Ana and Mia - no hunger for life
In Switzerland, one in five girls suffers from an eating disorder. With the help of digital media, many sufferers join together in pro-ana or pro-mia groups. Ana stands for anorexia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, Mia for bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder.
The programmes have deliberately friendly-sounding names. They are mostly run by people with eating disorders who want neither a cure nor therapy. On the contrary: they elevate anorexia to a lifestyle, pursue anorexia with dedication and go deeper and deeper into addiction.
For example, the young women confirm that they are doing badly on their way to their dream weight, but that the ordeal is worth it. To this end, they typically set up laws, creeds or ten commandments that preach only one thing: Being thin is above all else - including health.
Good and evil
The rules in Ana groups are strict. Food is categorised into good and bad. The teenagers are not allowed to eat the bad ones at all, the good ones only in a controlled manner and preferably not in combination. They should drink a sip of water after every bite - this increases the feeling of fullness. Counting calories accurately and weighing yourself several times a day are just as much a part of the rules as doing lots of sport.
It is also recommended to document everything precisely in an Ana diary. So-called «Thinspirations», or «Thinspo» for short, serve as motivation. These are pictures of young women who have already achieved their «dream weight» and serve as role models. The pictures usually show sections of the legs, stomach and bottom. Different criteria apply to the individual body parts: the thighs, for example, must not touch each other when the legs are closed; on the contrary, the gap should be as wide as possible - this trend is known as the «thigh gap».
Starve together in the WhatsApp group
Joining a group, for example on WhatsApp, is subject to conditions. First of all, you have to disclose a lot of personal data: your BMI, highest and lowest weight, your history of suffering and any hospitalisations and therapies. Once you have been accepted, you usually have to post regular pictures - of your feet on the scales, of yourself in your underwear.
If you are looking for a personal companion, you can visit the so-called «twin exchange» in numerous forums. This is where young people post adverts and look for like-minded people who are roughly the same size and have the same goals.
Eating disorders in the age of digitalisation
Anorexia and bulimia are not new. However, digital media are giving the diseases a new dynamic: like-minded people find each other more quickly, feel understood and encouraged. Their negative self-image and already distorted body image are reinforced, creating a dangerous vicious circle that drives the girls further and further into the illness. As part of a group, they find it difficult to recognise the illness as such, to give up the community and to strive for a cure.
On Medienstark you will find tips and interactive learning modules for the competent use of digital media in everyday family life.
