Over the past 50 years, eating disorders have become increasingly prevalent in the United States. Society is beginning to realize that they affect not only adolescent women, but also men and children (Caralat, Camargo & Herzog, 1997; Lask, 2000). Lonely is a novel originally published by Aimee Liu when she was 25 years old. It was considered the first American memoir about anorexia, with Liu describing her battle with anorexia as a teenager in the 1960s. Gaining is the sequel to this groundbreaking novel, which follows Liu as she talks to her (former) classmates suffering from eating disorders. In Gaining, Liu talks to a specific person who is my main focus; Hannah Winters. This essay can be considered a case study of Hannah, specifically examining her life, symptoms, diagnoses, and comparing them to research conducted on similar topics. From her story, Hannah could be considered a poster child for eating disorders; following very closely the diagnosis of anorexia provided in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (APA, 2000) and addressing many of the typical problems faced by those suffering from eating disorders. It would appear that Hannah didn't have a chance at a normal life from the moment she was born. At the age of nine months she was kidnapped in Belgium by her housekeeper's prostitute daughter. In addition to being a terrifying ordeal, research has shown that negative experiences, such as rape and other forms of abuse (or in this case, kidnapping), influence eating pathology (Mesman-Moore & Garrigus, 2007). Furthermore, Johnson et al. (2002) found that individuals with eating disorders were more likely than those without to report a history of child maltreatment, other childhood adversities, and poor relationships with parents. nervous. Archives of General Psychiatry, 55(7), 603-610. Liu, A. (2008). Making Money: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders. New York: Wellness Central. Messman-Moore, T. L., & Garrigus, S. (2007). The association between child abuse symptomatology and eating disorders: The importance of multiple forms of abuse and revictimization. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 14(3), 51-72.Notman, M. T., & Nadelson, C. C. (1976). The rape victim: psychodynamic considerations. American Journal of Psychiatry, 133, 408-413. Pope, H. G., & Hudson, J. I. (2006). Are eating disorders associated with borderline personality disorder? a critical review. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 8(1), 1 - 9.Zlotnick, C. (1998). The relationship between sexual abuse and eating pathology. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 20(2), 129 - 134.