Aprajita Dixit* and Aditi Seth

Affiliation: Department of Mental Health and Life Skills Promotion, Moolchand Medcity, Delhi, India

*Email: [email protected]

Abstract: Lia Overbrook (M.C.) and Cassie Parrish have been best friends since the third grade, but as they grow up, both develop destructive obsessions with body image. Lia is anorexic, while Cassie is a victim of bulimia, constantly trying to bring each other down and when things get too tough in the months before their senior year in high school, Cassie breaks off the friendship, leaving Lia devastated. Six months later, after not having communicated with her ex-friend in ages, Lia receives thirty-three phone calls from Cassie in one evening, but she refuses to answer. Next day, Lia receives the news of her best friend’s death due to excessive puking alone in an isolated motel room, Lia realizes that Cassie had been calling for help, and she is wrecked by guilt. Lia keeps her parents, along with her father’s new wife, at a distance, concealing her inner troubles and maintaining an appearance of normalcy. Lia’s family is worried that it might trigger her and she might fall back to old habits, which she does.

Keywords: Eating Disorder; Anorexia; Self Harm; Mental Illness; Losing Weight; Treatment.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.55032/ATSKj.psychol.2020.1201