The Harmful Emergence Of Pro-Bulimia Attitudes
by
Thomas Morva ARTICLE REPRINTING IS PERMITTED
Though bulimia is classified as an eating disorder, not everyone with bulimia feels like they have a disorder. Some view bulimia and anorexia as lifestyles -- chosen lifestyles.
People with bulimia and anorexia are terrified or shamed by the thought of getting fat or even eating. They have an unhealthy body image and feel that, no matter how they actually look, they are overweight. People with bulimia may binge on food, but then they either vomit after meals, abuse laxatives, or exercise excessively. People with anorexia starve themselves. Ninety percent of eating disorders are in women, many in their teens.
Pro-bulimia and pro-anorexia groups reside on the Internet. Web sites and message boards run by mostly teenage girls are devoted to "Ana," short for "anorexia," and "Mia," short for "bulimia." Many of these Web sites use nutritional information to plan diets like, for example, how to eat the needed requirements of vitamins and minerals in the fewest of calories. Other sections teach the reader how to eat the fewest calories in a day, how to hide anorexia or bulimia from other people, and other information to, essentially, make having an eating disorder more efficient.
To the people who are pro-bulimia and pro-anorexia, eating disorders are a choice. Many Web sites include pages dedicated to "thinsperation," quotes, art, and pictures of skinny or obese people to encourage readers to lose weight. The Web sites are support groups to the people who use them.
Many people, however, find the pro-bulimia and pro-anorexia pages disturbing. Eating disorder treatment professionals have debated how to best handle the people who view their eating disorder as a lifestyle. Some have argued that these Web sites should be shut down, but others say this will not fix the problem, and that women have been talking about weight with each other for ages.
The best solution to these Web sites, many professionals say, is to try to change the culture that creates women who feel too fat. Young women -- and men -- should be praised for their accomplishments, not their appearance. Healthy appetites and body images should be encouraged, and teenagers should receive love and support from the adults close to them.
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Bulimia Info provides detailed information about the causes, symptoms, and effects of bulimia; bulimia treatment and recovery; the relationship between anorexia and bulimia; and information about the "pro bulimia" viewpoint. Bulimia Info is affiliated with
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Eating Disorders Additional Eating Disorders Articles
Main Causes of Bulimia Bulimia may be caused by a genetic component. Certain genes may predispose a person to developing bulimia. Bulimia appears to run in families -- people with relatives suffering from bulimia have a higher frequency of developing bulimia. This may, however, have more to do with family influences and role models than genetics
The Link Between Anorexia and Bulimia Young women and men sometimes starve themselves. It doesn't matter how thin they may be -- in their internal mirror, they are fat. Or they may so afraid of gaining weight, yet so desperately hungry, that they eat and eat until they feel so guilty that they must vomit up all the food.
The Effects of Bulimia One of the most marked effects of bulimia is on the teeth and mouth. Frequent vomiting brings up stomach acid into the mouth, eroding teeth's enamel. Cavities and gum infections are common in people with bulimia.
The Bulimia Recovery Process Support groups for Bulimia have become a crucial step in bulimia recovery. Local support groups can be found online, in the phonebook, or through a mental health professional, such as a school counselor or psychiatrist.
What are the Symptoms of Bulimia? Bulimia is identified by two characteristic behaviors: bingeing and purging. The person with bulimia then purges him or herself by inducing vomiting, excessively exercising, or by using laxatives.
