Who is at fault?

Something that really frustrates me about pro-ana sites is that many of those using them are not using them because they have an eating disorder, but because they want one. It is sick, I know. There are people logging on who are not diagnosed with a disease, but are subjecting themselves to the putdowns, the sick images, the vast array of diet tips and tricks because they WANT to become anorexic or bulimic…who knows, maybe they’ll get lucky and become BOTH! Oh, and wouldn’t that just be so joyous for them!

“Look ma, I have anorexia AND bulimia! The website came free with a purchase of Trimspa and ipecac!”

I don’t know if I can really blame these people for going to these measures. I came across an interesting statistic today. Interesting meaning a myriad of things here…surprising, fascinating, disturbing, scary… It definitely gives some validity to the mindset of these people who are so self-conscious and unhappy with themselves that they try to contract an eating disorder…like it’s the fucking flu or something. Nevertheless, here is some of what I found.

I was reading a blog about negative body image, and the writer stated that 80% of women feel lowered self esteem and heightened insecurity and depression after viewing images of “perfect beauty”. Also, after just 3 minutes of looking at a fashion magazine, 75% of women felt depressed, guilty, and shameful. And even more, less than 200 seconds of looking through an issue of Vogue, in addition to feeling depressed, 98% of women felt guilty and shameful.

I definitely recommend checking out some more posts from that blog, it does a fabulous job of exposing the truth behind out media’s “perfect beauty.”

These findings are so upsetting to me. They make my stomach hurt and my heart ache for these people. But what do I know, I should probably be feeling guilty, shameful, depressed, and insecure right now since I am eating a sandwich, and God knows the woman on the Marie Claire cover by my bed doesn’t eat things like sandwiches.