(photo found here)

Just my two cents on the whole Kate Moss bit.  Some people have crucified her since she’s a role model (cough cough) and said, “Nothing tastes and good as thin feels,” with the fear that this comment, from her, will spur more eating disorders.

Perhaps someone will hear these words from her mouth and go, “oh, so I can loose weight and it will be fun, or good for me.”  Whether or not this will trigger an eating disorder, in my opinion, is debatable.

On one hand, yes, the comment is obviously harmful.  And yes, vulnerable people will hear it.  And yes, it’s false in its very premise (you can’t taste anything if you don’t eat).

But I don’t see Kate Moss as a role model.  It’s not exactly as if her cocaine use and prior history with eating disorders have been kept secret.  People who already have an eating disorder use her pictures as thinspiration.  People who want to lose a large amount of weight already keep her figure in mind.  Sadly, she’s known for these things.

And it’s not like she’s the first person to say that.  I read one blog that said Oprah was the first person to use that phrase, but I’ve been hearing that phrase long before Oprah came along.  It’s one of the main thinspo quotes.  It’s found in pro-ana sites, facebook groups, and regular old health and fitness magazines such as Shape and Fitness.

Eating disorders are already on the rise.  I honestly don’t think her comment will affect this trend.

Do I think she should have said it?  No.  I do think public figures should think a little before the speak.  In an ideal world they would have some privacy, or the editor would realize that’s not the best thing to keep in, but we don’t live in an ideal world.  Actresses and models and singers and public figures are all going to say things and do things that contradict what is healthy.

I don’t have stats, but I don’t think people thought doing cocaine was okay when that whole story came out regarding Kate Moss.  I don’t think a significant number of people will change from “eating disorders are bad” to “maybe I should have one” just because she said this one comment.  I think the people who are most vulnerable to the effects of this comments are those individuals who are new to recovery or who are ambivalent about making the first steps towards recovery.

Yesterday’s post on Pro-ana and Pro-mia sites didn’t generate as many comments as I imagined it would.  I had honestly hoped for more.  I did delete two comments that ignored the content of the post entirely and resorted to name calling (me) and attacking (me).  I don’t mind if you all disagree with me, and I expected that yesterday, but I really don’t want to be called vulgar names.  Just for having an opinion.

Cheryl brought up a point:

“You could pretty much say that everyone is prone to an eating disorder with the media and the way the world is about food/weight, add proana in the mix and it increases the chances.”

Okay, then. Not everyone is prone to an eating disorder.  The media does not make someone prone to an eating disorder, they provoke eating disorder symptoms in people who are already prone to one.  There is a big difference between the two.

And if media is making people prone (it’s not, as I said in the prior paragraph, it’s just encouraging people who are already vulnerable to succumb to an eating disorder) to eating disorders, then let’s delete Facebook.  Sure we know we can type in “anorexia” in the search box in the group pages and find thinspiration pages galore.  But there’s another type of insidious form of pro-ana/mia sites on Facebook: the unbelievable number of treatment site groups.  Seriously, how many Frew Crew groups do we need?  Or Remuda groups?  Or any of the main treatment centers that have multiple groups.

You Know You’ve Been to Sheppard Pratt When . . .

the sound of trays rolling by gives you a mini heart attack.
you predict how good your day will be by whether or not your juice is frozen at breakfast.
you can look at your arm and make jokes about being a junkie.
you know the flobotomists on a first name basis.
you will hate wednesdays for the rest of your life.
flushing the toliet amuses you.
you can beat all of your friends at rummy.
getting to go to the bathroom makes you really happy.
when sitting at the table with your friends, you randomly suggest that they all play a table game.
just thinking about ensure makes you sick.
replacement tray=death.
you get super excited on the rare occasion that peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches make it onto the menu.
when you consider shaking ensure as a form of exercise.
when you’ve prayed to gain exactly 0.2 kg per day, no more no less.
if you’ve memorized dining etiquette, word for word.
you’ve sung songs about having a pocketfull of prozac and a body from ensure.

sure some of these are cute–beating all your friends at rummy.  But these groups, and this is a VERY tame one, contribute to the idea that eating disorder treatment is fun and glamorous and something to take pride in.  You should be proud of surviving the eating disorder and recovering.  You shouldn’t be proud of what particular treatment center you went to.

Here’s a great group about Remuda:

I Drove the MHTs crazy!
if you…
-got several redirections a day
-was offered supplement quite frequently
-argued with the dietician for hours
-exercised in your room at night
-ran to breakfast on your last meal
-ate your resource cookies in a circle (they aren’t good any other way)
-whispered about MHTs behind their backs
-walked to Cherokee without wearing a sweatshirt
-pretended that you were signed up for shaving every day
-sneaked all of your nail polish up into your bedroom so that you could give yourself daily manicures and pedicures
-never sat at privleged table
-always argued about how much syrup you had to use for french toast dippers
-was on couch rest more than once
-made up songs about different MHTs
-always moved your feet when you sat down and got called on for excessive movement
-asked to use the bathroom all of the time…especially after meals and snacks
-tried to skip drinking water after leisure walks……

I know people who join treatment center groups in mass numbers for reasons such as this.  I know girls who have joined this group because they were on their way to Remuda and now have a list of ways to try to get away with things, AKA delaying recovery.

So why aren’t we protesting these groups?  Is it because they’re closed?  Is it because they have this guise of recovery until you start reading posts and discussions?  One thing I value is honesty, and I respect people at pro-ana sites who at least know where they stand.  They aren’t flaunting it.  They aren’t recruiting people.  (THAT does get me angry.)  but they’re honest.

I made a group for fun:

Sheppard Pratt Helped Me Save My Life!

[we welcome people from any treatment center who feel this way, who will acknowledge that no center can save someone's life, but that the center can give you the tools to save your own life.  If you let them help you.]

FINALLY, a group to celebrate the POSITIVE aspects of the RESULTS of being in a treatment center.

This isn’t about all the “fun times” or “cool friends” or “tricks pulled” or “stupid rules” or “strict staff” or “stupid groups.”

It’s not to say “treatment kids are rad!” or “I got kicked out of rehab!” or “I drove the MHTs crazy!” or “I was bad in treatment!”

THIS is a group to say, “Hey. It sucked that I was there. I DON’T MISS IT. I don’t miss the people, the helpful staff, the environment.”

And most importantly, “I DON’T MISS BEING SICK.”

I went to treatment. Maybe I laughed and joked while I was there, and yes, I made friends. But I will not make light of driving the MHTs and, therefore, the other patients, crazy, nor will I declare myself cool for having been to treatment, nor do I think it’s funny to be kicked out of rehab. And why in the world would you want to join a group, “I was bad in treatment”? Is this something you really want to be proud of or make light of since it most likely held you back from recovery?

I’m not going to refer to an eating disorder-a deadly illness-as Ana, Mia, or Ed. It’s an illness, people, not your friend.

I did the work to get myself better, but there is no way that could have happened without the help I received from Sheppard Pratt.

So this is just a follow-up.  I’d really like more discussion on these topics.  I think we need to discuss them.  Calmly.  Rationally.  And with a willingness to at least consider other people’s points of view, if only for the time reading the post.  Suspend your own beliefs and convictions and try something else on for fit.  Then if you think it doesn’t fit, state why.

We learn, I think, by discussing these things.  And I don’t think we should ever stop learning.

So here it is.  The promised entry stating what I think about pro-ana and pro-mia sites.  I’m sure I’ll get a lot of comments with questions or alternating view points because I tend to have some controversial opinions regarding these sites.

Here’s a couple of things I want to throw out there, however, before we all start jumping down anyone’s throat who says they have a pro-ana site or are a frequent visitor of one:

A) When a lot of us were ill, before we wanted to recover and during the ambivalent stages of recovery, we went to pro-ana and pro-mia sites.

B) A LOT of users at pro-recovery sites such as Something Fishy (an absolutely wonderful site.  I have one of their stickers on my laptop.) also visit pro-ana and pro-mia sites at the same time.

(And for simplicity’s sake, I will now use “pro-ana” to refer to both pro-ana and pro-mia sites. Ana=anorexia and Mia=Bulimia.)

Okay.  I don’t believe they should be shut down.  I don’t believe they should be censored.  For one thing, we’ve tried to do this before and the main sites reemerged within hours under different URLs, which ended up hurting the original reason for shutting the sites down.  At least when you typed in “anorexiasplayground” (or something similar) you knew what you were getting.  When you type in “famous panda” (not an actual pro-ana site), however, and suddenly get “thinspo” and “pro-ana tips” as a result, that can be problematic.  You actually end up reaching more people, the people who knew how to get there for the pro-ana information and the people who were legitimately searching for panda information but who are also susceptible to an eating disorder to begin with.

But there are two important reasons, to me, why I don’t believe these sites should be shut down or censored.

1) If you shut them down or censor them, we give the users of those sites the message that they should not exist and that they do not have a voice.  This is already a major problem for people with eating disorders: the silence, the voicelessness. Just because you may not like what someone has to say does not mean they should be silenced.  A lot of us grew up that way.  Keep it in.  Keep it down. What did that amount to?  Isolation.  Shame.  Eating disorders and other self-harming behaviors.

But they’re talking about eating disorders in a positive light, encouraging each other to keep the eating disorder, right?  There are sites like that.  I tend to call them the more militant pro-ana sites.  But the most of them admit that they have an eating disorder and that it’s not a lifestyle choice and that it’s pure hell having one.  Most of the sites warn people to leave if they don’t already have an eating disorder and state that you can’t “become” anorexic and that they will not help someone do so.  A lot of sites have memorial pages dedicated to the ones who have died.

What do they talk about?  Yes, weight loss/weight gain.  Food.  Sizes.  Exercise.  All the same things two people with EDs will talk about if left alone and if they are not recovery oriented, but on these sites, it’s in the open.  But more importantly, these sites are a place where people get support and get heard.  They can’t voice their fears on boards like Something Fishy.  They can’t talk about their ambivalence towards recovery there.  Because everyone is supposed to want the eating disorder to be gone, right?  Except think back and remember how long it took you to want to let go, if you’ve gotten to that point yet.  These men and women are honest in the stages they are at in their illness.

But if someone wants to get better, everyone tries to convince them not to do so, right?  Wrong.  Some of the main pro-ana sites have had owners who were pro-ana and then decided to recover.  Members of these sites know how hellish an eating disorder is, but they know they are not ready to let go. But when an individual decides she is ready and strong enough to try to recover, she will find support there, and will often get responses such as, “I wish I was in your position.  Maybe some day.”

2) The second reason I’m against banning or censoring the sites is related to the first.  Let’s say we silence them-which is impossible.  What would happen is that the sites would once again go deeper underground.  The sites would be more difficult to find.  That’s great, right?  Wrong.  Because then the individuals that use those sites are more difficult to find.  And if we can’t find them, then we can’t talk to them.  We can’t engage in a dialogue with them.  We can’t understand where they are at, where they are coming from, and what they need.  And if and when they decide to recover, we can’t be there to help them.

Silence=Shame=Death.

I was inpatient once with another young woman who had talked in groups and was working very hard toward recovery.  And the rest of the girls on the unit supported her.  Then in one group she announced that prior to coming into treatment she had shut down her pro-ana site and was nervous about going home and finding a different online peer group.  From that group session on, the rest of the treatment community shunned her because they were outraged that she used to be involved with the pro-ana community.  It didn’t matter that she was now throwing herself wholeheartedly into recovery, that she was compliant with all of her treatment plan, that she had shut down the site.  The therapists were not equipped and/or didn’t want to mediate the situation, and the girl ended up leaving AMA because of the now harmful treatment environment.

No, I don’t believe the sites are healthy in terms of the weight loss tips and tricks and the thinspiration pictures.  But read almost any eating disorder memoir and you will find the same exact information.  I have only read one memoir that didn’t provide thinspiration or tips and tricks: Good Enough by Cynthia Nappa Bitter.  It’s actually about recovery.  Open up weekly tabloids, watch the television, go to the movies, read cookbooks or cooking magazines or fitness magazines and you will find the same exact information.  Open your eyes and look around you at school or at work and it’s there.  If you want to use something as thinspo, you will, regardless of how anyone else sees that object or person.

We need to have open discussions with individuals in these groups.  We need to know what needs are being met in pro-ana communities.  Until we understand these things, we can’t meet those needs in healthier ways.  And if deny ourselves the opportunity to learn about these communities, we deny a significant number of people the opportunity to heal.

So there it is.  Lay it on me, folks.  Politely, please.

Personlig fiasko er desværre en fornemmelse, der kan følge i kølvandet på den vestlige kulturs individualisering af den enkelte.

Individualiseringen kan f.eks. være at man skal være ”selvsikker”, have det ”rigtige” job/studie og ”klare sig godt”, den ”rigtige kæreste” eller være kommet til det ”stadie i livet”, der stemmer overens med ens alder.

Man skal udleve sit ”potentiale” og nå ”sine mål”, dermed forstået, at man så også skal have nogle ”mål” og helst være godt på vej til at nå dem.

At skulle leve op til forventninger og normer omkring opførsel, tankegang og sociale relationer samt karriere eller studie kan opleves som en umulig opgave.

Følelsen af at ikke kunne leve op til egne og andres forventninger kan give følelsen af afmagt og opgivenhed.

Opgivenhed kan føre til følelsen af personlig fiasko på et eller flere punkter samtidig.

At give op kan lede til en trækken sig tilbage fra verden og føre til at man føler sig isoleret og bliver alene.

Aleneheden og ensomheden behøver ikke at betyder, at der ikke er mennesker omkring en, men måske forstår de blot ikke, hvordan man reagerer eller har givet op overfor en.
Personlig fiasko og opgivenhed kan føre til stress og et øget forbrug af stimulanser, som f.eks. cigaretter, alkohol, medicin m.m. samt eventuelt til selvskadende adfærd.

At tale, blive forstået og kunne give udtryk for sine meninger kan hjælpe til et bedre liv og måske kan være starten til en anden måde at se livet på.

Måske giver du dig selv skylden for, at du ikke kan leve op til det, du mener, du bør leve op til?

Ved narrativ terapi og coaching eksternaliserer vi problemet, så det ikke er dig, der er problemet, men problemet, der er problemet.

Eksternalisering gør det muligt at se på problemet og hvorledes det influerer på din tilværelse samt hvilken historie, der er bag problemet.

Ved narrativ terapi og coaching udforsker vi også dine mere foretrukne historier, som fortæller om hvordan du gerne vil leve dit liv, og hvad du har lyst til. Vi arbejder med hvordan de foretrukne historier kan blive mere tilstede og mere synlige i dit liv fremover.

I Spirit and Mind ApS tror vi ikke på, at ”det skal være skidt, før det bliver godt”, eller at genoplevelse af gamle traumer er nødvendigt for at kunne få det bedre.

Therapy and coaching in English is a possibility.

Priser:
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Henvend dig på 23397673 eller på kontakt@spiritandmind.dk

Klik her for yderligere information på Spirit and Mind ApS’s hjemmeside

note the diet coke ^^^^

As of September 23, the survey questions for Phase 2 are being finalized. Because I am having to work around the schedules of multiple individuals, I cannot guarantee any specific timeframe for them to be made available. However, be assured that we are working as hard as possible to propel this project further. I will be keeping readers regularly updated as to our progress as often as possible.

In the meantime, however, I have been honored to receive e-mails with information that some of our contributors have been very eager to share. Both were completely unexpected and unsolicited, so it’s wonderful to see that others have been taking an interest in supporting Fight the Pro-Ana with their own personal research and findings! Thank you both for everything you’ve done!

The first comes to us from a contributer who wishes to remain anonymous. It’s an insightful video lecture from the University of Houston’s psychology department, with the class labeled as PSYC 3339: Introduction to Clinical Psychology and taught by Dr. Edward Sheridan. He discusses bulimia as it relates to society, other panic disorders, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Much of this, of course, ties into some of the research presented earlier in this project, and I am appreciative that this video was brought to my attention.

Agent Provocateur of Twitter and frequent contributer Cory Garcia has discovered yet another Ars Technica article relevant to Fight the Pro Ana’s interests. The project has been explicitly against calling for outright censorship due to its violation of the First Amendment, choosing instead to urge parents, teachers, school boards, server hosts, and others to practice discretion as to whether or not they would allow Pro-Ana websites to prolificate. As always, censorship is a thorny issue wrought with any number of variables. But its subjective nature can certainly lead to interesting and enlightening debates from multiple perspectives - when executed civilly, it is certainly an activity that PR Unfriendly stands behind.

According to the Jacqui Cheng article Cory discovered, the French parliament is considering a law that requires Photoshopped images of the human form to carry a warning label. The intent is to promote a positive, healthy body image amongst the French peoples, alerting them to the ways in which the media can instill insecurity and promote unrealistic expectations through the manipulation of photographs. It doesn’t outright ban Photoshopping – merely the use of a clear indication that a photo had been altered.

With the knowledge that France has also passed laws against Pro-Ana websites – which Fight the Pro-Ana has discussed before – there are several perspectives as to whether or not their efforts infringe upon free speech or if their obviously altruistic intentions override it. I could pose a myriad of questions on the topic, but I’d much rather hear what readers have to say and what sorts of issues they may or may not take with France’s decision. As always, post without fear of being insulted for your beliefs – all perspectives deserve an equal chance to be heard. Anyone caught being outright disrespectful or degrading towards other’s opinions, however, will have their comments deleted.

-Meredith

First and foremost, special thanks to Matt Miles for bringing this article to my attention. As much as his self-deprecating sense of humor emphasizes how “nerdy” he is, without his devotion to technology I wouldn’t be able to pass the information on to you. Keep doing what you’re doing, Matt. It’s all appreciated!

According to Nate Anderson at Ars Technica, The Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK is encouraging parents, schools, and the government’s Child’s Internet Safety commission is bringing to light the dangers of the Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia websites and communities. Like our own Fight the Pro-Ana project, they are not asking for outright censorship – doing so would be a violation of their right to free speech. All they seek to do is bring the hazards to the attention of the mainstream, encouraging the government, parents, and teachers to issue warnings and practice discretion in what types of websites and communities they’d like their children to avoid. It’s a relief to see the issue being brought to the forefront in the United Kingdom, and the RCP deserves a commendation for their efforts. Hopefully in due time such measures will come to pass here in the United States – all we can do at the moment is keep up our fight. I’m one very important e-mail away from being able to commence Phase Two.

There’s little point in writing more about the article, which can be found here (the RCP’s original press release can be found here). I’m sure patrons of PR Unfriendly are perfectly capable of reading and processing the information found in the previous articles on their own without need of my commentary. As always, please feel free to leave any comments on your thoughts and opinions on the RCP’s actions.

-Meredith

Just because it’s been a little quiet here at PR Unfriendly doesn’t mean it’s en route to inactivity! While I do admit I have been on the busy side with other obligations and writing projects, Fight the Pro-Ana has not, however, fallen off my list of priorities. I figure I owe it to everyone participating or following our progress to give an update as to the status of the project.

We are well into Phase One at the moment, which involves background information on Pro-Ana and the dangers associated with it as well as discussing some of the myths and realities regarding eating disorders. I am very appreciative of all the supportive comments the project has received so far, and gracious to Karnii for bravely opening up about the whats and whys behind anorexia and bulimia. There is very little ground we have left to cover in Phase One – some of which I am working out with other writers, some of which I am still researching myself. Suffice to say, even if we move on to Phase Two within the next few weeks, I will never turn down any testimonials or informative articles that may come our way. Any and all reliable, verifiable information and research that we may have skipped is more than welcome.

At the moment, the beginnings of Phase Two are gelling “offline,” as it were. I don’t want to post the methodology and procedures of the poll until we’ve fully solidified how it will operate. I am very excited to see it progressing, and can’t wait to see what results we find. Everyone involved has been most cooperative, helpful, and resourceful, and deserve as much praise as I can give.

Thanks for taking the time to read this update. If anyone has any questions or comments, you know exactly where to voice them! And remember – submissions are always welcome, even if they’re not directly related to Fight the Pro-Ana!

-Meredith

ahhh I love thus picture!!

I WANT HER HANDS. SO MUCH!!!!

I absolutely love her legs <3

I apologize for the crawl in content lately – it’s a busy time for me at the moment, and I greatly appreciate the patience. Remember that this Sunday, August 30, is PR Unfriendly Day! A more in-depth description will follow later this week. I am excited to hear what everyone has to say, and some excellent contributions have come in so far. Keep them coming!

—

As past entries have pointed out, the Pro-Ana movement appears greatly fractured, which results in a highly nebulous definition. The information one website presents may not always line up harmoniously with that of another, thus painting a heavily disjointed portrait of what ostensibly stands as a unified front. From this milieu of manifestos springs one of the most disconcerting aspects of the Pro-Ana movement. Where some websites earnestly encourage the eating disordered to seek professional therapy and recover in a healthy manner, others approach the topic with defensiveness and mistrust.

The danger with this stark fragmentation lay in the way in which it may potentially cloud the minds of readers. With pro-recovery, thinspiration, and everything in between labeling themselves as Pro-Ana, it’s easy to see how the desperate disordered can fall into a cyclic holding pattern rather than progressing via effective professional therapy. In my research, I have discovered at least three distinct types of websites available that claim a Pro-Ana stance. It is important to understand how each are characterized and present themselves to the public in order to gain the clearest possible picture of everything we are (and, subsequently, are NOT) trying to combat.

I have organized the different websites that myself and Anne, who has posted several examples on our Facebook fan page, have been perusing and analyzing into three distinct categories. Obviously, there’s going to end up being some overlap and gray areas involved. PR Unfriendly is not writing the definitive resource on Pro-Ana – that would be for the professional psychological and sociological communities – merely relaying primary and reliable secondary information in clear language that supports our theses with the hope that more people grow to understand the potentially dangerous issues involved. As always, if our research proves faulty and off-base, respectful corrections and clarifications are perfectly welcome.

Each aspect of the movement is listed in order from the least threatening to most threatening. Not surprisingly, websites of each type tend to disassociate themselves with the ones below them with a number of disclaimers and legalese.

The first branch (hereafter referred to as, simply, Type 1) of Pro-Ana sites, and the ones which pose little to no harm to the desperate eating disordered seeking solace, simultaneously provide an understanding home as well as explicit advice on the health hazards associated with anorexia and bulimia. Professional therapy is encouraged rather than demonized, and they share a goal of achieving healthy, permanent recoveries for all visitors looking for information. Type 1 websites acknowledge eating disorders as mental illness associated with anxiety and depression, and proactively work towards simultaneously deflecting misconceptions regarding the disease as well as offering advice on professional treatment options. Their aims closely parallel those of our own Fight the Pro-Ana project, and many of them also offer helpful information on associated maladies such as depression, self-mutilation, and addiction as well. In addition, they point out that an individual cannot simply will her- or him-self into an eating disorder. It is, in fact, a psychological issue with numerous deep-seated roots that do not simply come and go at one’s leisure.

It is, sadly, also the aspect of Pro-Ana that is the most difficult to find. This is perhaps due to the fact that many have begun shunning the label altogether so as not to be associated with the more confusing communities. The majority of them opt for the term “pro-recovery” instead, and many were previously Pro-Ana sites of the Type 2 or Type 3 variety. A few examples follow:

Pro-Ana Nation – One of the most candid accounts of life with an eating disorder available. This website actually hosts a similar list of the divides present within the Pro-Ana movement as well.

Cerulean Butterfly – A former Pro-Ana site now “converted,” as it were, to an explicitly pro-recovery safe haven.

Out of a Pro-Ana Darkness and Into the Light of Recovery – An under construction pro-recovery site run by a young woman disillusioned by the mixed messages the next grouping of Pro-Ana websites send out.

We Bite Back – A well-organized, highly vocal community applying the tropes of postmodernism to recovering from eating disorders and immersion in the Pro-Ana movement. Unique to this list, as it was never a Pro-Ana site to begin with, nor does it carry the label. However, it remains one of the best grassroots options for recovery available online and its message should not go ignored. Of all the pages discovered during this project, We Bite Back is the first to exactly match our goals.

Type 2 websites have become the subject of the majority of our scrutiny and dissection due to the fact that they seem to be the most common. Like Type 1 Pro-Ana sites, they state that eating disorders are not something an individual can merely wish to suddenly have. But the similarities begin fading there. I have already analyzed the arguments and presented examples of the terribly mixed messages present in this branch of the Pro-Ana movement here and here, so there is little need to further reiterate the hazards. The degree to which the balance between offering genuine recovery and encouraging stagnation varies from community to community, but they are all characterized by obfuscated messages and ambiguous goals. Nevertheless, most of them still utilize the same arguments and statements present in the aforementioned previous posts.

Consider the following examples:

House of Thin – One of the most detailed Type 2 websites available, and the primary source behind Fight the Pro-Ana’s counter-arguments due to its in-depth explanations of the movement. Shares a webmistress with Pro Ana Mia and Fading Obsession.

Perfected Souls – Declares itself “NOT a pro-ana website, nor…a recovery website,” but still displays the characteristics common to Type 2 communities. A good portion of the site is still under construction, but what is available still conveys a confusing mix of intentions.

Pro Ana Online – Declares “eating disorders are fatal illnesses,” yet simultaneously provide a community for those who “choose not to recover from them.” Highly disconcerting.

Derided by Type 1 and Type 2 sites under the epithet “wannarexic,” the Type 3 communities are the ones most explored by mainstream media. Though, like the other two, they do not present the definitive portrait of the movement. As you can see from this post, the reality is simultaneously less and equally as extreme than these articles from MSNBC and Time describe.  Of all the three branches, these communities do the most damage – and to more than just their members. Whereas Type 2 sites mix their “thinspiration” pictures with information on recovery in order to send a strangely inconsistant message, the Type 3 variety explicitly emphasizes emaciation as the only ideal body shape. Not only does this reinforce potentially fatal eating disorders and negative body image, but the bevy of celebrities and models featured on these pages also damage mainstream society’s misguided perceptions of anorexia and bulimia as well. These sites damage the reputations of the eating disordered by lending credence to the myths and stereotypes that initially lead the suffering to fall into the Pro-Ana movement to begin with.

As with many things, the most extreme method attracts the most attention. Type 3 sites are the most likely to actively recruit, the most likely to defend eating disorders as a lifestyle choice, and the most likely to proactively offer advice on losing weight in unhealthy, potentially lethal manners.

Pretty Thin – The site’s administrators claim they “will not define beauty based on weight of [sic] height or color,” yet only one body type dominates the photos posted.

Pro Ana Tips and Tricks – Everything you need to know is in the title.

Ana’s Thinspiration: Thin is Beautiful – Has quite a bit in common with Type 2 sites, but delves straight into this category with its list of advice on how to hide the disorder from potentially concerned friends and family.

As always, I hope you walked away from this post with a better understanding and comprehension of everything we are and are not fighting against. If you notice any glaring mistakes in our research, please feel free to correct them. Phase 1 of Fight the Pro-Ana is progressing along at an agreeable pace, and I appreciate everyone’s support!

-Meredith

not my favorite dress, but everything else is good?

i made a new bracelet because i was in the car for a while and i was bored

my camera is crap, so the pictures are crap, but this is my new ana bracelet. (i now have 3!!!)

i have beads, but i decided not to put any on because i’m afriad of being too obvious, now that normal people are catching on to the whole red-beaded-bracelet thing. :-/

what do you think?

EDIT: you know what? the first person who orders a bracelet gets the bracelet (that she/he ordered) free!

if any of you guys are on twitter, look me up! i’m recyclefashion… and i think it would be sickly awesome if we could all chat!

also….

you might want to check out the ana bracelets (and mia bracelets) tab because…

I’VE ADDED NEW STYLES!!!

yay!

and i’ll add new colors as soon as i can get to the craft store… so check it out! and keep checking!

The deeper I delve into the Pro-Ana forums and read first person testimonials on motivations behind seeking out an accepting, open community that may or may not contain mixed messages, the more I begin to notice patterns emerging. Having extensively read about the subject of eating disorders, I’m familiar with their close association with anxiety, depression, and panic issues. In fact, according to the APA (links to follow), many who suffer from them oftentimes fit the diagnostic criteria for these other disorders.

As expected, the heartwrenching suffering present in these stories fully underscores the APA’s statements. These are very real people struggling with a very real emotional, physical, and mental burden. We point fingers at the media. At the fashion industry. At actresses. At models. We throw the blame about, yet when you take the time to peruse primary sources, these factors don’t get brought up often as a reason to seek out Pro-Ana websites.

The most common aspect of most testimonials I read is a sense of desperation relating to the condition being misunderstood by family and friends. While not everyone can directly relate to having an eating disorder, it’s a nearly universal experience to feel isolated from people you love (or want to love) based on a factor beyond your control. At the core, the eating disordered simply want nothing more than love, compassion, and understanding from the people around them – just like every other individual on the planet. It’s somber to note that even with easy access to reliable, professional information on the subject of eating disorders that many very common misconceptions and misunderstandings still prevail. With what appears to be a disconcertingly low number of families and friends taking the time to closely research eating disorders and empathize with the suffering, is it any wonder that so many desperate young women turn to the internet to fulfill that emptiness? This may also explain the ambivalence towards therapy displayed on many of the more confusingly worded web communities as well. If the people closest to you cannot fully grasp your struggles, why would a stranger without the disorder?

That’s not to say that the affecteds’ loved ones are always or inherently to blame, of course. There are always variables and the possibility of miscommunication. However, regardless of the reality or veracity of the claims made on the forums and websites themselves, many misconceptions regarding anorexia, bulimia, and others abound. Research and educating oneself on the subject stand as the first real step towards preventing more young women from seeking comfort on the Pro-Ana forums containing potentially harmful mixed messages.

In order to understand what eating disorders are not, it is crucial to first explore what they are. The following links offer wonderfully in-depth information on diagnostic criteria, demographics, health hazards, and other issues regarding eating disorders:

American Psychological Association

APA Help Center

National Institute of Mental Health

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders

There is also a bevy of research available where doctors, counselors, and other mental health professionals use their credentials to dispel many of the misconceptions still sadly present in our society. The following links offer proof that there are therapists out there willing to make the effort to sympathize with and earnestly understand all the horrors their patients face on a daily basis:

The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt

Article on Eating Recovery Center from Reuters (And Eating Recovery Center itself)

National Eating Disorders Awareness

University of California, Santa Barbara Student Handbook

I hope the efforts of all of these websites change enough minds to put a dent in the prejudices some people still carry against the eating disordered. The next posting intends to explore some of the dramatic divides present within the Pro-Ana movement.

-Meredith

isn’t it pretty???

http://www.hoobly.com/0/0/982433.html

PR Unfriendly, at its broadest, stands as a multipartisan, multidenominational site devoted to nurturing individual identity as well as community participation. This is accomplished by facilitating open discussions on social diseases and injustice as well as deconstructing potentially harmful beliefs and habits that stand in the way of personal freedom and overall well-being. It’s about compassion; it’s about empathy; and – when it needs to be – it’s about tough love.

The Pro-Ana movement, which our inaugural project seeks to heighten awareness of, considers life with an eating disorder as a lifestyle choice as opposed to a very tragic medical condition. Many sites and individuals who do acknowledge it as a medical condition still elect to continue life under its tutelage rather than actively seeking treatment, banding together with other like-minded individuals to encourage stagnation with the veil of love and support to grant it legitimacy.

It follows that, if PR Unfriendly is intended to defend people’s rights to live freely as a means of creating a more harmonious society, why then are we taking action against a “lifestyle choice?”

Because Pro-Ana has the potential to physically harm – even kill – practitioners.

Fashion is a lifestyle choice. Career is a lifestyle choice. Spending habits are a lifestyle choice. What all of these have in common is that none pose any immediate or inherent threat to anyone’s overall health and well-being. Pro-Ana, or at least the practitioners radiating dangerously mixed messages to impressionable readers, may very well fulfill the criteria of lifestyle choice along with the aforementioned examples. But it’s one whose core message enables – in some cases, encourages – a prolonged form of self-mutilation that leads to severe health problems and even death. Implications abound that therapy “shames” the sufferer, leading them to reject professional help in favor of an environment that supports recovery in one breath while simultaneously empowering individuals with eating disorders to embrace their condition in the next.

Reading House of Thin has provided a bevy of comprehensive primary information on what the movement is and is not. The two following pull quotes come directly from the “Evolution” portion of the website. Note the highly defensive, “us vs. them” mentality and cynicism regarding professional help. I have kept all spelling and grammar in tact.

The big boys do it because they cannot stand people doing it any other way. The ol’ “my way or the highway” attitude of theirs. These sites scare the hell out of them. Why? We have a better success rate of recovery than they do making them redundant. They fear the changes so … take out the “competition”. That’s pretty sucky business practice and proves even more why thier way does not work. I mean, how can you build up self confidence in someone IF your not confident about yourself? You can’t. If they were, they’d leave us alone knowing they can come out victorious.

The media spreads this false information too because hey, it sells. It ain’t right but that’s business for ya … anything for a dollar and who cares of the reaction. Again, sucky way to do things and some media now is picking up on this and wanting to tell the REAL way of what it is.

There are times when the movement dangerously appears to be practicing psychology without a license, demonizing trained professionals as “big brother” figures and claiming to offer the only reliable method of treatment and support. Again, note the confusing motive – it claims to support seeking help while at the same time cursing it for supposedly forcing and shaming eating disordered individuals into a “closet.”

Am I a professional?
I’m a professional webmistress. For ed professional, no but I am that way. It takes one to know one so who better to help out right? I’m confident enough to know what I do is kick ass work, and I know this is built to last, and … if I wasn’t self confident I’d of went in hiding a couple years ago. So does this mean professional ed sites are pro? Mmmmmh, interesting. Bet they never thought of that logic. haha.

Am I proactive?
Hell yes. It sickens me that this is seen as such a bad thing, when it isn’t really. The members have nothing to be shamed for just by being here, and I have nothing to fear for wanting to help others. What is a shame is that big brother keeps pointing fingers … well … finger back at them. The eating disordered are here and they have the right to seek out help, and have nothing to hide. To hell with the ed closet.

PR Unfriendly considers these jumbled arguments extremely dangerous to women genuinely seeking assistance for an eating disorder. Left in a vulnerable position and desiring empathy from others with similar experiences, they have the potential to fall victim to this mindset that tells them it’s perfectly fine to starve or binge-and-purge in spite of the severe physical penalties involved. This ought to be considered an affront to true social justice because of the myriad health risks involved in the movement as well as its poisonous stance on professional help that could genuinely offer a permanent, healthy solution. After a while, it ceases to be a life choice and starts being a tragic game of chicken pitting one’s will against one’s body when both should be operating together at peak efficiency like a fine-tuned organic machine.

It’s entirely plausible that there are, in fact, professionals out there who may not fully grasp the nature of eating disorders and understand how to treat them. But it’s wrongly narrow to demonize an entire field due to a couple of bad experiences. If the Pro-Ana movement truly believed in recovery, their websites would be offering advice on which therapists to avoid and which to seek out rather than recipes and BMI calculators. Psychology is dismissed as an overarching mainstream conspiracy in alliance with the media, but the humanistic branch professionally provides the positive, loving, and nurturing environment websites such as House of Thin claim do not exist. Anyone who suffers deserves compassion for their plight, but at some point the tough love mentioned at the beginning of the essay needs exercising. Those with eating disorders deserve to be treated with kindness and respect and not “shamed” for their condition – the Pro-Ana movement is correct in that assertion. However, this does not mean that recovery – a stressful time for anyone battling mental health issues – ought to reinforce unhealthy practices, either.

I am open to any other questions or comments you may have about why PR Unfriendly considers our cause a just one and how fighting a potentially lethal lifestyle choice does not compromise the collective’s values. If anyone actively involved in the Pro-Ana movement would like to clarify any mistakes I may have made in my direct observations, you are invited to do so as well. Just be sure to approach us respectfully, as this is a site I’d like for people of all ages and comfort levels to read. Please keep your language at the PG level.

-Meredith

First of all, I’d like to extend my thanks to Anne Damron, Cory Garcia, and Alan Chance for their help in organizing the first official social justice and awareness project initiated by PR Unfriendly. Their help in piecing together information and forming a definitive plan of action has been an invaluable asset in the fight against eating disorders and the individuals and groups who encourage them.

Posing as support groups for individuals (mostly women) suffering from anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders, the Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia movements defend the desire to become radically thin through questionable means as a lifestyle choice. While many of the websites involved in the movement do not actively encourage conversion, they nevertheless provide tools such as BMI charts and calculators, recipes, and – in some cases – pictures of emaciated models as “thinspiration” for individuals desiring a certain body shape. It’s a remarkably difficult movement to completely define, as readers are bombarded with a considerable level of confusing copy upon entering their websites and forums.

The following example of their peculiar form of doublespeak comes straight from the “Myths” section of the prominent Pro-Ana website House of Thin:

We don’t encourage you to stay anorexic, but this is the biggest way in which we differ from the professional and pro-recovery sites. Instead of treating a disorder itself, pro-ana treats the person. We get to know the individual, what makes them laugh, smile, cry and scared to see what their world is like through their eyes. See, like I said before, eating disorders are a deep rooted problem and there is no point trying to get rid of something that will just come back again instantly.

Note the discrepancies in the first sentence. They “do not encourage” readers to “stay anorexic,” but have nothing in common with “pro-recovery” sites, either. Other pro-ana, pro-mia, and thinspiration sites that myself and the other researchers have visited, including Pretty Thin, Pro Ana Mia, and Pro Ana Tips and Tricks, utilize similar mixed messages. Adding more confusion to the already jumbled milieu, some websites – such as Pro-Ana Nation – openly refer to the “horrors” of living life with an eating disorder and encourage steps towards recovery. In this, it seems as if there are two entirely separate movements at play here, both operating under the exact same name. One acts as an online support group, warning readers of the dangers associated with eating disorders and offering helpful advice on how to safely conquer the illness through therapy and the love and compassion of others. The other simultaneously claims to provide care, while at the same time reinforcing the idea that emaciation is the only ideal form of beauty. Some of the more extremist sites do, in fact, openly encourage anorexia and bulimia as lifestyle choices as opposed to a mental illness requiring an attentive therapist treating both the patient as well as the disease.

Will the real Pro-Ana please stand up?

In the face of these bizarrely baffling dichotomies present on the websites, France has placed an outright ban on all websites touting the Pro-Ana agenda. According to this article in London newspaper The Independent, “offenders risk two years in prison or a €30,000 (£24,000) fine” if caught actively promoting what their government considers to be “‘messages of death.’” Such legislations cannot be legally passed in the United States because of the First Amendment, of course, and PR Unfriendly does not seek to infringe upon their right to openly express opinions. If individual ISPs, servers, school districts, or households elect to place a ban upon these websites and blogs, that is at their discretion. However, censorship is not the ultimate goal of this project.

What the Fight the Pro-Ana project merely seeks is to heighten mainstream awareness of the movement and the potential dangers associated with it. Numerous articles on many of the tragic and disconcerting trends associated with Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia have been published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, including a very recent study conducted at Clemson University in May of 2009 and another from the University of Bath on how the aforementioned garbled intentions “normalize” the disorder. It is easy to see how claiming to provide a loving, nonjudgemental environment for those suffering from an eating disorder attracts the ailing – of which the majority is comprised of young women. However, by involving themselves in these communities with oftentimes questionable motives, participants subject themselves to the potential for reinforcement of unhealthy habits.

Fight the Pro-Ana advocates the prevention of eating disorders through education and open discussions on the possible hazards associated with Pro-Ana. The American Psychological Association and National Institute of Mental Health provide valuable information on the myriad health issues accompanying anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders, as well as information on treatment. We DO NOT encourage the frequently touted belief that those suffering from its symptoms are shallow for desiring to look beautiful, nor do we believe that they should be treated with anything less than the dignity and respect owed to all human beings. Anyone struggling with any eating disorder certainly deserves compassion and empathy for their plight, but they also need encouragement to seek counsel from a reliable support structure and enter therapy with a trusted professional. There are numerous counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists who will offer truly nonjudgemental advice with the intent of treating both the person and the disease. Those who truly uphold the values of love help build the person rather than allow them to face the risk of permanent physical damage or even death. Are the more questionable corners of Pro-Ana honestly about love if they defend a “lifestyle choice” which could potentially end in hospitalization or a fatality?

Myself and the other consultants on this project believe that the only way to combat this dangerous movement is awareness of the issue at hand. Phase I involves defining our opposition by posting examples of their message as well as our analysis of their arguments. We will also provide professional, reliable information on eating disorders and statistics as well as opening the floor to anyone wishing to share experiences with anorexia or bulimia. If you desire to tell a story about how it honestly feels to personally suffer from an eating disorder – or watch a loved one do so – and your own reactions to the advice of the Pro-Ana movement, please follow the submission guidelines. I will respect any requests to remain anonymous. Phase I paints a portrait of what we’re fighting against, presenting primary sources as well as statistics by respected national organizations.

With the cooperation of a beloved friend who wishes to remain anonymous, Phase II requires the organization of an ethics committee to validate my research. I do not wish to provide readers with dishonest statistics, and plan on following APA guidelines to conduct my polls. It will involve interviewing the school districts in Harris County – home of the fourth largest city in the United States – on their policies regarding educating high schoolers on eating disorders. I am interested in seeing how many of them actively take a role in raising awareness on the prevention of and risks associated with the illnesses, and I narrowed my focus to the Houston area simply because it’s the nearest big city to where I am currently living. Should anyone like to conduct such a poll in other cities, please contact me and we will coordinate something. I feel as if we will be jumping too far ahead of ourselves by discussing Phase III, however, but in the interest of transparency I am disclosing that this project will commence in three portions.

PR Unfriendly asks that all participants read through the project etiquette guidelines and understand the penalties involved with violating them before agreeing to help out. I will still honor any submissions NOT associated with Fight the Pro-Ana alongside those that are – the broader message of the collective will not go on hiatus simply because a project is underway.

Thank you for taking the time to read and understand our goals, and I am looking forward to your cooperation in helping to end the encouragement of a life-threatening condition.

-Meredith

today is pretty nice and relaxing.
my mom is out, my evil twin is shopping, my brother is probably asleep. everything is great. i just hope it lasts!

i put up some new thinspo. check out my other blog for “collection 2″, just click the thinspo tab above!
i hope you guys like it! :]

comments && feedback pleeaze :]

xoxo
katy

a large lion jumped out of a car

he said he is ready to listen and has an open heart

i felt happy and excited to have a new lion friend

then a sudden wave of extreme depression hit me

that was the moment i noticed lions that talk are not real

i told him your not real

i have  a  white shirt from k mart

i wrote marc jacobs on it

i felt stupid

i wrote k mart on it

i felt better

i feel psysically exasperated all the time

what is the synonym for loser

when i find a thesaurus ,

i will write the synonyms on my  wall