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Presentation opens on touchy subject By Allison Kowalski Scholars Day has rolled around again. Classes are suspended and replaced with optional informative presentations. To sleep or to be scholarly … that is the question. One presentation, titled “The Thin Club,” divulged secrets about how anorexia and bulimia are supported online and are actually becoming a fad for teenage girls. Because many girls, or guys, with either of these diseases don’t like talking to their friends about it, why not go online instead? It’s really the perfect solution. It’s completely anonymous, you can write exactly what you are feeling and going through, and chances are good that there are people just like you who will support you in your unfortunate endeavors toward unhealthy weight loss. Rachel Howe, the presenter, said she had been keeping up with one girl’s Xanga journal for about three years now and found her entries to be upsetting. After learning that people are actually encouraging each other to “stay strong” and “think thin” through blogs, I decided to check this out for myself. In order to view all these journals I had to become a member. This was not difficult at all — a few clicks and a creative username and I was in. I simply typed in the word “anorexia” and was shocked to find more than 4,000 links to journals that discussed this topic. I clicked on one of the first links and began reading. It was obvious this girl needed help. Although she is in counseling she said, “I don’t even know if I want to get better … I’m so used to it.” During the presentation the question “Shouldn’t Xanga be responsible for telling parents of these teens about their disorders?” was raised. Howe said Xanga has been shutting down blog rings that are obviously supporting anorexia/bulimia, but the creators of the site cannot shut down blogs and are not responsible for telling parents what their child is posting online. There wouldn’t even be a way to contact them in most cases, because the only information you need to give when signing up for a blog is your name, which could easily be made up, and an e-mail address. Dr. Kate Madden, communication professor and member of the audience, also shared that the Supreme Court decided that the Internet has the same freedom as print, and therefore there is nothing that anyone can do about blogs. Think one of your friends may be anorexic? According to www.helpguide.org, these are some signs to be aware of: dieting despite being thin, obsession with calories, fat grams and nutrition, pretending to eat or lying about eating, preoccupation with food and strange or secretive food rituals. The symptoms of bulimia are different, however. They include going to the bathroom after meals, using laxatives, enemas, or diuretics, the smelling like vomit and excessive exercising. People with anorexia or bulimia will most likely not turn to their friends for help, so if you see signs of either of these diseases in any of your friends or family members, step up and confront them about it. You will not be doing any damage and, in fact, you may save someone’s life. These support groups online can be a destructive thing. People with these conditions need to get help, not be positively reinforced through comments on Xanga that say what they’re doing is healthy and reasonable. Keep your eyes open for the previously mentioned symptoms in anyone you are concerned about and don’t be afraid to offer your help to them. People with these issues could be desperate for help, but are just afraid to ask. They may actually find your concern comforting and you could help change their life forever. |
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