Diet magazines are a dime a dozen these days, as are pictures of photo shopped models and celebrities. The term “Don’t believe everything you read” best be applied to pictures as well these days. Although people may seem aware of the fact that all media photos are photo shopped these days, many fail to acknowledge that fact. Fashtastic has already had a full feature on so called Pro-anorexia websites, this time we’re looking at if pro-anorexia websites actually could trigger someone without an eating disorder to develop one.

Alicia is almost 16 years old, she lives in England and came across Pro-anorexia websites as she was coming in to her teens, for three years she devoted most of her time to visiting pro-anorexia websites. Pro-anorexia websites were what caused her to form a mild obsession with eating and exercising. She recalls visiting pro-anorexia websites for two or three hours a day, in between exercising to loose weight, she would devote even more time to them during the weekends. “During the weekend I was obsessed, I was always on them [pro-anorexia websites], up to 6 or 7 hours a day” she says.

Pro-anorexia websites include anything from pictures to quotes and comments from fellow people suffering from eating disorders. The websites are most often frequently updated with pictures of skinny models, celebrities and “real people” serving as inspiration to loose weight. “I got spurred on because people comforted me, and actually paid me compliments, I felt like I was worth something when I spoke to them. The pictures didn't do much for me. The quotes were worse; I always remember words so they would go round and round in my head. I think sometimes they still do.” Alicia explains.

Since leaving the pro-anorexia websites Alicia has not stopped trying to loose weight. She has always been underweight which has caused her to feel a certain amount of isolation from other people, as they have made fun of her for it. On this Alicia says; “Part of me always has slight niggles in my head. I stopped visiting the sites after talking to a friend that helped me cope…I'm still technically 'underweight' but that’s just it, I’ve always been underweight, and people laughed at me for it. On those sites I felt like I belonged, part of me stays in contact with the friends I made there. Some of them are messed up, and if me talking to them online stops them committing suicide then that's a relief to me”

Pro-anorexia websites are a serious danger to people suffering from an eating disorder but also, quite clearly, a danger to others as it can work as an encouragement for young girls to start loosing weight. Media, celebrities and models all work as triggering factors for teens feeling unhappy about their bodies. “I still buy gossip magazines with the ‘top 10 beach bodies’ and the ‘diet specials’ and I still compare myself to the skeletal pictures of Hollywood stars.” says Alicia. Without a doubt, Alicia is not alone when it comes to buying magazines for their “diet specials” or “top 10 beach bodies” features. Topics like this are a danger to young adults. During these past couple of years the media has had increasingly high coverage on diets, skinny celebrities and the “perfect bodies”. Moreover, all media pictures are being photo shopped to make the celebrity or model look slimmer and more “perfect” by altering complexions to create softer skin. These pictures give young adults the belief that the pictures are real and that the celebrities in fact are as ‘perfect’ as portrayed in the photos. These images also give them the idea that it is possible to achieve such a ‘perfect body’.

Alicia is living proof that pro-anorexia websites, media, celebrities and models can cause someone to pursue weight loss at unhealthy levels. One can only wonder why we do not do more to stop pro-anorexia websites and why we continue to alter photos making celebrities and models appear yet another couple sizes smaller. If this continues, my guess is that eventually, images will no longer exist in magazines, as they will be altered until only a blank sheet of paper is left.

Note: Names were changed in this article for privacy reasons.

Photography by Christina Eriksson