Eating to Restriction

Written unflinchingly, Why My Daughter? From Binge Eating to Restriction chronicles an intergenerational journey with disordered eating that swings dangerously between bingeing and restriction. After witnessing her daughter’s eating disorder diagnosis at a very young age, the author’s quest for meaning uncovered something deeper: a family narrative stretching across time, with ancestral roots. She realizes her daughter’s illness is not an isolated incidence, but the apex of long-unfolded family dynamics.

From overabundance to scarcity, from gorging to deprivation, this book confronts the possibility that mental illness can extend beyond the individual, emerging from generational traumas. With illustrations penned by the author herself, Why My Daughter? sheds controversial but urgent light on the collective roots of eating disorders.

Both a powerful tool for insight and a guide for parents and therapists, Why My Daughter? From Binge Eating to Restriction shares an impactful message for anyone seeking to understand eating disorders’ complex intergenerational ties. This compelling story provides more than answers – it paves the way for healing.

Galia Carolina is a Colombian-born sociologist, writer, and artist now living in London with her British husband and their daughter. She focuses her artistic and literary skills on the difficult topic of eating disorders. Using surrealism, she brings to life the human experiences of those suffering from anorexia, bulimia, and other food-related disorders. She works with professionals in the field on outreach, education, and prevention. In October 2022, she presented two murals of her charcoal drawings at the Hispanic American Conference on Eating Disorders in Monterrey, Mexico. She is currently working on a series of oil paintings depicting children with ‘food on their mind.’