Cult-Like Lure of 'Ana' Attracts Anorexics

[mojo1701]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/worshipping_ana

I cannot express my disenfranchisement towards the human race enough. I couldn't choose, so I said 'Weird.'

 

[The_Universe]

Sick.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Most definitely sick!

 

[Henry]

"I'd tell them about Ana and how she's a real person to me. And they'd just look at me like I'm nuts,"

There's a reason for that.

 

[ForceUser]

Wow. That's frightening. It's also quite sad.

 

[EricNoah]

People will do anything to rationalize their own behavior. It's so hard to step outside of yourself and see yourself as the world sees you. Which is also the crux of anorexia itself, as I understand it.

 

[Aeson]

I think we need to help people focus on being healthy not just thin. I need to lose weight (a lot of weight) and I hope I'll be able to stop once I reach my goal. Our culture pushes thinner is better.

 

[Henry]

People will do anything to rationalize their own behavior. It's so hard to step outside of yourself and see yourself as the world sees you. Which is also the crux of anorexia itself, as I understand it.

I wouldn't be concerned if one didn't see oneself as the world does; egotistical or shy people I can handle. It's the ones who have so little self-worth as to damage themselves in that capacity that frustrate me, because it is nigh-impossible to get them to see the truth, short of a near-death experience, and even then some continue to do it after they are shown the truth. I don't doubt there are probably those with the disorder or who used to have it who frequent these very boards, and maybe they could explain better how it gets to that point, but it's such a hard thing to understand that it's frustrating that a human being could go to those lengths, in a "You're supposed to breathe AIR!!!!" kind of way.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

A friend that lived in my suite in college had some problems with eating disorders. Her boyfriend was mentally abusive and had her convinced that, despite the fact that she was 5'6" and weighed under 110 pounds, she was fat. My suitemates I and I devoted a considerable amount of time trying to first convince her to lose the boyfriend, and then to build up her own self-esteem and self-confidence and convince her to get professional help.

It was a frightening thing to deal with, both the problems of my friend, and the very stong urge I had to kick the s--t out of her boyfriend.

 

[Angcuru]

"I gotta snap out of this eventually if I want to have kids and get a job. One day, I'll get to that point," she says, pausing. "But I'll always obsess about food."

Yeah, 'cause you kind of have to be SANE if you want to attract a mate and oversee the development of your offspring.

It's because of stuff like this that I personally recommendthat people get regular(quarter/bi-annual) psychological evaluations. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, so what's your excuse?