Pro-Ana Websites and our Social World; A Sociological Analysis of the Dangers of Social Media

Abstract

The objective of this MRP is to form an understanding of the impact and role of pro-anorexia websites. With a focus on the dangers and harms of the sites and the potentially beneficial aspects that users view. Thus, the research question that this paper will explore is: What roles could these websites play for individuals with body image and eating disorders? This paper highlights how pro-ana websites are an extreme and dangerous form of the Thin-Beauty-Ideal that is often seen in general popular media and wider society. And engages with the idea that pro-ana websites could be viewed by users as beneficial online spaces that connect individuals with support. The main findings that were discovered after engaging with the previously written literature were that pro-ana websites are dangerous and harmful as they are an extreme form of cultural norms of thinness. They encourage peer competition and peer pressure. And users self-deprecate to be seen as Authentic Anorexics. The second major finding was that users of pro-ana websites claimed that the sites offered potential benefits, including social support and a de-stigmatizing space; and useful practical information. Lastly, the third and final major finding was that pro-ana websites - while dangerous and harmful - are only a small factor in a much larger societal issue impacting eating disorder behaviors. In conclusion, pro-ana websites work mostly to harm individuals who suffer from anorexia, but they have the potential to help with social support and these websites are only a fraction of a much larger issue. Clinicians and society must build better support systems for individuals who suffer from disordered eating, allowing them to feel safer in other spaces and less reliant on pro-ana websites.