Solomon 1

Claire Solomon
11/14/2014
Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric
Dr. Erin McLaughlin
Pro-Ana Communities: Dying to Be Thin
The Thin Commandments
1. If you aren't thin you aren't attractive.
2. Being thin is more important than being healthy.
3. You must buy clothes, cut your hair, take laxatives, starve yourself, do anything to make
yourself look thinner.
4. Thou shall not eat without feeling guilty.
5. Thou shall not eat fattening food without punishing oneself afterward.
6. Thou shall count calories and restrict intake accordingly.
7. What the scale says is the most important thing.
8. Losing weight is good/gaining weight is bad.
9. You can never be too thin.
10. Being thin and not eating are signs of true will power and success.
Carolyn Costin, Your Dieting Daughter: Is She Dying for Attention?

Food is a natural part of life. As humans, we need food for energy, nourishment, and even
comfort. But for some people who suffer from eating disorders, food has become the ultimate
enemy as they tirelessly work to achieve the perfect figure and lose extreme amounts of
weight. For them, having fat on their bodies is the ultimate sin. Traditionally, people who have
not officially been diagnosed have had to deal with these struggles in isolation, hiding their
shame, but with the rise of technology in the twenty-first century, these sufferers have followed
countless people before them by finding solace and a safe space in the Internet.
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the popularity of the pro-eating disorder
movement, which takes form in cyber communities on the Internet, referred to as pro-ED (proeating disorder), pro-ana (pro-anorexia), or pro-mia (pro-bulimia). For the purpose of my

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research, I will use the term pro-ana as an all-encompassing term that includes anorexia,
bulimia, and other eating disorders that are presented and promoted on these Web pages. In the
past decade, the World Wide Web has provided us with a new outlet for creative expression and
freedom, a place that has become home to one of the most rapidly growing movements in recent
years. I will explore what these sites offer to its members and why these virtual networks are
created and consulted, ranging from better known theories to those that are not commonly
discussed. Lastly, I will examine how these Web sites signal a call for new, more effective
treatment programs and contemporary training for professionals so they can effectively address
the problems that pro-ana and pro-mia Web sites focus on.
Even before the creation of the Internet, eating disorders had been studied and talked
about in homes, schools, and medical communities for many years. In the United Sates, 20
million women and 10 million men suffer from some form of eating disorder at some point in
their lives; unfortunately many of these cases will not be reported. Some types of eating
disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder. These illnesses
have a myriad of health consequences and can even cause death (National Eating Disorders
Association). For example, anorexia nervosas involvement with self-starvation causes it to
have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness (Dyke 147).
With the rise of the Internet has come the creation of online safe havens for those
suffering from eating disorders. Pro-ana Web sites provide information and encourage behaviors
that promote extreme weight loss. The sites include personal reflections from those living with
an eating disorder, motivational quotes, extreme dieting tips, exceptionally low-calorie recipes,
informative medical information regarding disordered eating, and various examples of
thinspiration, photographs of ultra-thin bodies used to motivate weight loss. An example of

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thinspiration can be seen in Figure 1. Several studies have shown that viewing these sites can
have detrimental effects on people, especially young adults. One recent study found that
adolescents exposed to pro-ana Web sites were
shown to have higher levels of body dissatisfaction,
decreased quality of life, and longer duration of
eating disorders than those young people not
exposed to the cyber communities (Borzekowski
1526). With the dawn of the digital generation, it is
no surprise that researchers found that sixty-six
percent of sites used in the study were run by young

Fig. 1. Emery, Courtney. Hungry? Digital image.

Flickr. Yahoo!, 13 Mar. 2011. Web. 13
Nov. 2014.

adults under the age of twenty-four. What is debatably most striking about these sites are their
public message boards that users are free to post narratives and thoughts on. Themes commonly
found on message boards from users are accounts of the feelings of loss of control, isolation,
pain, and lack of understanding by those around them (Dias 38). On the pro-ana Web site PrO
AnA & Mia LiFe StyLe, clear examples of these themes can be found within the stream of
messages. i [sic] just need to get right back on track, im [sic] so afraid that this will start a cycle
of binging for days on end, the user losingmyoldself posted to the sites chatroom. The
combination of the popularity of the Internet among adolescents and the isolation and loneliness
that are characteristics of anorexia nervosa contribute to wide viewership and influence
(Rodgers 9). Naturally, suffering teens would be drawn to the sites because of their ease of
access and wide availability since the majority of young people use the Internet for many other
purposes already. Message boards provide an outlet for expression for those who desire to
express their pain, wishes, and achievements on their road to becoming beautiful.

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Many factors promote young peoples exploration of and participation in these sites.
Simple dislike of their bodies may be an oversimplified excuse; there is no doubt that reasons
can spring from a variety of factors racial, geographical, socioeconomic, and sexual, to name a
few. However, I am more interested in delving into more universal causes that can be the prompt
for people especially young girls to seek solace in cyberspace instead of in those around
them. What causes them to hide their struggle, pain, and despair from family and friends? Why
do they turn to a screen to find a sense of security and self-worth?
A common initial motivation for at-risk teens to visit pro-ana pages is to get facts and
advice on the practices of disordered eating. Dieting tips and tricks, recipes for low-calorie
meals, and eating disorder medical facts are widely included in pro-ana sites. As Dr. John
Morgan, a consultant psychiatrist and chair of the eating disorder section of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists of the United Kingdom, states, [A pro-eating disorder Web site] teaches new
behaviors: they [site viewers] discover things theyve never thought of before to deceive
[their] parents (Rainey) Several sites include specific examples of practices taken by users,
including vomiting, fasting, severe restriction of food, and drinking excessive fluids to avoid the
feelings of hunger. The allure of control is a major ambition of those suffering from an eating
disorder, and they find this sense of power through strict regulation of their diets. By limiting
their food intake, authors of popular pro-ana Web pages boast higher levels of self-esteem and
senses of empowerment. Being in control of one important aspect of their lives is an attractive
concept to an individual who has traditionally felt shame and secrecy about their illness and
situation in life.
In addition to basic tips and tricks, pro-ana Web sites offer a new realm of expression and
freedom that had not been possible before. The cyber communities serve as an open venue where

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users can voice opinions and post original poetry or images (Borzekowski). Michele Polak
describes pro-ana communities as a type of virtual bedroom culture (83) where girls can be
social through the Web while staying private from the comfort of their own rooms. In her online
expos, Sarah Rainey of the Telegraph describes the new, virtual life that users are able to create,
including original nicknames and fake profile photographs, in order to assume a new identity.
The Internet gives users the notion that real-life repercussions do not matter as the creators step
behind the mask of their computer screen, shaking off the ever-lurking threat of real-life
consequences. Pro-ana Web sites are essentially an extension of the users personality; girls are
free to play with the interface on their own terms. These girls personal home pages have been
described as a digital showroom with personal information, journal entries, original poetry, and a
unique array of images that display newly created identities (Polak 84-88).
The previous causes of the use of pro-ana Web sites are very valid and widely talked
about, yet there is one reason that has arguably not received enough publicity. Evidence shows
that some people use these Web sites with the simple hope of recovery. Travelling beyond the
wall of the medias scrutiny and the publics backlash of the existence of these cyber groups,
pro-ana and pro-mia communities can actually be a safe space where sufferers can seek support
and encouragement before they are ready to ask for professional help (Dias 31). The reality is
that medical treatment for disordered eating is not quite as easy to access as one might think. In
order to access medical care, women have to be clinically diagnosed by a physician and meet
rigid criteria for diagnosis and admittance. If they do not meet requirements, their only other
option is to get professional help through private services, which are not financially possible for
many women. Karen Dias, a counselor in Vancouver, British Columbia, who specializes in
eating and body image issues emphasizes the problem with this system, noting that, Many girls

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and women I have worked with were well aware of this pattern, and many actually avoided
seeking treatment for fear of rejection. (39) Instead of traditional treatment, girls turn to pro-ana
sites, many of which include references to recovery resources, either through a link to a new
page or a message board forum that provides support. Since these women struggle with their
illnesses and may not be ready to confide in family, friends, or professionals, pro-ana
communities offer a space where one can find communal support for whatever stage of the
illness a person is at. Message board forums on a few sites illustrate some users awareness of
their situation and words of encouragement and advice toward recovery. There is no doubt that
these sites build a close-knit community full of people who understand each others pain, both
emotional and physical. The cyber communities are intrinsically a place where one can share his
or her voice, connect with others, and possibly find inner peace. Although quite unconventional,
underneath the controversy, these sites have the capability of being a therapeutic, interactive
environment (Rodgers). One of her patients who recovered from her eating disorder told Dias,
When I was going through my eating disorder, it certainly would have been comforting to have
people to talk to before I was ready to get help. (38)
How beneficial or harmful are these sites on a person suffering with an eating disorder?
Ultimately, the question must rely on the personality of the sufferer and the gravity of his or her
illness, but the chief message that pro-ana communities convey is the pressing need for new
programming to educate young people and ultimately prevent and treat eating disorders. In order
to better illustrate this claim, I will place particular focus on two seemingly dissimilar cases.
As the media continues to place emphasis on the ideal thin body, the concern young
people have about their weights begins to manifest itself earlier and earlier in their lives. An
example of a vital key that can prevent this self-consciousness from turning into a full-fledged

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disorder are the school counselors and other professionals that come in contact with young adults
every day. With such a pertinent need for professional expertise in the treatment and counsel of
those who may develop a diet-centered illness, some of our trusted experts may not be properly
prepared to handle such a situation. For example, we can look at evidence from a study
conducted by Gregory Harris and Gary Jeffery in 2010 for the Canadian Journal of Counselling
and Psychotherapy. Their study, administered in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, collected
data from a mixture of fifty-two guidance counselors and educational psychologists. The study
was conducted in the form of a questionnaire that asked its participants about different aspects of
their preparedness in handling various issues that grade school and high school students may
face, including drug abuse, bullying, sexual assault, and eating disorders. The data and
information discussed primarily focused on bullying and drug abuse; however, Harris and Jeffery
noted that the majority of participants of the study reported addressing eating disorder behaviors
during their careers. This fact illustrates the glaring need for our mental health professionals to
be well equipped to handle the treatment of eating disorders if the need arises. However, the
most shocking fact was that the participants indicated they received very little to no formal
training over the past five years in the area. If our trusted professionals have not had the proper
training, can we really be confident in their ability to help our young people in the case that they
encounter some troubling dieting behaviors?
The second case that strengthens the call for new programming is the prevention project
discussed by Sarah Dyke in her article, Utilising a Blended Ethnographic Approach to Explore
the Online and Offline Lives of Pro-ana Community Members, for the journal Ethnography and
Education. The project was commissioned by a youth work organization based in northern
England with the goal to reduce the number of children and young people being diagnosed and

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hospitalized for complex mental health conditions, such as eating disorders. It included a
program of activities focused on raising self-esteem and challenging the media-popularized thin
ideal. Dyke was allowed a front row seat to witness the behind-the-scenes creation of the
program. She attended team and project planning meetings and visited schools and centers where
the program was carried out. In the program, anorexia nervosa was viewed as a mental illness
that young people could simply be resilient to if they had high levels of self-esteem. The major
shortfall of the program was that it failed to engage with life online, never discussing the proanorexia websites or the advocacy of anorexia as a lifestyle choice, a common theme of pro-ana
Web sites (Dyke 150). With eating disorders appearing frequently in various types of media
rhetoric magazines, online blogs, movies, TV shows how effective can programs be if they
merely focus on traditional sources of rhetoric? One cannot simply ignore technology and other
forms of media if he or she wishes to positively impact a young persons life.
In August 2001, the Internet search engine Yahoo removed over one hundred pro-ana
websites in one day and currently continue to monitor and shut down pro-eating disorder Web
sites as often as they are posted. Other Internet services such as Angelfire and AOL have
followed suit (Polak 82). Major social networks including Facebook and Pinterest have tried to
ban thinspiration photographs. However, since the Internet is nearly impossible to police, the
well-meaning efforts of these major Internet brands have proved almost completely futile, since
pictures and pro-ana content can easily be reposted under different names, making them more
difficult to locate. Sites continue to reappear almost as quickly as they are removed. As these
attempts have proven, the harder people strive to ban or regulate pro-ana sites, the more site
owners and users are driven to post their content elsewhere (Rainey).

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The Internet is one of the most popular forms of communication and sources of
information among adolescents (Rodgers 9). According to an international IT security company,
between 2006 and 2008 there was a 470% increase in pro-ana sites across the globe, a number
that has no doubt grown in the past six years (Dyke 148). Clearly, with the rise of the Internet,
the pro-ana movement is one that we cannot simply ignore. The increase in online activity
surrounding disordered eating strongly suggests the need for new programming that recognizes
their validity, acknowledges what they stand for, and works with the Internet not against it to
establish new treatment practices to improve the lives of those at risk of developing or of those
who suffer from an eating disorder. Clinical and school psychologists, counselors, medical
professionals, and parents need to not only be aware of the growing trend but also to learn how
to properly address the issues that arise from frequent visits to the sites. We cannot fight the
changes toward a more cyber-based world; our only hope is to work with it in order to make
society a better, more-informed place.

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Works Cited
Borzekowski, Dina L. G., Summer Schenk, Jenny L. Wilson, and Rebecka Peebles. "E-Ana and
E-Mia: A Content Analysis of Pro-Eating Disorder Web Sites." American Journal of
Public Health 100.8 (2010): 1526-534. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Nov. 2014.
Dias, Karen. "The Ana Sanctuary: Womens Pro-Anorexia Narratives in Cyberspace." Journal of
International Women's Studies 4.2 (2002): 31-45. Print.
Dyke, Sarah. "Utilising a Blended Ethnographic Approach to Explore the Online and Offline
Lives of Pro-ana Community Members." Ethnography and Education 8.2 (2013): 146-61.
Print.
Harris, Gregory, & Gary Jeffery. "School Counsellors Perceptions on Working with Student
High-Risk Behaviour." Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy / Revue
canadienne de counseling et de psychothrapie [Online], 44.2 (2010): n. pag. Web. 1
Nov. 2014
Losingmyoldself. "Proananmiacr." Chatango! Chatango!, 28 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.proanamiacr.chatango.com/>.
"National Eating Disorders Association." National Eating Disorders Association. Web. 08 Nov.
2014.
Polak, Michele. ""I Think We Must Be Normal ... There Are Too Many of Us for This to Be
Abnormal!!!": Girls Creating Identity and Forming Community in Pro-Ana/Mia
Websites." Growing Up Online: Young People and Digital Technologies. Ed. Sandra
Weber and Shanly Dixon. New York City: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. 81-93. Print.
Rainey, Sarah. "Secretly Starving: Inside the Virtual World of Anorexia." Telegraph.co.uk.
Telegraph Media Group Limited, 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2014.

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Rickard, Kathryn & Samantha Roberts Strife. "The Conceptualization of Anorexia: The Pro-Ana
Perspective." Affilia 26.2 (2011): 213-17. Print.
Rodgers, Rachel F., Sabrina Skowron, and Henri Chabrol. "Disordered Eating and Group
Membership Among Members of a Pro-anorexic Online Community." European Eating
Disorders Review 20.1 (2012): 9-12. EBSCO. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.