pro-ana
There are, in fact, two separate
pro-ana "movements" - both of which function mostly via the Internet. One movement (let's call it
M1) attempts to
glamourize and glorify a horrifying disease (this would be the group that gets the most publicity); the other (
M2) acts as a support for those who suffer from
Anorexia Nervosa but are not yet "ready" to recover.If a person does not want to recover, no force on Earth can make him/her. Even if he/she is hospitalised and forced to gain weight, all he/she is going to do as soon as he/she is released is start over, anyway.M1 websites/communities encourage disordered eating and reinforce unrealistic ideals of
physical perfection, offering dangerous tips on how to lose weight faster. These are the groups that promote Anorexia as a "lifestyle choice".The goal of M2 websites/communities is to support and protect genuine sufferers, while also pursuading those seeking to develop an eating disorder to find safer ways to lose weight or simply to learn to love themselves as they are. These sites/groups often show examples of "bad tips" (eg. using a
Lifesavers mint tied to a piece of dental floss to self-induce vomiting, which is incredibly dangerous) and usually list ways to actually minimize the damage caused by long-term disordered eating and binge/purge behaviour (eg.
swilling/gargling bi-carb in water after purging to
neutralize acid in the mouth, taking multivitamin and mineral suppliments, etc.). M2 sites/groups discourage laxative,
diuretic and diet pill abuse, often giving graphic warnings of the long-term effects of these, while M1 sites/groups often encourage such dangerous habits.In short, some pro-ana sites/communities are having a positive effect on the growing epidemic of eating disorders, keeping many chronic sufferers from committing suicide or succumbing to complications of their illnesses; however, many, which encourage disordered eating and behavioural patterns, are fuelling this epidemic, destroying young lives and dividing families.
PRO-ANA is NOT just ONE movement.
pro-ana
by rieux on Nov 28, 2003 04:35:53
A movement, largely internet-based, that portrays
anorexia (and sometimes
bulimia; other eating disorders, such as compulsive
overeating, are not part of the pro-ana movement) as a lifestyle choice rather than a disease or disorder. Countless websites devoted to the concept have sprung up on the internet, and it has been the object of much (largely negative) media attention. The larger pro-ana sites tend to feature message boards, chat rooms, or other forums for communication. There is some distinction between sites: sites that are defensive of "ana" (this word is often associated with pro-ana individuals) as a positive lifestyle choice, those who advocate
eating disorder acceptance rather than active promotion of such disorders (these may not portray themselves as pro-ana), and sites that support anorexia without offering support to individuals attempting to "develop" the disorder.
Example:
She was so fiercly defendant of her
eating disorder that she started a pro-ana website to express her view of
anorexia as
a choice.
Though the site offers support to those suffering from eating disorders, it does not consider itself pro-ana.
pro-ana
by Lekvar on Jun 23, 2005 13:35:42
A term for a person or website that considers recovery for eating disorders such as
anorexia or
bulimia as a choice. Contrary to popular belief, these sites do not portray the diseases as
lifestyles, and most consider themselves as having an illness that they do not wish to treat at the present moment.
Example:
She wears a red
bracelet to show her support for the pro-ana movement.
She is
vehemently opposed to her inpatient
treatment because she still considers herself pro-ana.
pro ana
by FannyHanny on Oct 25, 2006 04:15:11
Someone who thinks
anorexia is a lifestyle and gets help from a
web community to achieve his/her
goals. Used to describe the internet anorexia movement.
Example:
Person: Oh,
anna looks so nice and skinny lately, what is her secret?
Friend: It's the new pro ana
diet! Try
to google it.
Pro-ana
by drumroll on Dec 16, 2022 21:21:00
a term most commonly seen on Ed twitter and occasionally on tumblr and tiktok, usually people between the ages of 14-23 encouraging others to starve themselves using
meanspo and
thinspo.
many of them have never been in the overweight bmi range, and some even start already underweight, those who do commonly shame others for their SW (starting weight) even if they are far below said SW
A lot of these people self identify as "fatphobic and proud" ( fat is usually anyone over a bmi of 18)
Pro ana idealologys have been in media since the 1980s (probably even before) and became popular in the early 2000s, which is why most definitions of
proana on this site made before 2017 will have positive undertones about the whole "movement", and those that paint it in a more negative light, will have a negative
like to dislike ratio.
Pro ana has picked up again in the last year with the popularity of the "
coquette" and "y2k" aesthetics, and models such as
bella hadid (who allegedly had a ed tumblr account a while back) and kate moss
however, the meaning of
pro-ana can range from raiding the profiles of those who arent thin enough and "harassing" them (i use this term lightly as its never really that bad and doesn't happen often) to simply complaining about the struggles that anorexia can cause and getting support and sympathy from others who can relate, or simply just posting food/outfit polls to take peoples mind of things.
Example:
@Sk1nnyB0nesC4ls: today i only had one cucumber and half a almond for dinner, im so esoteric,
femcel, dainty, Pro-ana ect
the eyes of ana are watching you fat piggy oink, i love making fats mad, omg i just hit
bmi 13 i still need to lose more though 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
sane person: please get help
pro-ana bracelet
by Miss Martha on Mar 18, 2007 09:28:25
a red beaded
bracelet that is worn by anorexics who are proud of their
eating disorder. It is a symbol known by almost all anorexics. An anorexic can easily identify another one if they are wearing this bracelet. The pro-ana bracelet is also worn by anorexics as a constant reminder to always
stay strong and avoid eating.
Example:
Girl 1: Maria looks too skinny. I didn't see her eat anything except a
carrot stick for lunch. I wonder if she has an
eating disorder.
Girl 2: Obviously Maria has
anorexia and is proud of it, she is wearing a red beaded pro-ana bracelet.