A quick search in the dictionary offers the following definition of relapse: “Suffer deterioration after a period of improvement.” At a simple glance, this seems somewhat discouraging and emphasizes the negative side of relapse. Would it be more constructive for a patient suffering from an eating disorder to view relapse with fright and a sense of failure or, rather, to shift the view to one that can help him/her grow? In this sense, it seems that embracing relapse is an oxymoron—that...