pro-anorexia websites

[geni]

People who set up pro-anorexia websites which dissuade sufferers from seeking help should be sued, according to a group which helps people overcome eating disorders.

There are hundreds of "Pro-ana" websites creating an online community where fellow anorexics encourage each other to starve themselves further.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3580182.stm

Does anyone know how common these websites are.

 

[LuxFerum]

 

[Perforatu]

Does anyone know how common these websites are.

I had never heard of this phenomenon before, and I sort of doubted I would even find one link. A cursory glance at Google reveals otherwise, although for each pro-anorexia resource I can find there seems to be a dozen or so sites condemning it. Here's a couple:

Pro-Ana Links (good luck finding ones that work - I guess most of the owners have died of starvation by now)
Pro-Anorexia Information

The website titles in the first link reveal something interesting about the way Anorexia proponents refer to the disorder: "Ana", as if it's a woman's name. Titles like "Ana Loves Me", "Ana's Slave" and "Ana's Prophetess" even suggest worship - as if "Ana" is the goddess of eating disorders to these people.

 

[shuize]

After I learned (via the German cannibalist story) that there are pro-cannibalism web sites which have volunteers waiting to become the next meal, pro-anorexia websites actually seem pretty tame to me now.

 

[Tmy]

Sue them?? Its not illegal to be anorexic. We keep being told that we're to fat anyway!

Ive heard of these sites. Well the internet is the most free place in history. Believe me theres much worse than pro-anorexia sites!!

 

[Lisa Simpson]

Sue them?? Its not illegal to be anorexic. We keep being told that we're to fat anyway!

It sounds like they should be up for a Darwin award. At least they won't be contributing to the gene pool.

 

[TragicMonkey]

I wonder if the "red bracelets" the anorexics use to identify each other are....the Target $25 Kabbalah string!