10 Mental Health Books That Explore The Connection With Eating Disorders
I love that there are so many great mental health books that help us learn, feel seen, and find a path to healing.
During mental health month, I wanted to curate a list of books that would support your healing journey—but focus on an often overlooked aspect of mental health: the connection with eating disorders.
As Rae Thomas, co-founder of Feelings Found said on Nope, That’s Not Normal: “It’s a lot about food, it’s a lot not. It’s a lot about body, it’s a lot not.” What’s more, mental health is a burgeoning area of cultural focus (thank goodness!) and a new lens through which we can view and approach healing.
So, if you’re looking for some new books to add to your reading list, we have a wide range of options for you from diverse authors who each bring their own unique experiences and expertise to the pages.
First: It's Rarely Just about Food
Eating disorders and disordered eating conversations often focus on the physical manifestations and behaviors of the illness, such as food rituals, caloric restriction, body checking, compulsive exercise, or binge and purge cycles. As harmful as these behaviors are, we can’t overlook the mental health component that drives them.
Research shows that around 94 percent of folks with bulimia, 79 percent with binge eating disorder (BED), and 56 percent with anorexia also have at least one other co-occurring mental health condition.
Whether it’s anxiety, depression, self-harm, trauma, substance abuse, lack of impulse control, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), these complex issues must be accounted for in the healing process.
It’s important to be aware that folks in marginalized communities are more likely to face various forms of stigma, discrimination, adverse life experiences, or limited treatment options that exacerbate mental health challenges.
Each of these books presents an opportunity to learn from clinicians, researchers, psychologists, and those with lived experience as we work to understand “how can we heal?”
10 Mental Health Books to Put on Your Reading List
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, Dr. Roxane Gay
Writer, professor, and social commentator Dr. Roxane Gay (she/her) chronicles the link between her journey to recover from BED and the traumatic experience that changed her life as a child.
Gay uses this narrative as a framework to analyze how the mental and emotional impacts of trauma can destabilize a person’s body image or self-esteem, often leading to behaviors that create an illusion of safety—even as they cause harm.
She also explores what it means to navigate the world as a Black, queer woman in a larger body, who has learned to make peace with her desire, hunger, and sense of worth.
You Just Need to Lose Weight, Aubrey Gordon
As founder of the platform “Your Fat Friend,” activist Aubrey Gordon (she/her) challenges the societal myths and biases that surround fatness in just about every aspect of life—from diet culture influences in the media to weight discrimination in healthcare.
Gordon validates the experiences of anyone who has internalized anti-fat shame and peels back the layers of how this stigma can contribute to mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, or eating disorders.
This book is a reminder that intrinsic human value isn’t about a shape or size, and true recovery comes through radical self-acceptance.
Not All Black Girls Know How to Eat, Stephanie Covington-Armstrong
Author, screenwriter, and playwright Stephanie Covington-Armstrong (she/her) suffered from bulimia at a time when eating disorders were conventionally labeled a “rich white woman’s issue.” The misconception that only certain racial and socioeconomic groups were affected by her illness caused Covington-Armstrong to hide in silence and isolation.
After finally seeking help, she then faced another obstacle: the awareness that traditional recovery spaces were not built for her. This memoir examines why BIPOC folks can feel unseen in treatment settings and the need for an inclusive approach to healing.
Queer Body Power, Essie Dennis
As a queer person who never resonated with heronormative beauty ideals, artist and content creator Essie Dennis (they/she) examines themes of body liberation, gender identity, mental health, and self-compassion through an LGBTQIA+ lens.
Dennis shares the emotional toll of being asked to conform to a narrow definition of the “perfect body,” then offers actionable strategies to reject these social norms.
If you’ve felt erased from conversations about mental health or eating disorders because you exist outside of the mainstream gender binary, this book will empower you to nurture a loving relationship with yourself.
Loud in the House of Myself, Stacy Pershall
Writing instructor and mental health advocate Stacy Pershall (she/her) was 18 years old when she dealt with her first manic episode after years of battling depression, anorexia, and bulimia.
This deep emotional turmoil became a cycle of self-harm until she finally received a diagnosis of bipolar and borderline personality disorders.
Pershall’s raw, unflinching memoir charts each step and setback in her nonlinear road to recovery, offering hope to others who feel stuck in their own destructive patterns. If you need reassurance that healing is possible, no matter which mental health challenges you face, this book is a must-read.
Decolonizing Wellness, Dalia Kinsey
Registered dietitian and clinical nutritionist Dalia Kinsey (nonbinary/no pronouns) has created an intersectional guide for QTBIPOC folks to decolonize their healing journeys from the Eurocentric notions of weight and wellness.
Kinsey delves into the connection between poor body image and racism, colorism, homophobia, transphobia, or generational trauma, which can pressure those in marginalized communities to overlook their own self-care.
With journal questions, daily affirmations, and mindfulness practices, consider this book a holistic roadmap to nourishing your cultural roots and honoring your own specific needs.
Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia, Livia Sara
As someone who spent much of her life unaware she has autism, Livia Sara (she/her) is passionate about making the recovery process more accessible to neurodivergent folks. This narrative recounts her journey from being thrown out of a residential treatment center to developing her own framework to heal from anorexia, then sharing this model with others as a neurodiversity- affirming coach.
Livia Sara explores the unique hurdles those with autism face like intrusive thoughts, rigid behaviors, sensory reactions, or an intense need for control, so they can find an eating disorder recovery path that works for them.
Eating Disorders Don’t Discriminate, Dr. Chukwuemeka Nwuba and Bailey Spinn
One of the UK’s foremost eating disorder psychiatrists, Dr. Chukwuemeka Nwuba (he/him), teamed up with content creator Bailey Spinn (she/her) to compile this robust anthology, which brings together a wide variety of healing experiences.
More than 30 athletes, medical professionals, activists, and entertainers tell their stories of the resilience it took to overcome archaic eating disorder stereotypes, barriers, or misconceptions.
They also discuss how race, gender, culture, and social media influences can further complicate body image. This book is for anyone seeking diverse representation in mental health discourse.
You Have the Right to Remain Fat, Virgie Tovar
Weight discrimination expert Virgie Tovar (she/her) debunks the harmful ideology that thinness equals worthiness, a belief she once wrestled with as a Latina woman in a larger body. After 20 years of constant dieting, Tovar finally gave herself permission to unlearn internalized shame of fatphobia and trust the inner wisdom of her body, rather than viewing it as an issue to be fixed.
This is so much more than a book; it’s a body liberation manifesto that will inspire you to reject those anxieties, stigmas, or insecurities, so you can embrace acceptance, reclaim self-esteem, and celebrate the joyous possibilities of healing.
The Body Is Not an Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor
Sonya Renee Taylor (she/her/we) explores how radical self-love can embolden folks to confront systems of oppression and restore a guilt-free relationship with their own bodies. Taylor offers practical but transformative strategies to heal from the shame, trauma, and societal pressures that can leave you feeling inadequate.
She also uses compassion as a tool to interrupt negative mindsets or false internal narratives that hold you back from unapologetic freedom. Consider this book your reminder that human value is inherent—not contingent on external appearance.
Take Your Next Step Toward Healing with Project HEAL
Healing from the physical behaviors and mental complexities of an eating disorder is often made more effective when you have professional support. And yet, that is inaccessible for many people.
At Project HEAL, we make it easier to access resources and treatment by removing the financial barriers. Take a look through our assistance programs to see if we can help you get one step closer to healing.
