Ellen

This chapter focuses on the life of a patient, referred to as Ellen West, who suffered from severe eating disorders and mental health issues in the early twentieth century. It explores her struggle with her body image and her desire to be “soft and ethereal,” leading to a life dominated by the fear of gaining weight and an insatiable hunger. The document discusses the psychiatric approaches of Ludwig Binswanger and other influential psychiatrists of the time, highlighting their diagnosis of Ellen’s condition as severe schizophrenia and “autism.” Despite their efforts, Ellen’s condition worsens, leading to her eventual suicide. The chapter explores Binswanger’s existential psychiatry, focusing on his concepts of being-in-the-world, self, and embodiment. It critically examines his humanistic perspective and his belief in the individual’s ability to construct a unique “inner life history.” The chapter concludes with a discussion on the paradoxical interweaving of life and death in Ellen’s case, as seen through Binswanger’s lens.