Tag Archives: mental illness

It was way too easy to find the background information needed for this blog. I use Google.com enough to consider Google a verb. This search was frighteningly easy. Recently, I cautioned against inaccurate and even dangerous information on the internet. The internet can be a fabulous tool to find the information you need to help you achieve your goals; but like most information, you have to consider the source and accuracy of the information presented.

The DSM-IV classifies Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa as eating disorders, but there are a slew of websites that market these mental illnesses as lifestyle choices. The nicknames “Ana” and “Mia” for these disorders not only make them more user-friendly, but personify them as a friend to young girls. Pro-ana websites are being used as peer support groups to encourage weight loss beyond the limits of health. Whether it is an online community or an informational site, you are likely to find:

• Secrets on hiding these disorders and weight loss from parents, physicians, and others.

• Crash dieting techniques, low calorie foods, and recipes

• Ways to “trick” your body, avoid cravings, and ignore hunger (more…)