Surfing a Thin Line

Anorexia and the Internet

By Kelly Burgess

Shannon Bonnette may be the exception to what experts say is the rule. She claims that pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia sites on the Internet, also known as pro-ana and pro-mia, are what made her realize that she had a serious problem and if she didn't get help she was probably going to die.

"It was the dangers, not the tips or tricks or even the 'thinspiration' that I was unaware of even in my late teens and early 20s," says Bonnette, now 27. "For example, I never really considered the possibility that an anorexic could drop dead from an electrolyte imbalance. I always figured you slowly starved until you died, and I'd know long before I was in that much danger."

What's most chilling about Bonnette's epiphany is that it didn't come until she was in her early 20s, just when the Internet was becoming readily accessible to the general population. Her eating disorder started when she was 8.

One of the most alluring features of the Internet is its ability to bring together like-minded people for support and encouragement of their lifestyles and hobbies. In some cases, these may not be lifestyles or hobbies that are particularly healthy or socially acceptable, such as anorexia and bulimia. Dr. Edward Cumella, director of research for Remuda Ranch, a treatment center for eating disorders, says anorexics use these sites to validate their anorexia and share their experiences. Because their disorder is so all-encompassing, no one but another anorexic can appreciate what they're going through.

"Many people with eating disorders, especially advanced eating disorders, are isolated by choice," says Dr. Cumella. "At first, people say they look great but as their weight loss continues, they begin to look thin and unhealthy and the same people who complimented them begin to be repelled by their appearance. The anorexic begins to feel that no one understands them because everyone around them is telling them they have lost too much weight. They are looking for someone to understand the energy they put into being anorexic."

Want to see more?

• Disordered Eating and the Dieting Game: The "Thin" Line Teens Cross When Abusing Diet and Exercise
• Eating Disorders in the Spotlight: An Interview With Eve Eliot
• Fatal Trend: Pro-Anorexia Web Sites
• Talk about it!