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Weight Loss Forum / Low Carb / February 2005Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI)
Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI) Fri Feb 18, 5:48 PM ET Local - WDIV ClickOnDetroit.com They look like any bracelet you might buy at the mall. You probably wouldn't even notice if your child started wearing one, but these are not just any bracelet. They are a sign of membership in a disturbing world of underground Web sites, which connect people who share a dangerous passion. "They are encouraging people to be ill and it's like a secret cult, a secret society. Word spreads around and people have a lingo now," said Lynne Grege of the National Eating Disorders Association. The lingo includes nicknames like Ana and Mia. The cute names may sound innocent, but they aren't. Bracelets sell for about $20 on a web site called www.bluedragonfly.org and if you spot your child wearing one, you may have no idea what it means. Parents Local 4 spoke to said they thought the bracelets were just a teenage fad, but finding out what the fad was all about shocked them. They realized the teenagers were engaged in a practice that could be a matter of life and death. Local 4 discovered that the inconspicuous bracelets are actually a secret signal for people with eating disorders and other destructive behaviors. Red bracelets represent anorexia, purple is for bulimia and black and blue is for self injury, such as cutting and self mutilation. The nickname Ana is for anorexia and Mia is for bulimics. Eve Rosenblum, 18, owns one of the secret bracelets. The Royal Oak teenager has struggled with anorexia since she was 12 years old. She visits Web sites like Blue Dragon fly almost every day. "They understand. They don't think it's like horrible and they don't think you should get better," said Rosenblum. The Web sites don't discourage eating disorders. Lila's Good Health reports they encourage the behavior of people who want to keep starving themselves. The Blue Dragonfly Web site lists the first names and hometowns of girls who have ordered the secret bracelets. There's Kristina from Clarkston, Jessica from Inkster, Rachelle from Canton, and more. Visitors post messages encouraging each other's weight loss and even offer tips on how to purge quieter. The Web site features pictures of emaciated women. They call it "Thinspiration." They are pictures designed to inspire girls to lose more weight. Girls that Local 4 spoke to said the anorexia bracelets are more than a secret sign of membership. They use them to motivate themselves not to eat. "If you're going to eat something and you see the bracelet on your arm, you'll stop yourself and say I don't want that," said Rosenblum. Ok, not trusting the pop media, I spent a few minutes checking out bluedragonfly. It, at first glance, appears to be something like AA - it wants to be a way for people with eating disorders to find emotional support so that they can deal with their issues. Although it was odd that the first page says "I, nor this site, are trying to help anyone kill themselves." I are trying? I suspect a "neither" is missing at the beginning, but it's a bad omen. Of course, I can also believe that people can and will abuse anything to their own ends, even a support site (witness our own regular trolls). As for the use of blue dragonflies as mascots, I've seen them eat. They eat anything smaller than they are, they're very efficient hunters, and even though they're only four inches long they're one of the meanest (in a good way) looking bugs I've seen. Imagine a four inch long Apache attack helicopter ;-) They're also very friendly to us humans - they stay at least a foot away at all times, unless you hold out a finger for them to land on, which they will. Dragonflies come in a range of colors - blue, green, orange, black, and purple have been spotted in our yard. In NH the seasons are broken up by more than just temperature. May is black fly season - little black dots that swarm around you by the thousands. Black fly season ends when the dragonflies hatch, then it's dragonfly season :-) (but hunting season for black flies!) We like dragonflies. > Ok, not trusting the pop media, I spent a few minutes checking out > bluedragonfly. It, at first glance, appears to be something like AA - > it wants to be a way for people with eating disorders to find > emotional support so that they can deal with their issues. It's not targeted at recovery, though, which AA is. The goal is to provide a "judgment-free environment" for people with eating disorders. Much of the discussion on the messageboards is in the vein of "I'm starting a 10-day fast, who's with me?" One very regular poster posted today: "Our group has directly been outed. So has the purpose of our bracelets. Im not going anywhere, & as soon as the heat is off, most of the flies will return. They just dont feel comfortable with all the flooder-flamers & lurkers on right now. Stick around, It will pass." There's a lot of discussion on the board about a new "secret site" that the bluedragonfly.org mods are providing the link to longstanding members (because of the "outing", and posters are expressing frustration with the climate: "I've heard talk...Of cracking down on the por-ana "underground", but I havent really seen much? Is it just talk, or are they really shutting some people down?" Some other posts from today that are pretty typical of the usual tenor of discussion: "Hey there!! I reached gw by restricting like a hawk. I am a lazy gal, so except for house cleaning and running after the kids and a lot of ab excersizes, I did not really exercise, though I am going to start cardio today. I had some days when I binged or b/p, but I continued to loose. I hit a plateau at 112 and fought through it by upping, than lowering my cals. I restricted to @ 500-700 cals a day, which surprizingly I had a very full menu." "I just had lunch, a cup of chicken broth made with a low-sodium boullion cube and 3 cubes of tofu, I stalk of celery. It was good and I am hoping that I will be full for the rest of the day. Oh, also 3 glasses of water." Whether or not the intention of the person who began and maintains bluedragonfly.org is to encourage "pro-ana" (i.e., pro-anorexia) behavior, the fact is that bluedragonfly.org message boards have been a big place for pro-ana discussion (like threads on "how to fake a higher weight at your doctors'" and "ways to deceive parents that you've been eating"), and that the famous bracelets are worn by many young women, and some young men, as a sign of pride in their active anorexia. It's ***so**** not like AA! Imagine an AA meeting at which people exchanged tips on, say, how to fake your way through a sobriety test, or excitedly told everyone about an extra-cheap brand of vodka... T. Hi, Punch "bluedragonfly.org" into Google and look under the "images" on the menu to get a look at the bracelets mentioned in the article. Those of us with daughters in this age range need to be aware of what to look for. As for the larger issue of pro-ana sites, it's sad, but what can you do? If you become aware of a friend or family member who is struggling with anorexia and/or bulimia you can try and get them help, but in the end you can't make them get well. They have to find their own reason to want to live. Take care all, Carmen  SignaturePlease note change in Reply To address carmensrt <at> gmail <dot> com Hotmail isn't working and is being abandoned > Hi, > Punch "bluedragonfly.org" into Google and look under the "images" on [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > but in the end you can't make them get well. They have to find their > own reason to want to live. I agree. However, I think it's important for parents and loved ones of people with eating disorders to be fully informed about what "pro-ana" sites are about. To confuse them with "pro-recovery" sites isn't likely to be helpful. Sadly, one of the places that people with eating disorders find the most reinforcement for their disordered behavior is from the other inpatients in poorly run eating disorder treatment units--I base this on my own adolescent experience, and on a number of first-person accounts by people who have experienced anorexia, such as "Wasted" by Marya Hornbacher and "Stick Figure" by Lori Gottlieb. T. -but isn't their motivation and drive inspiring? Those of us with high BMIs could learn from them. [snip] > Whether or not the intention of the person who began and maintains > bluedragonfly.org is to encourage "pro-ana" (i.e., pro-anorexia) [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > T. > -but isn't their motivation and drive inspiring? "Motivation and drive" != "mental illness" > Those of us with high BMIs could learn from them. I have been overweight, and I have been anorexic, and overweight is healthier. T. <discussing anorexic and bulimic behaviors> > -but isn't their motivation and drive inspiring? > > Those of us with high BMIs could learn from them. Think about it Cubit. Motivation and drive towards self-destructive weight expressed behavior landed more than a few folks in *here*. The anorexic and bulimic folks just got a different physical outcome. Carmen SignaturePlease note change in Reply To address carmensrt <at> gmail <dot> com Hotmail isn't working and is being abandoned I plead ignorance to the degree of self-destruction in this. I regret using the word "inspiring." I had assumed they stopped doing it, once they looked like a super-model. > <discussing anorexic and bulimic behaviors> > > -but isn't their motivation and drive inspiring? [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Carmen > -but isn't their motivation and drive inspiring? > > Those of us with high BMIs could learn from them. ???? Amazing comment. > [snip] >> Whether or not the intention of the person who began and maintains [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >> >> T. >-but isn't their motivation and drive inspiring? >Those of us with high BMIs could learn from them. Hmmm. Maybe it could inspire and motivate successful non-purging binge eaters. Lee Rodgers Lowcarb Retreat http://www.lowcarb.org CHAT http://www.lowcarb.org/parachat.html Low-Carb Connoisseur http://www.low-carb.com In the site creator's own words (from an archived page of June, 2003): "Hey! I found this old acronym I had made up for "b.l.u.e.d.r.a.g.o.n.f.l.y.o.r.g." Believe Living Under Emaciated Dimensions Reduces All Griefs. Only Necessity Fills Life. You Own Restraint! Grr!" On the same page: "One of the submission e-mails as to the meaning of "dragonfly" gave some interesting facts on dragonflies themselves. I loved this one line: 'There's a reason they've lived for so long without changing much ...they didn't have to change much because they're good at what they do.'" Sigh. >The Web site features pictures of emaciated women. They call it >"Thinspiration." They are pictures designed to inspire girls to lose >more weight. I couldn't find the pictures. Maybe you have to be a registered member for that. Cubit 311/189.3/165 I found some "Thinspiration" photos. This is seriously gross. http://tinyurl.com/5mb8l I had been thinking these girls were trying to look like models. These photos suggest that they really are self-destructive. They are not just dropping fat. They are dropping muscle. ew! > >The Web site features pictures of emaciated women. They call it > >"Thinspiration." They are pictures designed to inspire girls to lose [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Cubit > 311/189.3/165 > I found some "Thinspiration" photos. This is seriously gross. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > These photos suggest that they really are self-destructive. They are > not just dropping fat. They are dropping muscle. ew! this is scary in the extreme. Do you still stand behind your former statement? >> >The Web site features pictures of emaciated women. They call it >> >"Thinspiration." They are pictures designed to inspire girls to lose [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >> Cubit >> 311/189.3/165 here people look like that starve to death because they are so poor. but here are people that choose to do it. for vanity. well then it becomes a mental disease. but still how can society get so screwed up? SignatureKnight-Toolworks & Custom Planes Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions. > here people look like that starve to death because they are so poor. but here > are people that choose to do it. for vanity. well then it becomes a mental > disease. but still how can society get so screwed up? No one besides those anorexics is "screwed up" with anorexia. Signature223/173.0/180 >>here people look like that starve to death because they are so poor. but here >>are people that choose to do it. for vanity. well then it becomes a mental >>disease. but still how can society get so screwed up? > > No one besides those anorexics is "screwed up" with anorexia. Others get screwed up by other stuff. Everybody is screwed up in one way or another anyway. :: Ignoramus15794 wrote: :: [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] :: Others get screwed up by other stuff. Everybody is screwed up in :: one way or another anyway. Some people are seriously screwed up. > :: Ignoramus15794 wrote: > :: [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Some people are seriously screwed up. Those depicted in the photographs shown in the link above are (or were?) seriously screwed up. In one photo the stomach has all but disappeared - I wonder where the internal organs have gone. Sigh. > this is scary in the extreme. Do you still stand behind your former > statement? I'm not comfortable with my former use of the word "inspiring," since they are being self-destructive. However, there is something to be learned in their very (too) successful efforts. I had thought they just lacked a natural desire for food, but as I read the quotations, I realized that they often are enduring hunger to achieve their goal. JC would appreciate this, I think. I appreciate a healthy body. HTH SignatureMost people are dumb as bricks; some people are dumber than that. -- MFW >> this is scary in the extreme. Do you still stand behind your former >> statement? [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > their > goal. JC would appreciate this, I think. > I found some "Thinspiration" photos. This is seriously gross. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > photos suggest that they really are self-destructive. They are not just > dropping fat. They are dropping muscle. ew! I have not seen uglier women in quite a while. I will repost your link to another newsgroup, if you do not mind. i >> >The Web site features pictures of emaciated women. They call it >> >"Thinspiration." They are pictures designed to inspire girls to lose [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >> Cubit >> 311/189.3/165 Signature223/173.0/180 Feel free to repost.... > > I found some "Thinspiration" photos. This is seriously gross. > > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >> Cubit > >> 311/189.3/165 > I found some "Thinspiration" photos. This is seriously gross. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > photos suggest that they really are self-destructive. They are not just > dropping fat. They are dropping muscle. ew! They're anorexics, you moron. What the f.ck did you think was going on? >Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI) >Fri Feb 18, 5:48 PM ET [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >secret society. Word spreads around and people have a lingo now," said >Lynne Grege of the National Eating Disorders Association. Quoted from the site in question: ... Tips are to give you fresh ideas on how to stay on track so that you don't fall into a depression and kill yourself - not to teach you how to "not eat". ... If you are anorexic, then you do not need tips on how to not eat. ... You can come here and try to find a bit of comfort in knowing that you're not alone, won't be judged and no one is going to tell you to fix yourself. You'll do that on your own when you're ready. And we will support you in that decision as well. ... Because that takes the most strength of all: Wanting to be normal. It sure is easy to marginalize and distort what is said by someone with whom we disagree ain't it? Lee Rodgers Lowcarb Retreat http://www.lowcarb.org CHAT http://www.lowcarb.org/parachat.html Low-Carb Connoisseur http://www.low-carb.com Hello, > >Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI) > >Fri Feb 18, 5:48 PM ET [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > It sure is easy to marginalize and distort what is said by someone > with whom we disagree ain't it? Yes, but my personal take is that it's a CYA thing designed to help prevent the site owner from being sued and/or prosecuted if someone's family traces a death back to membership in the website and techniques learned there. Take care, Carmen SignaturePlease note change in Reply To address carmensrt <at> gmail <dot> com Hotmail isn't working and is being abandoned > Quoted from the site in question: > ... Tips are to give you fresh ideas on how to stay on track so that > you don't fall into a depression and kill yourself - not to teach you > how to "not eat". Lee, that is an update to the site made AFTER this media attention; the site owner is working to cover her tracks. Check out the messageboard if you want a reflection of how conscious the longtime members are of the media scrutiny--the messageboards, and the site archives, are being transferred to a new "secret site", the link for which is being given only to other longtime members. Bluedragonfly.org really is a "pro-anorexia" site. There really is a "pro-anorexia" community on the Internet. That article is poorly written and doom-mongering, but even the stopped clock is right twice a day. If you look at earlier versions of the site on the Wayback Machine, you'll see introductory statements like this: "This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only! It is not meant to be an advice source or any kind of resource on treating, identifying, or even instructing people on anorexia. While I feel that anorexia is a realistic and necessary solution for me, I do not believe it to be for all people. Please be aware of this and do not enter unless you understand that this outline of my life is not a direction for yours." (from October, 2001) A poll from February 2002: "What is your main motivation with ana/mia? To be thin/successful To be perfect To have control To disappear To be noticed Suicide/Depression To prove yourself To prove you can" >From the June 2002 Bracelet FAQ: "Frequently Asked Questions About bracelets & bracelet orders: 1: [Q] I want to order one, but I don't want my roommate | parent | friend | mailman to know - will they? [A] Not unless they are psychic or already are ana themselves! I *never* put anything in the envelope except the bracelet. No e-mail addy, no web addy, no letter, anything. I just put the wrapped bracelet in the envelope, the street addresses and stamps on the envelope - it just looks like you ordered a bracelet - or maybe someone just sent you one. I kinda feel bad because I feel like I should say something to you guys to thank you, but I know that anonymity/not getting found out is more important than "thank you"'s." >From the April 2003 userinfo block: "I just want this to happen as quickly as possible. I want to be smaller right now, this instant and smaller still in the morning and smaller still until the old me barely exists except in memory." If you still have any doubt that the site is designed to foster anorexia, not to help people recover from it, let me refer you to this statement made by the site owner/bracelet entrepreneur, found in full here: http://web.archive.org/web/20030407094737/www.bluedragonfly.org/welcome.asp "I have the best addiction in the world. There is no better one to have. No amount of rehab can cure it--because it cannot be fixed by abstaining. Because it is an addiction to abstaining. An addiction to strength and purity. I don't have to steal to support my habit. My habit, in fact saves me money, and supports me. It doesn't give me a monkey on my back, it gives me a friend who lifts me up--makes me lighter. Her name is Ana. She gives me all kinds of free time, and forces me to keep busy and do more to keep abstaining." It's certainly the site owner's, and anyone else's, right to post whatever she feels on the Internet. However, discrediting the truth of reports that the site has been a popular *****pro-anorexia**** gathering place isn't going to help people who are trying to understand their children's issues. (Not that I think weirdly overblown newspaper articles are going to help, either.) T. Last time I checked, we live in a free country, where pro-anorexia, pro-Nazi, fat-acceptance, and other websites should be allowed to flourish. It seems, though, that the owner of the website has a nice racket going, selling worthless bracelets to very messed up clients for considerable amount of money. It makes me wonder if perhaps there is money to be made from selling low carb bracelets, made of tiny plastic sausage links or some such. Signature223/173.0/180 > Last time I checked, we live in a free country, where pro-anorexia, > pro-Nazi, fat-acceptance, and other websites should be allowed to > flourish. I couldn't agree more--and note that the censorship that has been going on is self-censorship; the site owner is doing some major image overhaul. > It seems, though, that the owner of the website has a nice racket > going, selling worthless bracelets to very messed up clients for > considerable amount of money. Well, yes. On the other hand, she's as messed-up, eating-disorder-wise, as any of her marks ^H^H^H clients. > It makes me wonder if perhaps there is money to be made from selling > low carb bracelets, made of tiny plastic sausage links or some such. I think the "Atkins Starter Kit" is probably covering that market. T. Hi, > > It seems, though, that the owner of the website has a nice racket > > going, selling worthless bracelets to very messed up clients for > > considerable amount of money. > > Well, yes. On the other hand, she's as messed-up, > eating-disorder-wise, as any of her marks ^H^H^H clients. I disagree with the money angle. She seems to be in rather uncomfortable financial straits on a regular basis according to her web writings. She also (again based on her own writings) is afflicted herself. In fact she's currently doing a "Lenten" waterfast. I think I'm going to stop looking because the lady makes me sad, and there's no way to help her. Take care, Carmen SignaturePlease note change in Reply To address carmensrt <at> gmail <dot> com Hotmail isn't working and is being abandoned > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I disagree with the money angle. I agree with you that this is hardly a cushy gig for her, but I agree with Ig that the bracelets are overpriced. I do think it's a labor of love on her part, though. > She seems to be in rather > uncomfortable financial [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I think I'm going to stop looking because the lady makes me sad, and > there's no way to help her. I couldn't agree with you more. OTOH, she seems less immersed in her eating disorder now than she was a while ago. T. >> Hi, >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > I agree with you that this is hardly a cushy gig for her, but I agree > with Ig that the bracelets are overpriced. I would be greatly surprised if dragonfly lady would have to pay more than $1.00 per bracelet if she bought them by a case of 1,000. i Signature223/173.0/180 Hi, On 21-Feb-2005, Ignoramus15794 <ignoramus15794@NOSPAM.15794.invalid> wrote: > >> > Well, yes. On the other hand, she's as messed-up, > >> > eating-disorder-wise, as any of her marks ^H^H^H clients. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > more > than $1.00 per bracelet if she bought them by a case of 1,000. They're crafted, not bought prefab. Buying nice beads (not plastic crap) can add up, as can some of the other materials. I make jewelry from time to time. Take care, Carmen SignaturePlease note change in Reply To address carmensrt <at> gmail <dot> com Hotmail isn't working and is being abandoned > > Hi, > > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > I do think it's a labor of love on her part, though. Oh God. People sell these things on Ebay..... Carmen SignaturePlease note change in Reply To address carmensrt <at> gmail <dot> com Hotmail isn't working and is being abandoned > Last time I checked, we live in a free country, where pro-anorexia, > pro-Nazi, fat-acceptance, and other websites should be allowed to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > It makes me wonder if perhaps there is money to be made from selling > low carb bracelets, made of tiny plastic sausage links or some such. one with LCFL printed on it. "Roger Zoul" <rogerzoul2@hotmail.com> wrote in news:37uujpF5j8p3aU1 @individual.net: > one with LCFL printed on it. Or WWJCS. (The back would be engraved with "___ is not low-carb") Cate > "Roger Zoul" <rogerzoul2@hotmail.com> wrote in news:37uujpF5j8p3aU1 > @individual.net: [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Cate seriously it's about time JC copyrights his name. > > "Roger Zoul" <rogerzoul2@hotmail.com> wrote in news:37uujpF5j8p3aU1 > > @individual.net: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > seriously it's about time JC copyrights his name. I'm waiting for him to take Chung aside and give him a little truth discernment. It'd either shut Chung up, or he'd come after JC for blasphemy. Either way, it'd probably be a win. Martha SignatureSig pending >> > "Roger Zoul" <rogerzoul2@hotmail.com> wrote in news:37uujpF5j8p3aU1 >> > @individual.net: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >> >> seriously it's about time JC copyrights his name. It would be a trademark/service mark. You can't copyright a name. SignatureBob M remove ".x" to reply > Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI) > Fri Feb 18, 5:48 PM ET OT ---- wrong newsgroup Hi, > > Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI) > > Fri Feb 18, 5:48 PM ET > > OT ---- wrong newsgroup You might be surprised to learn that people with eating disorders turn up in diet groups. As Lee mentioned, non-purging binge eating disorder exists. The only real difference between it and the anorexia and bulimia disorders is the end result. Take care, Carmen SignaturePlease note change in Reply To address carmensrt <at> gmail <dot> com Hotmail isn't working and is being abandoned > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > You might be surprised to learn that people with eating disorders turn > up in diet groups. A lot of anorexics turn up in alt.support.diet. They would ask a question such as "how do I stop myself from compulsive eating", or "why can I not stop myself from binging", and would describe a "binge" consisting of two donuts, or some such. Then they would get "helpful" replies that assume that these posters are, like most others, fat people trying to lose weight. So, whenever people post questions of this nature, it only makes sense to first ask for their weight and height. Signature223/173.0/180 <<(Xtile) Witchy Way wrote: Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI) Fri Feb 18, 5:48 PM ET OT ---- wrong newsgroup >> no, it is not off topic or the wrong ng. everyone in here has ties to humans in some way. this is a serious issue regarding eating disorders.. i put in FYI. Not when there is a page on their site called "Hidden Carbs". Tara >> Anorexia Bracelets Reveal Secret Society (FYI) >> Fri Feb 18, 5:48 PM ET > > OT ---- wrong newsgroup |
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