TogetherweR Thursdays: Eating Disorders, Internet Support & the ANAMIA Study Going on NOW!

TogetherweR Thursdays: Eating Disorders, Internet Support & the ANAMIA Study Going on NOW! – The Internet is an indispensable resource for those with chronic illnesses (mental and physical) who are isolated from people in their offline social sphere. I know this to be true personally because I am disabled and rarely leave my home. Were it not for online connections, I would be cut off from others completely in a very damaging way. In the case of eating disorder sufferers, social situations are particularly challenging because of anxiety/insecurity and also the virtually ubiquitous presence of food. Perhaps most importantly, ED’s are not a socially acceptable topic (for sufferers OR people in general). There is a lot of stigma and discomfort regarding the discussion of eating disorders. Even ED sufferers who have close relationships offline (with family or friends) often voice difficulty when it comes to sharing about their ED. How is the Internet uniquely suited to ED sufferers for garnering support? We can connect with relative anonymity; on OUR terms; log off or not even log in when not up to it; and connect with other sufferers for support. The most compelling reason, perhaps, is that one can search for and encounter individuals who suffer with the same conditions. In an offline social sphere, people are much more hesitant to violate personal and social boundaries to share about their private plight. Here, we can find others who suffer similarly! Okay, the dreaded issue now: ProAna Sites. Why do ED sufferers go? Principally, to network with other sufferers …

Eating–Disorders Guideline Still Current and Valid, Panel Finds

Filed under: help eating disorders

Their review of the practice guideline and recent treatment research are available on APA's Web site under the title “Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for Treatment of Patients With Eating Disorders–Third Edition.” Yager's coauthors are Michael …
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