Comments on: Not Pro-Ana: The Online Sisterhood of Eating Disorders

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:20:54 +0000

Where can I find one of these support groups online? I am really in need of some support from people who are in the same boat as me. Any suggestions would be highly, highly appreciated.

thanks!

By: Nora

Nora — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:53:05 +0000

“The goal of a woman with anorexia is to become as light as air, to be pure spirit. She doesn’t seem to understand that to diminish the body so thoroughly means death.”

I disagree. I’ve seen a very high level of self awareness amongst the young ladies who have this goal. Many are wishing for death, welcoming death, or not afraid of it.

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By: Claire

Claire — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:27:17 +0000

I have been a member of a site like the one’s described in this article for the past 8 years. Although I am not as active on the site as I once was, I absolutely credit the site with my decision to go into recovery.

I developed Anorexia Nervosa at the age of 8, I have struggled with the condition for the past 30 years. When I first joined the Eating Disorder’s Support Site I am a member of, I was ambivalent about Recovery at best. The more I was allowed to talk about my disorder, and seek support; however, and the more I saw other members going into recovery, the more I wanted it for myself. A seed of hope was planted, not by people telling me ‘you can’t post that’, ‘you can’t talk about that’, but by open, honest, non judgmental, and unconditional support.

I’ve now been in full recovery for 6 years. Against all expectations from Medical Professionals and Therapists, not only have I been weight and nutrition restored for that entire time, I am also continuing to make good progress towards over coming my Eating Disorder completely. As a side note, almost all Doctors and Therapists more or less told me to ‘give up’, I was too chronic a case to ever recover. The members of my support site never gave up on me though; they were the ones who told me to keep going, to never give up, and to prove the Doctors wrong.

I can honestly say, I truly believe if I had never joined one of these sites, I would not be where I am today – in recovery, and finally reclaiming my life after 3 decades.

By: Joanna Poppink, MFT

Joanna Poppink, MFT — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:34:42 +0000

Thank you for sharing this important information.
The more we know about the problem the better chance we have a solving or resolving it.

I know of one such “support group” site that has over 55,000 active members. We are talking about vast numbers of girls and women suffering with no ability to get on a path to recovery.

“Looks like an angel” is a symptomatic expression. The goal of a woman with anorexia is to become as light as air, to be pure spirit. She doesn’t seem to understand that to diminish the body so thoroughly means death.

We need to find new and profound ways of penetrating this anorexic wall of life denial to bring healing to what needs to be healed so these women can take their place in the world as sturdy, healthy, beautiful beings of substance, not gossamer.

Joanna Poppink, MFT
Los Angeles psychotherapist
author: Healing Your Hungry Heart, to be released 08/11 by Conari Press