Men and women struggling with anorexia need a support system. They need a group of friends or family, a therapist or doctor, who will help them accept their disease and move toward a healthy lifestyle. “Pro Ana” websites – a place where people struggling with this disease applaud each other and promote weight loss – are limiting a demographic that could be taking steps to recovery.

One online forum (of which I am sure there are many) promoting this kind of message is a website called MyProAna.com.  A quick search of this site displays mainly teenage, female users discussing a whole range of anorexia-related topics in a forum format.

What could have been a website to lend a helping hand is instead a wasteland that could be responsible for putting people near death.

My Pro Ana claims it exists to help people on their weight loss journey. However, the difference between a weight loss journey and a mental disease is skipping meals and wearing yourself thin to the bone rather than exercising to a healthy weight and body mass index.

Anorexia is about control for many people. It is also about fear. Fear of disapproval, fear of weight gain, fear of self. Herding a bunch of vulnerable people together to promote a disease that can kill is disgusting. Giving men and women who strive for the perfection of a body with no fat a place to feed into their addiction is shameful. These people need help, not a gateway to their problem.

Scrolling through discussions on My Pro Ana, it is easy to find numerous recipes for very low-calorie “meals” and exercises to lose weight in desirable areas. Many people post their low weights, shame themselves for eating, and share stories of times they felt fat. Some people joined the forum at more than 200 or 300 pounds (where the weight loss journey aspect of the site comes into play). Although losing weight can be healthy, starving yourself or limiting yourself to 400 calories a day (as some people on the site admit to), is not the proper way to do so.

The other thing happening on My Pro Ana is the sale of red bracelets. Instead of maybe raising money to help find resources for people in need, these bracelets are to promote anorexia and bring identity to those in the community of “Pro Ana.” It hurts to know we live in a world where people think wearing a red bracelet will unite a community of people who need help. When you are struggling with anorexia it is hard to see that, which is why using this website for good rather than evil would make a world of a difference.

We can not kick My Pro Ana off the web, but we can offer help, understanding, and resources to those in need. People suffering from anorexia need to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that people will love and support them no matter their BMI.