By Hugh C. McBride Starvation
It's no secret that online social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook have revolutionized the way many teenagers make friends, keep in touch with each other, and express themselves. It's also hardly "breaking news" that not all areas of the Internet are appropriate or safe for younger, more impressionable individuals to access.
But one sector of the online world is blending the seemingly innocent allure of social networking with a downright dangerous message that may encourage troubled youth to engage in potentially deadly behavior. On "pro-anorexia" and "pro-bulimia" sites, eating disorders are glamorized, self-starvation is celebrated, and individuals who are afflicted with eating disorders are encouraged to continue their pursuit of bodies that are literally to die for.
Introducing 'Ana' & 'Mia'
Because of the isolation, shame, and guilt that often accompany cases of anorexia and bulimia, online efforts such as blogs, forums, networks, and "support groups" can create a false sense of togetherness and belonging among sufferers who otherwise feel ostracized. What's more, these sites can expose vulnerable individuals to unhealthy pressures and harmful "advice."
Enhancing this pseudo-intimacy is the fact that, on these sites, the names of the two most prevalent disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) are often shortened to the innocuous-sounding nicknames "Ana" and "Mia."
"Pro-ana sites, created primarily by young women who have eating disorders or are in recovery, often view anorexia as a lifestyle," Chicago Tribune blogger Julie Deardorff wrote in an Oct. 3 post on the newspaper's website. "Featuring photos of sickly thin models ... the sites give tips on coping with starvation and talk of "Ana" and "Mia" as if they were troublesome old friends."
According to the Toronto-based National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC), many of these sites have been founded by individuals who have eating disorders themselves, but who "falsely believe that they are okay [and] falsely believe that anorexia is a choice, and that other people support their choice."
To achieve these objectives, NEDIC says that "pro-ana" and "pro-mia" sites engage in the following dangerous activities:
A Growing Threat
As the Internet has grown, and as online access has become virtually universal, the pro-ana effort has similarly expanded.
"Despite having first come into the spotlight in the late-1990s, the expansion of Internet blogs and online communities in recent years has brought about the emergence of a 'pro-ana' revolution," Tara Sena-Becker wrote in her Dec. 6, 2007 article entitled "A Cult of Starvation." This effort, Sena-Becker wrote, incorporates "everything from crash-diet blogs to online 'universities' that offer customized how-to courses on the maintenance of an anorexic lifestyle."
Sena-Becker's observations were given statistical support in a report issued by Optenet, a global information technology security company. The firm's "2008 International Internet Trends Study" reported that pro-ana and pro-mia sites increased by 469.42 percent between 2006 and 2007 - rising from 278 sites to 1,583.
This rate of expansion was more than triple that of violence-based sites (the runner-up in Optenet's "Controversial Content" category), and more than six times the rate by which racism sites increased. In fact, pro-ana sites showed the largest percentage growth of the 52 categories that were evaluated by Optenet, even outpacing personal Web pages (which recorded a 455 percent increase).
If there's a "good news" aspect to the growth of the pro-ana movement, it may be that the resultant publicity and attention has mobilized many to counter, or attempt to stop, the messages that these sites are sending. Websites have been established to educate individuals about the dangers of pro-ana sites, and at least one national legislature has moved to outlaw them entirely.
According to an April 15, 2008 article that was distributed by the Agence France Presse (AFP) news service, the French National Assembly has passed a bill that would make it illegal to disseminate pro-ana information via magazines, websites, and advertisements.
"Encouraging young girls to lie to their doctors, advising them on foods that are easier to regurgitate and inciting them to beat themselves up each time they eat is not freedom of expression," Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said in the AFP article. "These messages are death messages. Our country must be able to prosecute those who are hiding behind these websites."
How To Help
Tracking a teenager's online activities can be a difficult proposition, and individuals who are suffering from eating disorders are often exceptionally skilled at hiding their behaviors. But parents who suspect that their children may be spending time online with 'Ana' or 'Mia' need to act quickly and decisively.
Eating disorders are complex psychological conditions that require professional assistance to overcome. Some disordered eaters can be treated on an outpatient basis, while others may require hospitalization or a stay in a residential treatment facility. Effective treatment of an eating disorder often involves individual, group, and family therapy, as well as participation in a support group or aftercare program.
Consultations with a family doctor or school guidance counselor are good ways of learning more about symptoms and treatment options, and, despite the prevalence of pro-ana sites, the Internet is also a source of considerable helpful information. For example, websites such as Eating-Disorder.com and Something Fishy explain the types and causes of eating disorders, offer advice on helping loved ones, and provide links to therapists and residential programs.
Recovering from an eating disorder can be a challenging process, but an important step is ensuring that Ana and Mia have been eliminated from your children's online lives.