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I discovered a disturbing thing... a warning for moms...


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It seems like something that isn't realistically going to become mainstream, or happen to anyone at all, really. If it became a huge thing, maybe it would be warning worthy, but you have to be completely insane to want to do anything like that.

 

A very specific kind of insanity, too (making it even less likely that there are going to be a sudden rush of people suiciding via anorexia).

 

It's probably a troll, or a group of them, like 4chan or something.

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It seems like something that isn't realistically going to become mainstream, or happen to anyone at all, really. If it became a huge thing, maybe it would be warning worthy, but you have to be completely insane to want to do anything like that.

 

A very specific kind of insanity, too (making it even less likely that there are going to be a sudden rush of people suiciding via anorexia).

 

It's probably a troll, or a group of them, like 4chan or something.

 

Are you serious? :001_huh: "If it became a huge thing, maybe it would be warning worthy"? Really? Hey, if one mom a year from now sees this thread and says, hey, I saw the words "pro ana" in our search engine last week, then worthy it is!

 

Eating disorders have always been real. This is just news to me that these people who often act in secret now have support systems in cyberspace! I don't think trolls would post all the pics you can see online when you google pro-ana, but a troll would certainly downplay the severity of this topic.

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When I logged out of my email last week, this video popped up on msn. I have since googled pro ana sites and am disgusted and shocked at the level of tutoring and encouragement these girls are getting! Sites such as this: http://proanaalltheway.blogge.no/ and others which give girls step by step instructions, acceptance, encouragement and support. One site had a 40 day plan to become anorexic, dropping caloric intake and fasting so that on day 40 they ate nothing, and continued until they die. Tips like "at some point, you'll lose your period. Do not tell your mom and never, ever tell a doctor you've lost your period." "Hit your stomach when it grumbles, it stops it making a sound and your stomach will hurt too much too eat." and on and on and on. I'm just ill about it, but oddly fascinated that this is what is happening in this e-culture. Moms beware of the code words, I didn't know what pro ana meant until last week.

 

Thanks Karyn! Sheryl <><

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I just googled pro ana images.....WOW even hollywood isn't this thin. It is not attractive is anyway, shape or form. They look like women who were in death camps. Why would a female want to do this to themselves? I'm a naturally thin woman and when I was a teen, I tried to gain weight. I wanted to look cute like the curvy cheerleaders :lol:, instead of a stick man!

 

i understand wanting to loose weight down to the recommended weight for your height and build, but why go so far?

 

It truly is a mental disease.

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I just googled pro ana images.....

 

just for the record - a lot of the images that come up when you do that are photoshopped. yes, some are real - but the most "popular" ones (like this ) are fake. here's the fake by the original

 

eta: and for anyone who gets curious and also googles - be aware that many of the images that come up may be NSFW and/or quite disturbing.

Edited by Gwenhwyfar
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This has been around for a while. I heard about pro-ana years ago. Really, I think people overreact to it. These people are supporting each other in their anorexia, they're not recruiting. The pro-ana sites I've read actively discourage attempting to "catch" anorexia if you are not already anorexic. I got weirdly fascinated as well and read rather extensively on them... I failed to catch anorexia. ;)

 

These girls are quite sick and it's sad that they would rather support each other in this destructive illness than seek recovery, though sometimes the girls who run even very popular pro-ana sites eventually do recover.

 

Edit: When I say that people overreact, I mean that they worry about people becoming anorexic simply by being able to access the site. I do think pro-ana sites are harmful for girls who already struggle with anorexia and other eating disorders. These girls don't need tips on how to diet better, they need tips on how to improve their relationship with food and their self image.

Edited by Mimm
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These people are supporting each other in their anorexia, they're not recruiting.

 

this is true. a lot of the more long term sites have changed their focus to support for the individual - sure, there are still some HAY GIRLZ ANA4EVAR sites that look like they were built by a 12 year old with just enough coding talent to be dangerous with neon colours :tongue_smilie: but overall, the community itself has shifted.

 

i was a co-admin on one of the larger, long term forums for a few years. this was not the sort of cheesy 'eat cottonballs & wear baggy clothes' TIPZZ site i've poked fun at above.. this was a forum for people (mostly adults, actually) who needed somewhere that they could speak freely and be understood - not judged - by others who had been/were there. it still exists ~ i left as an admin because i just couldn't deal with the drama anymore, but i still look in there from time to time... i even see a shift within the shift. lots of focus on reducing the harm that people are causing, encouragement (when it's wanted) toward recovery. (on a much sadder note though...the forum has lost members over the years - we've had several deaths in the forum 'family'. don't get me wrong, eating disorders [and the other things that often run along with it] can - and do - kill.

 

anyway - i do have a dd13 and would i want her visiting most of those sites? heck no. (another part of the reason i walked away)

 

if you've never dealt with an eating disorder - it can be very difficult to understand why someone would "do that to themselves" ... /ramble.

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I was part of pro ana sites and groups for many, many years starting way back in the early '90s before everybody had internet so they're nothing new. There were tips on how to eat less and lose weight but there were also tips on when to go to the doctor/hospital and when to tell your parents. Those looking for tips on how to "catch" ana were routinely treated very harshly.

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Pro anorexia sites aren't meant to have people "become" anorexic. They are used by people with anorexia to share tips and ideas on hiding and promoting the disease.

 

Anorexia isn't something you "catch" or "go through" - anorexia is a serious illness that you struggle with your whole life. You can't just receive tips on improved body image and food relationships then suddenly be cured.

 

Anorexia is not a diet, it's an all consuming lifestyle.

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Thanks for the heads-up on this! Scary stuff!

 

My eldest sister struggled with anorexia in college and MomsintheGarden and I think she still uses any excuse she can to under-eat. She is very thin, but probably healthy.

 

I started dieting a couple of years ago when DD17 was around 15. She wanted to do it, too, for the eleven days. I let her, but later I regretted my decision. She went from 119 lbs. down to about 90 lbs. I'm convinced that she had become uncomfortable with her curves and liked not having to deal with a period. Finally, we had to put our foots down and insist that she eat more and gain weight. It took a lot of attempts before we got through to her, but she finally is back to a healthy weight.

 

Now she is in college so we cannot watch her as closely. Fortunately, she is not big on the internet, so hopefully she will not make it to these sites. If she does, she may find herself pulled back into this.

 

One other side of this subject that I think is worth mentioning is that there are guys who are interested in girls who are this thin. I used to work with a guy who like women who were "waifish." Point being there is demand for girls like this, as surprising as that may be.

Edited by RegGuheert
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I was once on an ana site and just asked if I could ask some questions in a non-judgemental way. I kept the emails I was sent in my inbox--I can't share them, because that would violate someone's privacy, but I can say they provided fascinating insight into people's struggles with the disease. It was hard not to combat the skewed thinking process and just listen.

 

Ana has even entered into marketing--JCPenney has an A.N.A. clothing line. Of course, they say it stands for something totally different, but there are folks who believe Penneys is well-aware of the connection.

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