“Thinspiration.” Kate Moss as “perfection”. Jodie Kidd is “ideal.” A motto of “Nothing will ever taste as good to me as being thin.” Advice on how to hide your disorder from family and tricks to avoid eating.
These phrases are posted on a website called Totally in Control, one of thousands of “pro-ana,” or pro-anorexic sites, for people suffering from anorexia and other eating disorders. These sites offer tips, advice and support for anorexics who do not want to go into recovery.
“This is a gathering point for sentient individuals who are working to cause changes to occur in body in conformity to will. There are no victims here. This is a place for the elite who, through personal success in their ongoing quest for perfection, demonstrate daily the power and results in applying will, imagination, creativity, and effort toward meeting their goals.”(Totally in Control)
The websites all have sections devoted to “Thinspiration”; photo galleries of extremely thin models like Kate Moss and Jodie Kidd, along with underweight celebrities like Calista Flockhart, Paris Hilton and Lara Flynn Boyle.
Some sites even show anorexic women who are severely emaciated as people to be emulated.
The pictures come with captions stating: perfection, ideal, desire, dream, beautiful and gorgeous. The websites also have mottos and creeds such as
“Say it loud and say it now, I’m anorexic and I’m proud,”(ana’s underground grotto).
Menu suggestions, discussion boards, tips on how to avoid eating by keeping busy and overcome hunger pains by cleaning or drinking lemon water are also featured on the websites.
National attention has been given to the websites. Popular television shows such as Oprah and 60 Minutes have aired segments concerning the sites.
The appearance of these websites has created concern, especially among those who specialize in the health fields.
“I think that everyone who is struggling looks for support from those they identify with,” said Kelly Aronica, Fairfield Universitty’s nutritionist. “So it is no surprise that these websites exist for those who are in the midst of their struggle with their bodies.”
“Anorexia and bulimia are both diseases that involve a lot of denial and the language used on the websites reinforces that,” she said.
“They are fully in the belief that what they are doing is rational, logical and simply about being in control of their own bodies,” she said. “The people who are writing these websites are in the midst of their disorder.”
About 0.5 to 3.7 percent of women suffer from anorexia in their lifetimes, according to the National Institute of Mental Health(NIMH). While some men do suffer from eating disorders, most of those who suffer are teenage girls or women in the their 20s, according to the NIMH website.
An additional 1 to 4 percent are bulimic. In addition to the pro-ana sites, “pro-mia”, or pro-bulimia, websites are also appearing in rapidly expanding numbers. They offer tips on how to hide purging and the best foods to eat and then vomit.
Almost all the websites feature disclaimers on their front page that state this is not a site for those in recovery or those who think they are ill.
The disclaimer goes on to say that the pages include graphic materials, and some go so far as to advise potential viewers not to develop an eating disorder.
“This is a pro-ed (eating disorder) site. If you do not have an eating disorder or are in recovery, you should not view this site. I am not responsible for your actions. Leave if you can’t handle it.” (Ana-by-choice.com)
Another site, 2b-Thin, differentiates between anorexics and “rexies.” According to the website, “rexies” are people who have chosen anorexia as their lifestyle.
They do not believe anorexia is an illness and see themselves as an elite group who have mastered their bodies through will and strength and rejected the “weak” conventional norms, according to the site.
“You may already know the difference between us rexies and anorexics! If you want sympathy for your ‘disease’ you are an anorexic. If you want respect and admiration for your lifestyle of choice you are a rexie. Anorexics die, rexies don’t,” said the website.
Some website addresses include very obvious names such as Anorexic Nation, 2b-Thin, and Starving for Perfection. But due to the recent media coverage, public concern, and some servers shutting down sites, more recent sites have ambiguous names like Blue Dragonfly, Ana’s Black Rose and Plague Angel.
However, shutting down some sites has led to an argument involving the freedom of speech, which may protect their existence.
“Unfortunately, there is no regulation of these websites. The web just makes it easier and more interactive,” said Aronica. “Anyone can write anything they wish and make the most outrageous claims they want to and no one is checking for accuracy.”
While a few sites have been shut down, many see it as an ineffective means of subduing the sites because many have inconspicuous names which inhibit monitoring. To avoid being shut down, others have simply switched servers and labeled themselves “diet sites” but contain the same materials as before.
Some people see the move to shut them down as hypocritical.
“We are bombarded with pictures of stick-thin women in magazines, movies and televison all the time and the same pictures are on these websites,” said Brynne Formato ’05. “I still think that its sad that some people think this is an acceptable way of life.
“But if you shut them down does that mean you have to shut down all sites and magazine articles about diet, exercise, diet pills and other weight loss methods?” she added.
The websites have left people with many concerns about the availability and accessibility of these sites.
“As a psychotherapist, I am alarmed by the use of these websites because they encourage people to continue and become more entrenched in their symptoms,” said Elise Harrison of Fairfield University’s counseling services. “People who spend time on the pro-ana sites are encouraged to isolate themselves from healthier points of view and become more resistant to treatment.”
Jessica Doyle ’05 was also very shocked at the existence of these sites.
“I didn’t know anything like this was around, and I understand it’s a freedom of speech issue, but it just seems so destructive to those people,” she said. “It’s almost like giving the people the tools to kill themselves and that is definitely not healthy for those with an eating disorder.”
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