Why Ana Blogs Are Harmful
It took me a long time to realize this, and yes, I used to have a thinspo blog. (It got terminated about a month ago, and it’s probably the best thing that ever happened to me.) When I was part of the problem, I couldn’t see that it was a problem at all—but I see it now.
Eating disorder blogs are harmful. No matter what. And even if you don’t think you’re promoting unhealthy behaviors, your blog is glamorizing your self destruction; making it seem like an appealing option.
“But I’m not pro-eating disorder! This is just for my own motivation!”
If it was just for you, why can you just save pictures to your phone? Why can’t you just look at thinspo on the Internet? Do you know why? Because as much as you think it’s just for you, it’s not. You get that happy rush when your posts get notes, when you gain followers. You feel proud when you update your weight in your bio. You want people to see it. Eating disorders are competitive illnesses, and you want to make sure everyone knows how you’re doing in that twisted competition.
“But I don’t post tips, just thinspo!”
Thinspo by itself is harmful enough. And when you pair it with captions about how you wish you looked like that, how fat you are or how guilty you feel for eating, you are sending a strong message: skinny is good; starving is good. Once you put that message in someone’s mind, it’s not hard for them to figure out how to starve themselves. You might not be posting tips, but they can find them.
“But they’d just get an eating disorder anyway!”
Maybe they would. Maybe they wouldn’t. Maybe if my fourteen year old self hadn’t stumbled upon some pro-ana blogs on tumblr, she wouldn’t have thought to channel her negative feelings into hating her body. Maybe she wouldn’t be tracking her calories or crying over pizza and muffins three years later.
“But I have a trigger warning!”
Do you really think that keeps everyone away? Sometimes people want to be triggered, because they’re in the same boat as you. Your blog is triggering you, and the sooner you learn that, the better.
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