What do you think of pro-ana sites?

What do you think when they say eating disorders are a lifestyle choice not an illness? What can be done to prevent girls encouraging one another to not eat?

Comments

[Anna Gibson]

Some people give the impression that anorexics are stupid. I wasn't I'm in the top 1-2% of the population in verbal reasoning. I achieved top grades in my AS lEVELS, i write poetry. Don't use the term 'wannanorexics'.

[Anna Gibson]

Wananorexics - ever heard of the word shallow??? I was anorexic, but I'm not shallow.

[Anna Gibson]

The anorexics who promote the continuance of anorexia and suggest tha healthy girls shouldn't go on the sites are hypocryptical, not caring, but perverse. If you can't even spell don't talk to me about anorexia.

[Anna]

Hi,

If you can't even spell don't speak to me about anorexia. My name is Anna, I love myself not anorexia. Who is Anna? Anna Gibson - passionate, quirky, original, naturally slim anyway aren't I!!!

[Anna Gibson]

I have since read some even more simplistic comments, to say anorexia chooses you is simplistic, because everyone has a choice. I feel that these sites should be exposed as inherently flawed and undermined. The comment about anorexics being caring is a generalisation. When I was in the eating disorder ward, to a degree they did acually understand anorexia. Perhaps just couldn't 'feel' it - its more real to the sufferer than the professionals. These sites are perverse and can in no way be justified.

[Anna Gibson]

I find some of these comments offensive, there is no reason to compete for thiness. I was admitted to an eating disorder ward when I was 16. It was never a lifestyle choice, that's true. In reality it robbed me of all aspirations. There is a stigma attached to anorexia and these particular anorexic girls who encourage anorexia in others only reinforce the stereotypical image of anorexia.There's a major difference between supporting anorexics so that they can recover and supporting the illness.

[Best friend to anna]

It is lifestyle choice.

[Kalie]

I see both sides of the arguement. I have bulimia and I've been using pro-ana sites for a couple of months. The thing with pro-ana is that the girls don't see it as harmful, like they don't see how much their eating disorder is harming them. They want to be encourage because they want control. And don't they have freedom of speech?

Also, pro-ana isn't all about living with anorexia willingly. There are many people who preach recovery through pro-ana sites. I know that I can always find support when I'm having a hard day and I want to throw up. I can talk to my "ana" friends, and they'll remind me that life with "mia" is better than purging anyday.

But still, people are still on pro-ana sites, using them to fuel their "self-control", and some of them will die because of it. Pro-ana sites are very harmful, especailly to younger girls who "just want to lost a few pounds" and think that "ana" is cool.

And in the end, there's not much you can do about pro-ana sites. Dozens more will pop up for each one you take down, because the girls (and boys) don't see it as harmful and will not give up "ana".

[=]]

Anorexia is something serious that are dangerous towards peoples health. In my opinion, nothing should encourage a unhealthy problem, especially one which could have devastating consequences.

I understand that anorexia is a disorder, and I truly feel for people suffering from it. Maybe, it would be a better idea to turn to parents or doctors for help rather than these sights that encourage it.

Maybe, people with anorexia may agree and say that I don't understand. But I do. I suffer from a mental disorder, as much as I dislike calling it that. Its different from anorexia, its OCD. And people think it's something people use for attention and is only silly.

But I have help, and now I'm so close to fully saying, I don't have it anymore. And with the right help, you can do it to. But encouraging sights don't help. Turn to the people you love or experts for help, then they truly know whats right for you and can give you the help and support you deserve.

[Anna]

okay, to start off, my pro-ana friends are the most amazing people. they cheer me up, they are sooo nice and even outside of 'Ana-buissneis'.
nothing can be solved by shutting our sites down and such.. we need someplace to talk, where we understand eachother, really understand. by shutting that down, you may think we'll get "real help" instead? well, some of us has tried that and it doesnt work out. no one understands us better than we- the one's suffering.
ive been to countless psycologist, therapist and eating dider clinic(outpatient), not a single one understands me, they all say the same thing, not knowing the kind of panic.
this is why i AM pro-ana. but, i do not support a perfectly heahy teenager to starve herself down a few pound into this hell. no, if i had a choise, i wouldnt have chosen this circle. we dont choose ana, she chooses us. and THEN we choose her over becoming fat in recovery. i do go on waterfasts with my pro-ana friends, give and recieve tips and tricks, but ONLY to those i know have been in this circle, and is stuck. to us, it IS a lifestyle, there are no other options but to starve.
i love my pro-ana friends, and i know they love me.
its wrong, to shut our sites down. we belive in pro-ana. and then there's the whole freedom of speach-thing.
we know what kind of damege we to our bodies, that we can die. but hen we've come as far as this, we just dont care anymore. to hard to eat. evryt that matters is to become skinny enough.
thats what i thinkt atleast.
xoxo
Anna

[Eva Luna]

Honestly I understand that people are worried about pro ana sites, however that is probably because of all those idiotic girls that use pro ana as a crash diet, it is an actual disease that is very harmful. We need a community where we can talk openly about our feelings and our plans. We keep each other alive.
The lovely and caring people that have helped me throughout the years, I'm still alive because of them, they actually pushed me into recovery which for worked for about 2 years before I screwed things up again. Right now I'm losing weight quite healthily.
Pro ana communities should be allowed and not shunned. Obesity will be the fall of mankind with today's development (not including 3rd world countries).
Keep the "wannarexics" out!!

[Shelby]

Pro ana girls..... They are the nicest most caring people I have ever met in my life. Not only do they help with problems outside of ana but in it as well. Also if you want to recover they help you through it to. Even if you don't they help you gain your goal weight. A true friend is a friend that help you through thick and thin and support you no matter what your choices are in life.

So in a nutshell...

These girls are my TRUE friends.....And I love them just like they love me. And to bad mouth them is terrible. Don't people have better things to do then to bitch about pro ana? How can you judge if you do not know?

Also....They say that we have no free time because were all over the net. Well. Obviously so are they if they are seeing us.

=]

I love you pro ana girls.

Fly on wings <3

Shelby

[Ginger]

Please understand that the girls that are mean and crule to eachother are the ones that truely do not suffer from the mental disorder. they are the ones that Want to be. The have no clue what it is like to go day in and day out fighting the need to eat and the thoughts of if i eat that what it will do to me. people who are truely pro ana are there to support eachother. to be the strength to others who are suffering when you cant even stand your self. we dont judge eachother. Heck we get enough of that from the outside world. We need people who understand. Unless you have delt with the disorder in you past you dont get it. we dont tair eachother down or say nasty things to eachother. I am 25 years old and have been ana for as long as i can remember (about 12).the girls are my support when im feeling alone. We are not mean people.

[T]

Girls who have an eating disorder need support, someone to talk to about what they are going through. By revoking their right to use the internet as a way to "escape" and vent, your taking away their freedom of speech. (which everyone is entitled to). I think it's horrible that you think you should be able to prevent them from talking to other anorexics. If you don't like what they are saying on THEIR OWN websites and facebooks, then don't look at them - it doesn't concern you...

[barbara]

maybe YOU SHOULD JUST STOP TEACHING what people shoud or should not do..?! nobody has the right to monitor or even to ban a site or a facebook account for the only reason that the owner declares having an ed (unless having an id is a crime..); you can choose which sites or wich facebook group to join, and you are FREE TO CHOOSE! please stop teaching us lessons! if you have an ed YOU KNOW you're sick, you absolutely know because IT HURTS! having an ed doesn't mean being on a diet, wanting to get thinner or look like the models, having an ed isn't a lifestyle (oh my goodness that's the best i've ever heard, a lifestyle..!), having an ed is not something a facebook group or a so called (and it was YOU who called it that way, not us..) "pro-ana" site can heal or worsen!
please leave us in peace! you all "healty" people consider yourself so expert, so competent about eating disorders, you all ar so ready to judge .. well, instead of monitoring internet sites, try to monitor your daughters and your children: i'm 25 (and have an ed, if you still have any doubt..since i was 13), i just joined fb, and can't find a girl of my age, they all are even 14!! ed is not decreasing, is increasing: why is it so, if you all are so wise and so expert and so solicitous to judge?!

(please excuse me if i made any mistake, i'm not english)

[Alysha Smith]

this is ridiculous,
pro-ana supports the girls with recovery or with continung what they're doing.
Pro-ana is just about support. thats it. the only thing we don't support is wannarexics.

[els]

A sufferer myself of anorexia for the last four years,i can tell you that NOT all of the pro ana sites are like this. Yes the ones in which you find girls,and boys at that, asking for tips,and on some of these sites recieving an answere,is sickening and makes me angry,but this doesnt apply to all of the sites.i belong to a community,and they never encourage my eating dissorder.After so many failed recovery attempts and after having been sectioned too many times,it is the community that has kept me stable as of late, and their support and understanding,is keeping me here today. It is an impossibility to understand an eating disorder unless you have or have recovered from one,even the most highly qualified professional,will not fully understand the severe loneliness you can feel at times, having people there to talk to that understands makes a huge difference.

[Kathryn]

I have tried to post 2 different times on this site, strangely only comments AGAINST pro-ana have been added but none of mine.
Ive been a part of the community for a long time and ive never seen nor heard ANYONE saying bad cruel things to each other.
We say good luck and ask them to keep in touch when they say thaey want to heal and we encourage them to do so.
It is unfair hof how you have portrayed us.

Also the girls from your article is STILL using pro-ana sites and still posting photos and comments FOR ana.

You have been tragically misinformed.

[Amy]

Oh my god!! After reading your article I typed "ana" into Google (strictly research purposes)and clicked on the first website and I couldn't believe it! These girls are posting comments that are killing each other! Surely there is something people can do to stop these things? I understand the internet is almost impossible to control but the majority of these comments are made by easily influenced,young women... something must be done! If these people don't die they will ruin their lives forever, having difficulty with fertility etc.

[suzanne]

I think these sights are disgusting and that they should be monitored by the government, who in turn could get in touch with the health authority to go on the pro-ana sites and stress all the dangerous things what happen to your body when you are so thin, and offer help via a telephone no and email address.

[Helen]

If young girls and women were kinder to each other and accept that we all are not clones of each other life would be made so much easier for the ones who are a bit different. How boring it would be to all be a size 6. Imagine it 30 girls in a classroom all weighing the exact same amount who would want that? Women are meant to be carers, we nurture the sick and young. Why then are we so cruel to each other? Women are cruel to each other make no mistake about that,I suffered all through my school days because I was the plump one. My parents put me down all the time. My Mother had me on diet pills at aged 9. Thank God I am a survivor and I made it to my old age without getting this dreadful disease.You CAN do it You CAN hold your head high and shrug off the slurs. You CAN be strong. You are beautiful the way you are, have faith in yourselves. YOU ARE WORTH IT.

[Kelliegh]

Last year i dated a guy who made me feel so insecure about my self as a size 8..in 2 months i was a size 6.finidng it difficult to eat..everytime i did i felt bad or sumthing...im now a size 4 and eating makes me feel awful so i dnt i drink liquids n eat 1 snack bar a day..but in your article i read anorexia can efect fertility it was the first time i thought 2 my self i can not be anorexic...i want children and the thougth of not being able brougth tears to my eyes.

so thanks to the article maybe i can push my self into the right direction

[laura]

i myself suffer with anorexia and am trying my best to beat it i think its sick that their are even sites like this this illness is so awful and robs you of your whole life they should be ban

[Sophie]

I THINK THESE SITES ARE DISGUSTING AND THEY SHOULD BE BANNED! PEOPLE CREATE THESE PROBLEMS THEMSELVES BUT THEY SHOLD BE ABLE TO REALIZE THEY NEED HELP AND GET HELP.

[Imogen]

Just so you know, not all pro ana sites are like that, some of them are actually about helping each other through eating disorders, but sites like these that put more pressure on someone with an eating disorder to contuine need to be shut down.