Pro Ana Pro Mia sites....

[pumpkincat210]

BBC NEWS | Health | Pro-anorexia site clampdown urged

discuss!
I was curious so i googled it and i came up with sites that were so hateful and horrible. I had no idea how low these girls self esteems were. They ripped each other apart and then offered some horrible diet remedies(which i won't discuss here). These girls were so far gone in their hate I was just amazed. I am all for freedom on the internet though. Private hosters should be able to post what they want and if myspace and facebook take them down it would be for the better, unfortunately these girls/boys would just go somewhere else on the net. I have always thought eating disorders were horrible but seeing these sights took it to a whole different level. I'm still in awe at how mean they were to each other and seemed to feed off themselves>no pun intended.

 

[Beauty Mark]

With great freedom comes great responsibility.

The amount of things you can get on the internet- the pro Ana/Mia sites are not surprising. The saddest thing of all is I sincerely believe someone in their lives could help them. A mother, father, teacher, etc. I do believe in the power of the internet and how stuff you read can change you, but I also believe that the people in your life will ultimately have the largest impact

 

[redambition]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkincat210 I am all for freedom on the internet though. Private hosters should be able to post what they want and if myspace and facebook take them down it would be for the better, unfortunately these girls/boys would just go somewhere else on the net.

it is true that if facebook or myspace removes their "space" then they will go somewhere else. it's a tough one. i can see how these pro-eating disorder sites could destroy someone's self esteem and confidence to the point that they make themselves extremely sick.

the freedom on the internet is a tricky one though. i think that the law should apply on the net as it would on a street corner.

 

[Kuuipo]

The haters have self esteem problems. Avoid them.
If you don't like Anna Mia And Ednos websites, don't seek them out. I think these and thinspiration sites only make people with a poor self image feel worse.
Also, you have a wt loss ticker on your signature..........

 

[pumpkincat210]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuuipo The haters have self esteem problems. Avoid them. If you don't like Anna Mia And Ednos websites, don't seek them out. I think these and thinspiration sites only make people with a poor self image feel worse. Also, you have a wt loss ticker on your signature..........

I saw the report on the news. I had no idea they even existed. I would never go to these sights to get "thinspiration". Nearly the whole point of my post was NOT to visit these sights. I think the whole premise of unhealthy weight loss is scary. I'm now 9 pounds under my target weight but i'm stable. I overshot it, but i'm still proud that i was able to lose the weight because it wasn't easy. I feel good now and I hated being overweight plain and simple. If i gain or lose some weight I don't care as long as I still feel good.
Of course no one should seek these sites out especially if the think they might have an eating disorder, but we should also be aware that places that harbor such negativity exist and the psychological problems of these people are way deeper than I had ever imagined, at least.
Oh and to be anorexic you have to have a bmi of 17.5 or less. that would put me at 100 or 101 pounds for my height. I don't think i could lose that much more weight even if i tried.

 

[flowerhead]

i think they are trite. anorexia is about yourself, you don't give a shit about strangers bodies. they are just bored poisonous little girls. i wouldn't trust them to know anything.

 

[pumpkincat210]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowerhead i think they are trite. anorexia is about yourself. you don't give a shit about stragers bodies. pathetic

I couldn't believe the things they were saying about each other. Absolutely no support for each other even if they did want to starve themselves to death.

 

[Kuuipo]

They view it as competiton with others, and theirselves.

 

[Krasevayadancer]

As someone who was anorexic (i feel like calling it ana minimizes it some how) I have long been aware that sites like these existed. For example, searches on yahoo groups and xanga will yield tons of groups webrings. It is sad but true, eating disorders have almost become a fad as a means to quick weight loss for people who don't know any better. Ignorant people who skip food for a day and claim they are "ana" anger me to no end. Slogans like ana is a choice turn what is a mental disorder into a "diet plan" That flat out disgusts me. But I digress...

Looking at it from the outside, a lot of people see these sites as poisonous and disgusting. What a person with an ed sees is a place where minds think alike. A place where they can "feed" the disorder. People who come on to these sites with little to no understanding of the workings of an anorexic mind for example will be harsh, mean, and outright cruel sometimes. Insecure people will secretly be jealous and might lash out as well.

Like with any addiction, there will always be an outlet online to find like minded individuals.

I agree, looking back at it now, all these sites do is make it seem okay to be disordered. During my intense periods of relapse i did take comfort in them. I suffered a long time (and still battle inner demons daily), and to judge people with eating disorders isn't right either.

I guess what i am trying to say is, if pro eating disorder sites upsets you in way, or if they make you uncomfortable don't search for them. They aren't healthy, but people have their rights to them.

 

[jillianjiggs]

i know there is a lot of controversy over them, and not to downplay anyone's issues, but people who post on those sites are likely not even anorexic.

i've seen them, and as Krasevayadancer said, a lot of them are skipping a meal or two in a day and going to brag about it and say how ~*aNa~* they are. i feel people who visit those sites are looking for a place to belong and to be a part of something "glamourous" like an eating disorder (who are poster children for EDs? supermodels! mary kate olsen [despite her rehab for COCAINE and not anorexia considering her rehab centre did not treat EDs]! nicole richie! all 'glamourous' hollywood types)

there is no doubt most of those girls have serious self esteem, body image and likely even some food issues, but i'll bet that 95% of them do not even meet the criteria for anorexia, yet self diagnose themselves and "brag" about how little they ate that day and how they are more ~AnA~ than someone else.

people truly suffering from mental disorders like EDs generally do so alone, feel immense shame and do not feel the need to parade it around on pro-ana sites, worshipping the ana goddess, posting stats to compete with other members for acceptance, etc.

those girls could definitely use a helping hand through their insecurities, though.

i don't know why they are cracking down on these kinds of sites when you can google and find a ton of sites with detailed lists on how to commit suicide and succeed. (i know stats probably have to do with it - more EDs than suicides but really, come on now - pick your battles!)

however, on the other side, i agree again with what Krasevayadancer had to say. they do want to seek out people who think the same as they do, and some of those sites are legit when it comes to the illness (though it's sick to those looking in from the outside) and aren't all about "NeEd 2 LoSe WeIgHt 4 ProM in 5 DaYz HeLp Me GeT AnA??" and probably do provide comfort by merely knowing that there are others out there like you. sites like that are fine, but ones that encourage the behaviour and congratulate each other for purging or losing X lbs in Y days ... i don't know.

i think there's a difference between ED support groups (mental and non-triggering support to get through hard times) and the pro-ana ones that are encouraging the behaviour and all the other things i listed.

don't know where i was going with this...

 

[purrtykitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krasevayadancer As someone who was anorexic (i feel like calling it ana minimizes it some how) I have long been aware that sites like these existed. For example, searches on yahoo groups and xanga will yield tons of groups webrings. It is sad but true, eating disorders have almost become a fad as a means to quick weight loss for people who don't know any better. Ignorant people who skip food for a day and claim they are "ana" anger me to no end. Slogans like ana is a choice turn what is a mental disorder into a "diet plan" That flat out disgusts me. But I digress... Looking at it from the outside, a lot of people see these sites as poisonous and disgusting. What a person with an ed sees is a place where minds think alike. A place where they can "feed" the disorder. People who come on to these sites with little to no understanding of the workings of an anorexic mind for example will be harsh, mean, and outright cruel sometimes. Insecure people will secretly be jealous and might lash out as well. Like with any addiction, there will always be an outlet online to find like minded individuals. I agree, looking back at it now, all these sites do is make it seem okay to be disordered. During my intense periods of relapse i did take comfort in them. I suffered a long time (and still battle inner demons daily), and to judge people with eating disorders isn't right either. I guess what i am trying to say is, if pro eating disorder sites upsets you in way, or if they make you uncomfortable don't search for them. They aren't healthy, but people have their rights to them.

I agree 100% with what you said. When I was having my own problems with relapsing, I also took comfort in these sites. As I look back now, they fed into my problems even more than being inside my own head.

For someone who has never had an eating disorder, it's hard to understand exactly them mentality of what these girls (and boys) are going through. I don't think it's right to call these people poisonous...most of them are truly suffering and need help...it's just that they don't want it. And the pro sites do a pretty good job of weeding out the dieters.

I guess to an extent people should be free to post what they want. Even though these sites are hazardous, some are also helping ED sufferers find a place they belong, which may eventually lead them to seek help.

 

[NYDoll88]

I'm not anorexic or bulimic, but a lot of the pictures on those sites are total inspirations for me as well as other people. People with eating disorders will keep having sites, blogs and forums no matter how many are taken down.

 

[gatsby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillianjiggs i know there is a lot of controversy over them, and not to downplay anyone's issues, but some of the people who post on these sites are not even anorexic (paraphrasing since I accidentally deleted part of the quote, forgive me) [...] people truly suffering from mental disorders like EDs generally do so alone, feel immense shame and do not feel the need to parade it around on pro-ana sites, worshipping the ana goddess, posting stats to compete with other members for acceptance, etc. [...] i think there's a difference between ED support groups (mental and non-triggering support to get through hard times) and the pro-ana ones that are encouraging the behaviour and all the other things i listed.

These are all good points. Skipping a meal or even crash-dieting for a month doesn't make someone anorexic -- and neither does visiting a pro-ana site. Let's be clear -- seeing a website isn't going to "make" somebody anorexic. No normal kid is going to stumble upon a pro-ana board, clap a hand to her forehead and go, "That's what's been missing all along! I need to starve myself!" Same goes for all those girls who visit every day and maybe skip lunch for a week. Eventually, those girls will give up and move on. The ones who stay are the ones who need it.

Being ED is hard, precisely because one is so alone. Being ED means being committed to a value system and a lifestyle that nobody around you can understand or see as anything but sick. Which it is, no mistake -- but ED doesn't develop in a vacuum, and if someone is willing to starve herself, chances are she needs it to substitute for a lack that isn't being met somewhere else in her life. Pro-ana communities allow ED girls to talk about their problems and their "successes" in a community of people who actually see things from their perspective. No matter how sick and twisted this may seem to an outside observer, it is actually a good thing.

ED girls will get better when they are ready to get better. Until that time, pro-ana communities and websites are comforts in a world where they feel very alone (and that loneliness usually not just because of their eating disorder). Just because a group isn't recovery-oriented doesn't mean it's not helpful to a sick girl in a hard time. When I was rexy, pro-ana sites got me through a lot of really bad days because there is something very reassuring about knowing you aren't the only one going slowly crazy in a highly specific way. In my experience (which is both personal and second-hand) pro-ana websites never made anybody worse.

Anorexia was first recognized as a disorder in the mid-nineteenth century, way before Teh Internet. Cracking down on pro-ana websites is a misguided effort by freaked-out Parents And Educators to stop the spread of the disorder -- trouble is, they are doing so by treating the symptom without thinking about the causes.

[$0.02]

 

[chocolategoddes]

my mom is really into learning about people with anorexia. it's interesting to find out why they are that way. i'm surprised to find out that some peoplewho are anoraxic don't have a problem with it and encourage it. i gusee i was always under the impression that most anorexics wanted help to become "normal" and healthy again.

 

[amanda1210]

Oh My God This Thread Is Making Me Furious!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If You Have Never Had An Eating Disorder Then You Really Really Do Not Freaking Know How Helpful And How Supporting The Girls On Ana Sites Freaking Are!!!!!! Thats Like Them Coming To A Makeup Forum And Saying Stuff About Us Which They Know Nothing About (which Is So Not Something They Would Do Anyways)!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkincat210 Oh and to be anorexic you have to have a bmi of 17.5 or less. that would put me at 100 or 101 pounds for my height. I don't think i could lose that much more weight even if i tried.

Your DONT hve to weight a certain amount to BE ANOREXIC! An obese person can "be anorexic" by having the mindset of an ana and having traits of ana. Not all the girls on ANA websites are thin, trust me, they all range in so many different sizes! And every single one is accepted in their community! So plz dont think you have to LOOK anorexic to be anorexic or fit certain criteria because anorexia is far more than that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowerhead they are just bored poisonous little girls. i wouldn't trust them to know anything.

I'm sorry but girls with ana know tons more than you think they do!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkincat210 I couldn't believe the things they were saying about each other. Absolutely no support for each other even if they did want to starve themselves to death.

Th ana forums offer nothing but support! They don't say to each other "hey you starved yourself today great job!" but instead its more like Congrats! I'm so proud that you achieve your goal weight, and we congratulate each other for being strong and not giving into temptation. We dont encourage other to starve to death, we encourage each other to make better choices about what we do and do not eat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krasevayadancer As someone who was anorexic (i feel like calling it ana minimizes it some how) I have long been aware that sites like these existed. For example, searches on yahoo groups and xanga will yield tons of groups webrings. It is sad but true, eating disorders have almost become a fad as a means to quick weight loss for people who don't know any better. Ignorant people who skip food for a day and claim they are "ana" anger me to no end. Slogans like ana is a choice turn what is a mental disorder into a "diet plan" That flat out disgusts me. But I digress... Looking at it from the outside, a lot of people see these sites as poisonous and disgusting. What a person with an ed sees is a place where minds think alike. A place where they can "feed" the disorder. People who come on to these sites with little to no understanding of the workings of an anorexic mind for example will be harsh, mean, and outright cruel sometimes. Insecure people will secretly be jealous and might lash out as well. Like with any addiction, there will always be an outlet online to find like minded individuals. I agree, looking back at it now, all these sites do is make it seem okay to be disordered. During my intense periods of relapse i did take comfort in them. I suffered a long time (and still battle inner demons daily), and to judge people with eating disorders isn't right either. I guess what i am trying to say is, if pro eating disorder sites upsets you in way, or if they make you uncomfortable don't search for them. They aren't healthy, but people have their rights to them.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

sorry double post!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatsby Let's be clear -- seeing a website isn't going to "make" somebody anorexic. No normal kid is going to stumble upon a pro-ana board, clap a hand to her forehead and go, "That's what's been missing all along! I need to starve myself!" Same goes for all those girls who visit every day and maybe skip lunch for a week. Eventually, those girls will give up and move on. The ones who stay are the ones who need it. Some people actually DO go looking around trying to get an ED. Long story VERY short, my ex and i broke up like 4 years ago, a year later he started dating a SKINNY TALL BLONDE, which is EVERYTHING that I WASNT, so YEAH I DID GO ON GOOGLE AND SEARCH FOR PRO ANA SITES and that was what lead to my ED and no I wasnt "not eating for a day and considering myself ana" Try getting to point where you dont even want to go to Starbucks with your friends to get coffee because you dont know how many calories are in their coffee and cream! Try running your ass off at the gym to burn 1,000 calories a day and eating 71 cals a day. That was my LIFE, it was the best and worst times of my life, but all in all it got me to my lowest weight ever, and life was good because i was a tiny size 1/3 girl. Now I've gained tons of weight (approx 25 lbs the last year and a half) because i have a bf who takes up so much time that i dont have time to workout because i have to deal with him, school full-time, work full-time etc. Anywho no, I m not at the same place that i was 2 years ago, i dont have th exact same mindset but I still have tons of issues when it comes to weight and i go to "my" pro ana forum every day and I absolutly love it and think that the girls on the site are such great people. Which it is, no mistake -- but ED doesn't develop in a vacuum, and if someone is willing to starve herself, chances are she needs it to substitute for a lack that isn't being met somewhere else in her life. Exactly, ana gave me something to look forward to every single day, every day it was my goal to eat only a cetain amount of calories, and burn a certain amount of calories. Pro-ana communities allow ED girls to talk about their problems and their "successes" in a community of people who actually see things from their perspective. No matter how sick and twisted this may seem to an outside observer, it is actually a good thing. EXACTLY. [$0.02]

Sorry if i sounded mean in all my posts but it just really angers me that you guys talk about these people like as if you know them and conversate with them on a daily basis. Don't judge others until you live in "their world" then you can say whatever you want about the lifestyle that you've experienced.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda1210 Th ana forums offer nothing but support! They don't say to each other "hey you starved yourself today great job!" but instead its more like Congrats! I'm so proud that you achieve your goal weight, and we congratulate each other for being strong and not giving into temptation. We dont encourage other to starve to death, we encourage each other to make better choices about what we do and do not eat.

If you're encouraging dieting to achieve a healthy weight, that's not anorexia. Anorexia is a mental illness. Calling yourself anorexic if all you are truly doing is eating healthily is incorrect. Anorexic people do not have a grip on reality; they can be on the verge of death and still think what they're doing is healthy.

Being anorexic is nothing to be proud of. Being healthy is.

 

[amanda1210]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark If you're encouraging dieting to achieve a healthy weight, that's not anorexia. Anorexia is a mental illness. Calling yourself anorexic if all you are truly doing is eating healthily is incorrect. Anorexic people do not have a grip on reality; they can be on the verge of death and still think what they're doing is healthy. Being anorexic is nothing to be proud of. Being healthy is.

I know that is a mental illness, you don't have a grip on reality, and a voice in your head constantl reassures you ALL the time that if you eat something that is not "safe" that you are a failure, and that if you eat this and that then you will never be good enuf to achieve your goals.

 

[SingFrAbsoltion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amanda1210 Th ana forums offer nothing but support! They don't say to each other "hey you starved yourself today great job!" but instead its more like Congrats! I'm so proud that you achieve your goal weight, and we congratulate each other for being strong and not giving into temptation. We dont encourage other to starve to death, we encourage each other to make better choices about what we do and do not eat.

It can lead to death though. I would understand support on overcoming the illness, trying to beat it, but supporting people who are basically killing themselves is beyond me.

 

[redambition]

to all the people jeering at people who skip lunch calling themselves ana: well, they may not suffer from full-blown anorexia nervosa yet, but they may be on the path to it. lunch is the easiest meal of the day to skip in a sneaky manner, and may well be a jumping off point for some people. someone does not become a full blown anorexic overnight.

right. i don't particularly want to view these websites because my relationship with food is f**ked up enough as it is, so i can't comment on what the members are saying to each other.

i can understand where some people are coming from in saying that these websites are a support (even if it is in an unhealthy way) for those suffering from an ED. i hold my own opinion that these sites can be very dangerous to those who use them.

it has been mentioned in this thread that someone who doesn't already suffer from anorexia nervosa could read these sites and wouldn't be affected by them - i call that out. anyone who is feeling insecure in their weight or their looks could be influenced by these sites. in particular: women or girls who experience a change in their body (sudden weight gain, change in body shape etc) can become insecure enough to start thinking that these sites are onto a good thing, or that they can do some of the things on there but still stay in control. anorexia is a dangerous illness, it can start to distort your mind and body image without you even realising it.

amanda1210: i personally think you are being a bit naive about these sites. there are people on here who really know their stuff, and it's presumptive to think that no one realises what it's like to live in "that world".

 

[Girl about town]

As a former bullimic i avoid these sites as i find them dangerous for my mindset, i already have a fragile relationship with food. Although it may feel as people on these sites are supporting you all they are doing is feeding their own insecurities. I would never call encouraging someone to kill theirselves "supportive" Its destructive and very dangerous, people on these sites escape into a fantasy world where its ok to weigh 6 stone and beat youself up for eating a meal!!!! xxx