Un-Support Groups: Anorexic Clubs
Surprisingly studies have found that anorexics, as well as people with some other eating disorders, often band together in secretive clubs or cults. These cults are surprisingly structured, and are a way for people to relate to others like them. A sense of belonging is another main reason anorexics turn to these groups. Cults or clubs, whatever you call them, can be very dangerous when unhealthy activity is promoted as acceptable or even encouraged.
When suffering from an eating disorder, young adults often feel very alone. Their eating problems alienate them from friends and family, feeding into the problem. Many people with eating disorder have or develop depression or anxiety. Cults that promote eating disorders give these people a sense that they are not alone. This can be a good thing, but the message from the cult is that the eating disorder can continue as a productive part of a person’s life. Eating disorders are very dangerous, resulting many times in death, so these cults should be shut down as often as possible
Eating disorder cults have migrated to the online realm. Mostly teenage girls go onto blogs and email others for this sense of belonging. Sharing tips on how to shed pounds, and ridiculing those who don’t lose weight are also common activities for those who have connected through their eating disorders.
There is a movement called the “pro-Ana” movement, where Ana represents anorexia. People in the movement take an almost political like stand against those who do not accept their ways. Ana is seen as a higher power that dictates when an anorexic can eat. Ana also rewards a person when they lose weight and mocks them when they fail to meet their dangerous goals.
On some web sites anorexia is even beginning to develop as a religion. Prayers, psalms, moonlight rituals, and pro-anorexia commandments have all begun to appear and spread throughout the eating disorder underground. Red string bracelets are even sold online now to promote anorexia kinship.
Everyone from doctors to webmasters are now beginning to show their concerns about the dangerous atmosphere these sites promote. Unfortunately, there is not a lot the law can do to stop these groups, because it is difficult to prove their exact influences on others. After all, no one is making anyone else do anything; it is simply a negative support system. Like websites that promote suicide and drug use, anorexia cults on the Internet and otherwise can be very harmful, so watch closely over teens and others susceptible to being influenced by these cults.
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