Pro Eating Disorders

What does it mean?

The term stands for the concept of welcoming the very idea of suffering from an eating disorder. Of late, a trend of encouraging eating disorders among the population has started. People actually want to suffer from the eating disorders. The pro eating disorder wave has even gone to the extent of more websites coming up which encourage and support people to get obsessed with it.

What do the pro Eating Disorder websites offer?

These websites promote eating disorders as a part of the modern life style and don't consider them a serious issue. They even teach on how to become super thin and more teens are being targeted. They provide tips on losing weight and maintaining the thin, frail physique, hiding the disorder from others, tips on safe foods that do not add to the calorie intake and figuring out minimum calorie intake. They have forums and chat rooms for like minded people to exchange tips/information and have their own food pyramids with diet pills, diet soda, cigarettes, coffee and so on.

Pro-Anorexia and Pro-Bulimia Websites -

Terms like "pro-ana", "pro-mia" has come to be included in the vocabulary these days, standing for "pro-anorexia" and "pro-bulimia" respectively. These websites are primarily being created by young people, especially women, suffering or recovering from Anorexia or Bulimia or both. The disorders are not seen as illnesses but as old friends and are called "Ana" and "Mia". They strongly support the belief that the disorders are choices rather than physical or mental illness. These websites are a combination of personal stories by people, poetry, tips and bulletins and show people how to become "better" Bulimics and Anorexics.

Who visits these websites?

Girls, especially teenagers are the frequent visitors with the intention of gaining more knowledge and being able to express their feelings freely. They usually support each other and stand for one another in case of an abuse.

Debate regarding these websites -

Since the time these websites have come up, professionals providing physical and psychological treatment for these disorders are debating the extent of damage caused by these websites and whether they have to be shut down. Many believe that shutting them down is the only solution to get the younger generation under control from becoming more pro-ana or pro-mia. However, another debate still continues as to how effective that would be since, anorexia and bulimia are considered lifestyles, not disorders, the pro-ana, pro-mia wave still continues, websites or no websites.

Recommended Reading

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