pro-ana - is anorexia a lifestyle or a disease?

[stevie]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-anorexia

i think pro-ana communities are pretty disgusting, youd be surprised how many people suffer this...

these communities are basically full of people encouraging others like themselves to continue harming themselves....

[Dazzer]

what brings about this topic ?

[stevie]

i have a friend with this problem..

[Dazzer]

ah... i had one too. I did my best, but things fell out between us. so yes.

https://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=pro-ana

very disturbing .

[stevie]

yes, its depressing how common it is.

ive read that its more common among perfectionists and people who engage in another kind of self-harm, which would make sense - and points to the obvious fact that its a psychological problem.

[c18cont]

A young lady,

A child of a friend, is 5'8".age.. 20...she has now reached 84 lbs...and is still losing according to an associate....!

John

[stevie]

 

[prometheus]

To consider it calling a lifestyle is scary to me.

How long will it take until selfmutilation is called a lifestyle?

[Jacey1973]

I'd like to find out more about eating disorders, bullemia in particular.

[stevie]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulimia_nervosa

not pleasant reading...

[stevie]

Mortality risk
Eating disorders have one of the highest death rates of all mental illnesses. The Eating Disorders Association (UK) estimates a 10% mortality rate.7 An 18% mortality rate has been suggested for Anorexia Nervosa.8 In addition to the risk of suicide, “death can occur after severe bingeing in bulimia nervosa as well”.9 For perspective, these death rates are higher than those of some forms of cancer.

 

[pianonut]

if you can see your ribs, you're probably too thin.  but what about obesity?  which is more prevalent among men?  huh huh .   ok.  i know you think i'm defending both, but in actuality, i would defend a middle ground.  a healthy lifestyle that allows a person to eat the foods that they naturally digest easier.  many people have particular dietary needs that can be completely different than the people next door.  also, genetically, our bodies and bones and shapes are so different  that who is to say what the perfect shape is?

many troubled teenagers take a form of control by not eating (anorexia) or bulemia (throwing up what you eat) or obesity and binge eating.  i don't think counselors should start by focusing on the food.  i think they should focus on the emotional trauma or problem and be patient and perhaps wait a while before being critical of the person's looks or weight.  it seems that it should naturally heal with emotional support.

i was a very skinny teenager.  in fact, many probably thought i was anorexic.  maybe i was?  anyway, i liked to exercise.  probably too much.  but, the 'high' of exercise was better than drinking or drugs.  who is to say which 'disease' is worse.  we all have problems and they seem to work themselves out as you get older (hopefully).  if they don't - you have to seek help (which is something teenagers usually don't do for themselves).  as a parent of a teen, i would guide them to someone who could offer activities to keep them social and not depressed/ suicidal (being lonely and alone).  females aren't the only ones diagnosed with emotional problems.  males exhibit this by being overly agressive, etc. etc.   

[m1469]

(good post pianonut  )

[Tash]

i've had a couple of friends with eating disorders, both had crazy mothers, which apparently has something to do with it. but it freaked us all out at school cos we couldn't understand why on earth she would do such a thing. i don't think either were involved in the pro-anorexia groups, thanks god, cos that's really awful. but they're both ok now, one is a bit weird, she was really dependant on particular people for a while and had a thing with wearing bizarre clothing...
but yeah it does scare me how many people do have an eating disorder, like i know of way too many people who've had it to various extremes.
annoying thing is, i'm a pole and would like to gain like 7kg, but there's no one advertising weight gain on tv is there?
i think it originally was a mental disease, but now it seems to just have become something that primarily teenagers do- like they're just expected to have issues with their weight, and i think that encourages it a lot. so it has become a way of life.

[ada]

You may want to check out this story

https://theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/06/1091732078038.html?oneclick=true