Pro-Ana Websites - Online Communities for Anorexics Essay

Pro-Ana Websites - Online Communities for Anorexics â€Å"Say it now and say it loud: Im anorexic and Im proud.† This is a rallying cry that some women suffering from anorexia, otherwise known as â€Å"pro-anas,† post to one another over the Internet. Pro-Ana, meaning pro-anorexia, is an Internet community of anorexics who have no desire to recover; rather they want to live their lives being â€Å"the best anorexic they can be.† Pro-ana websites are rapidly evolving to promote eating disorders as a lifestyle rather than a life threatening disease. According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), about 10 million American females suffer from anorexia each year. Up to 10 percent of these females will die from the disease and only†¦show more content†¦The pro-ana websites are controversial because of the jarring information posted on these sites, mostly offering â€Å"thinspirational† quotes, dieting advice, photos of the â€Å"ideal† (and dangerously thin) image and advice how to keep all of this a secret from doctors, parents and friends. The names alone of these websites give a glimpse as to what is posted on them. Some names of these names include Starving For Perfection, 2b Thin, Totally in Control and the most popular visited, Anas Underground Grotto. These websites take a visitor deep into the minds of these struggling individuals and can appear frightening and disturbing to people who arent suffering from an eating disorder. Each website contains links to other pro-ana websites and fasting websites, which are also run by pro-anas. There are photos of extremely thin women, as well as overweight women that are labeled â€Å"disgusting.† There are calorie counters, journals, chat rooms and poems ranging from how food is â€Å"the enemy† to fears of becoming fat. The repetitive phrase of â€Å"hunger hurts but starving works† is posted all over these sites. According to the site, jaoii.lunarpages.com, the pro-ana sites is to be â€Å"a place where people who live with an eating disorder can get together and discuss their trials and tribulations together and receive support...to know that they are not alone.† The number of pro-ana sites have grown rapidly over the past few years, reaching over 200 different sites.Show MoreRelatedEssay about Pro-Anorexia Websites1686 Words   |  7 PagesPro-Anorexia Websites Cyberspace, something that was once considered a fad, has developed into a tool that allows people struggling with anorexia to potentially find a sanctuary from the regulatory systems in popular culture that are applied to women’s bodies. Cyberspace provides an alternative space for women with eating disorders or body issues. 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