Posted by philyra on November 24, 2006, at 10:25:56
In reply to Re: Poet's Comments- Trigger, posted by Jost on November 21, 2006, at 21:54:20
i watched the film a couple of nights ago, and while i agree that it didn't do much to stir much straightforward empathy or concern for the subjects, i haven't been able to get the film out of my head for the last couple of days. ultimately i think it's powerful and uncomfortably honest, if not educational in the way that we might want it to be.
i think the film helped me understand some of the feelings i had when a close friend's anorexia got out of control a few years ago. i had so much anger and frustration with her because she wouldn't "let" me help her in the ways i knew how. it also has helped me understand - and objectify, a little bit - my own struggles with restricting. just seeing these women on the screen who have such difficulty overcoming a deadly illness made something click for me. i can't really explain what that something is, but i do feel like i finally got what a herculean effort it is to overcome an eating disorder and why my friend couldn't just talk it through with me, march herself off to therapy, start eating again, do everything she "could" to heal herself.
i do think the renfrew staff didn't come off well. i think it's probably a function of editing (we saw them at their most curt and abbreviated), but i also wonder about burnout. when i was hospitalized for depression i thought it would be a loving, nurturing experience. it was at times (i got lucky), but the staff was pretty mechanized, too. i'm not saying it's right, but i can understand why seeing people at their worst day after day, resisting help, could make a person erect some serious boundaries. it's about working in an institution rather than one-on-one therapy, maybe. another reason it's best to get treatment before getting to the inpatient stage if you can?
i agree, it would have been helpful to see patients struggle with underlying issues. we don't get any hints of what shelly's "unspeakable" is. people who aren't at all educated about ED might look at this film and think it just comes out of the blue, rather than being connected to other issues and processes. i also think the credits should have included a help line for people suffering or who know someone suffering.
ultimately i think the film is really problematic, even objectifying, and really powerful and moving at the same time.
philyra
poster:philyra
thread:697831
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/eating/20061124/msgs/706646.html