This is bad and should be stopped! Who's with me?
Watching a programme on pro-ana. I didn't even know this existed. It is sickening and wrong!!!
Good god!!!
These sites give young girls tips on how to hide their anorexia and how to make it look like they're eating. They support girls not eating and have pictures of skinny celebs and tell girls this is how they're supposed to look. This is terrible and disgusted!!! They even have a whole 'Thinspiration' culture.
These girls should talk to me, I want to GAIN weight. I want curves and I don't want to look like skin and bones. I've been underweight for most of my life and I hate it.
There's a whole culture of this; music, poems, films and competitons.
Anorexia is an ILLNESS and a mental disorder! It is a life-threatening disease!
http://www.plagueangel.net/grotto/id5.html
http://www.house-of-sins.com/
The programme has details about pro-ana Live Journal. Apparently they get a lot of trolls who post scary and digusting pictures, I don't think that's helpful but I do think that people should show these girls that this isn't necessary the best way to live.
http://community.livejournal.com/pro_ana/profile
Found it, they give advice not to join unless you are already anorexic, but that probably won't stop some girls. This is their actual intro section:
We do not support you starving yourself to death, and we will not give you tips on how to do so. This community is a safe place for those with eating disorders to speak freely about what is happening in their lives. We are not a "secret society", a "club", an "elitist group", or anything of the like. We are simply people-- just like you-- who are dealing with a very serious psychological disorder. We do not encourage each other to become or stay unwell. This community has evolved.
There was also a woman who was anorexic as a teenager and she said the sites are supportive, apparently there's a real community and they always get really worried when online friends get hospitalised. Well that statement reassures me no end. /angry sarcasm
That one Live Journal is safe-ish, and several of the links I've checked have obviously tried to show they're not "bad", but there's obviously a dark side. There are tips on making yourself vomit and advice including punishing yourself for eating by self harming. It just sucks people in and makes them set their targets lower and lower.
Even the pro-ana woman says she thinks the girls are too young and there are dangerous sites. Don't they realsie that if you are underwieght during puberty it can seriously affect you. Trust me I know, I didn't grow properly for years and being underweight just screwed over my menstral cycle.
Despite what they say about the benefits or helpfulness to those who are anorexic it is still bloody dangerous to impressionable young people. Surely the fact that these sites tell you to hide it from friends and family suggests that it is a bad thing!!
This whole thing has really gotten to me, I'm almost crying I'm so shocked. I don't even feel like announcing my good news right now. I'll do it later when I'm not so disturbed and angry.
Good god!!!
These sites give young girls tips on how to hide their anorexia and how to make it look like they're eating. They support girls not eating and have pictures of skinny celebs and tell girls this is how they're supposed to look. This is terrible and disgusted!!! They even have a whole 'Thinspiration' culture.
These girls should talk to me, I want to GAIN weight. I want curves and I don't want to look like skin and bones. I've been underweight for most of my life and I hate it.
There's a whole culture of this; music, poems, films and competitons.
Anorexia is an ILLNESS and a mental disorder! It is a life-threatening disease!
http://www.plagueangel.net/grotto/id5.html
http://www.house-of-sins.com/
The programme has details about pro-ana Live Journal. Apparently they get a lot of trolls who post scary and digusting pictures, I don't think that's helpful but I do think that people should show these girls that this isn't necessary the best way to live.
http://community.livejournal.com/pro_ana/profile
Found it, they give advice not to join unless you are already anorexic, but that probably won't stop some girls. This is their actual intro section:
We do not support you starving yourself to death, and we will not give you tips on how to do so. This community is a safe place for those with eating disorders to speak freely about what is happening in their lives. We are not a "secret society", a "club", an "elitist group", or anything of the like. We are simply people-- just like you-- who are dealing with a very serious psychological disorder. We do not encourage each other to become or stay unwell. This community has evolved.
There was also a woman who was anorexic as a teenager and she said the sites are supportive, apparently there's a real community and they always get really worried when online friends get hospitalised. Well that statement reassures me no end. /angry sarcasm
That one Live Journal is safe-ish, and several of the links I've checked have obviously tried to show they're not "bad", but there's obviously a dark side. There are tips on making yourself vomit and advice including punishing yourself for eating by self harming. It just sucks people in and makes them set their targets lower and lower.
Even the pro-ana woman says she thinks the girls are too young and there are dangerous sites. Don't they realsie that if you are underwieght during puberty it can seriously affect you. Trust me I know, I didn't grow properly for years and being underweight just screwed over my menstral cycle.
Despite what they say about the benefits or helpfulness to those who are anorexic it is still bloody dangerous to impressionable young people. Surely the fact that these sites tell you to hide it from friends and family suggests that it is a bad thing!!
This whole thing has really gotten to me, I'm almost crying I'm so shocked. I don't even feel like announcing my good news right now. I'll do it later when I'm not so disturbed and angry.