AnonymousOctober 26, 2013 at 1:25 AM
These tips are actually perfect
AnonymousNovember 15, 2013 at 9:42 AM
No these tips aren’t perfect carry on and you’ll end up sick or dead.
AnonymousDecember 1, 2013 at 9:19 PM
At least we will be thin.
AnonymousDecember 4, 2013 at 10:35 PM
Mind your own business! We are tired of not looking like we want. People treat us like crap ‘cause we are too fat and now that we are trying to be thin we get criticized.
The comments above are from a blog Pro-Ana web site, also known as a pro-anorexia site. The blog has tips about how to stay thin and not eat. The writer describes what she finds helpful to avoid eating and thinking about food. Users comment on the blog about how helpful or unhelpful the tips are for them. Many of the users disagree with one another and argue about whether or not the site is beneficial for people.
This blog is a typical way that adolescents receive information regarding how to lose weight and stay thin. Adolescents learn these tips and feel like it is normal because there are other people out there communicating with each other about how to starve themselves. This information is too readily available to young people and it can fuel their behavior.
It is important that parents closely monitor teens when they are using phones and computers. Teens have limited insight about how to sift through all the information that is available online. Parents cannot constantly monitor their children when they are using the internet but they can help to limit their access from certain websites. There should be house rules at home that help protect children from having constant access to inappropriate websites.
We should not overlook the effect that social media is having on today’s youth.
Rachael Thomas, LGPC – Therapist at The Body Image Therapy Center. If you would like to get in touch with Rachael please call 443-602-6515 or email [email protected].