**This post is about eating disorders, trigger warning just in case!**
Before I start this post I would just like to say 2 things: firstly, I do not personally suffer from Anorexia, although I have had some eating “issues” in the past. Secondly, this post is in no way meant to offend or upset anyone with anorexia/bulimia/EDs in general.
While browsing the internet the other day, I came across a blog. I have been reading a lot of blogs recently, and this one was about anorexia. As a psychology student, and generally inquisitive being, I had a read of this blog… I was completely horrified.
This blog was “Pro-Ana” and the things that the writer had written were horrific. She had written things such as “If you’re a true Ana starving yourself won’t be a problem” and even a 5 week diet plan which eventually dropped down to 500 calories a day, and throwing everything up. There was also “70 reasons to starve yourself.”
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that these issues genuinely affect many people, however this blog was NOT genuine. This blog even stated this terrible quote:
“Anorexia is a lifestyle, not a disease.”
I was astounded. The writer appeared to want to be anorexic, rather than actually suffering from anorexia. It really upset me reading this blog, especially comments which included things like “I am too fat to be anorexic” and “Please help me become thinner.” The writer advised readers “to cut if they eat anything”, and I felt that the writer was making a mockery and a joke out of the serious issues of anorexia, bulimia and self harm.
People with eating disorders have “faulty thinking” (as a cognitive psychologist would say) and they think they have to be thin in order to be “worthy” and beautiful. Eating disorders are a killer, and seeing people idolise “Ana” or “Mia” is very upsetting to me, especially because I have seen first hand how easy it is to slip into starving yourself.
Websites like this surely exacerbate eating disorders. Sufferers do need support, but this is not the sort of thing they should be reading. What do you think? I don’t know whether I have interpreted this blog the wrong way, but to me it feels wrong for anyone to encourage people to become ill.
(Just to make it 100% clear, I am not in any way suggesting that anorexia is not real or that it does not deserve attention, rather I am shocked/upset by the “pro-ana” campaigns, and the way people who do not suffer from an eating disorder are encouraging people (including those who have genuine EDs) to starve/purge etc.)
AnxiousElephant 
Wannarexics. They’ve been around for a while 😦
It just makes me so angry that people are acting as if it’s a choice, and actively encouraging people to become anorexic!
Definitely agree. Although I’m not convinced it facilitates anorexia in those already suffering, just makes it appear somehow desirable to those who aren’t. Or makes light of the illness.
Yeah, although I think for people on the edge it could make things worse. No one should make light of any illness
i almost don’t have words, this is horrific and sad. thank you for speaking up on it!
I loved this! I have also seen many blogs like this with the kind of horrific tag lines you state! I completely agree what you’re saying, I think that people who make these blogs are just awful and are promoting eating disorders, with diet plans, ‘thinspiration’ pictures and stories about how to punish yourself if you eat!
I’ve seen so many of these sites in my time and they never cease to horrify me. x
When I was very deep in anorexia I kept stumbling across sites like that. Page upon page of “thinspiration”… horrifically thin people…. but what pictures don’t show is what is behind the scenes: the pain, the fear of death, the thoughts that hound you day in day out….. vulnerable people are looking at these pictures and thinking “I want that” but “that” isn’t a true representation. It is so dangerous. And yes, “anorexia is a lifestyle” – when I was blogging on xanga.com I came across many many people who would state that. They came to me for tips on how to be anorexic because they wanted to be. Why would you want to be anorexic? It is not a fashion statement – it is not cool. I am so lucky to have got away from my years with anorexia with just osteoporosis. A lot of people I knew/know have been scarred much worse and some have died. I am so glad to personally be out of that anorexic world online. For the most part I avoid the eating disorder tags on here because I still find it triggering and I don’t want to get sucked into that again. Sorry for the long ramble; this post just hit close to home. xxx
Thinking of you, I’m so glad you’ve overcome your anorexia. It’s horrible how misinformed people can be; they “want” to be anorexic, but if they knew the truth there is no way they would ever want it! Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate you speaking about your personal experience. xx
She says everything I say in my head, and could possibly write in a blog.
But morally I don’t because I still have a voice telling me not to.
Maybe her voice of reason has left her.