pro-anorexia websites

[geni]

People who set up pro-anorexia websites which dissuade sufferers from seeking help should be sued, according to a group which helps people overcome eating disorders.

There are hundreds of "Pro-ana" websites creating an online community where fellow anorexics encourage each other to starve themselves further.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3580182.stm

Does anyone know how common these websites are.

[LuxFerum]

:eek:

[Perforatu]

Originally posted by geni
Does anyone know how common these websites are.

I had never heard of this phenomenon before, and I sort of doubted I would even find one link. A cursory glance at Google reveals otherwise, although for each pro-anorexia resource I can find there seems to be a dozen or so sites condemning it. Here's a couple:

Pro-Ana Links (http://www.plagueangel.net/grotto/id5.html) (good luck finding ones that work - I guess most of the owners have died of starvation by now)
Pro-Anorexia Information (http://womensissues.about.com/cs/proanorexia/)

The website titles in the first link reveal something interesting about the way Anorexia proponents refer to the disorder: "Ana", as if it's a woman's name. Titles like "Ana Loves Me", "Ana's Slave" and "Ana's Prophetess" even suggest worship - as if "Ana" is the goddess of eating disorders to these people.

[shuize]

After I learned (via the German cannibalist story) that there are pro-cannibalism web sites which have volunteers waiting to become the next meal, pro-anorexia websites actually seem pretty tame to me now.

[Tmy]

Sue them?? Its not illegal to be anorexic. We keep being told that we're to fat anyway! :P

Ive heard of these sites. Well the internet is the most free place in history. Believe me theres much worse than pro-anorexia sites!!

[Lisa Simpson]

Originally posted by Tmy
Sue them?? Its not illegal to be anorexic. We keep being told that we're to fat anyway! :P


It sounds like they should be up for a Darwin award. At least they won't be contributing to the gene pool.

[TragicMonkey]

I wonder if the "red bracelets" the anorexics use to identify each other are....the Target $25 Kabbalah string!