Eating Disorder Websites Reviewed by Danielle Weatherholtz. National Eating Disorders Association. (2010). National Eating Disorders Association.

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1 Eating Disorder Websites Reviewed by Danielle Weatherholtz National Eating Disorders Association. (2010). National Eating Disorders Association. This website provides a wealth of information about eating disorders, treatment options, support groups, awareness programs, and current research. Descriptions of the disorders are provided, as well as links to other websites that provide specific information about the different disorders. Several inspirational stories of individuals who have overcome the disorders are also provided. There are many awareness events held by the NEDA and advertised on this site, providing an opportunity for those who have suffered from or been affected by an eating disorder to connect with others who have had similar experiences. Additionally, there are several pages that provide information about issues related to body image. Information is also available for a variety of treatment professionals about eating disorders, prevention, treatment options, and related concerns of which they should be aware. An obvious strength of this website is the large amount of information it provides. It covers several topic areas and is organized very well. In addition to the large amount of information provided, there are many links to other websites that can provide even more information. The site is also extremely easy to navigate. It is well designed and appears to be well maintained. Whether the site user is an individual struggling with an eating disorder, a professional, or a family member, this site will be extremely helpful. I do not have any direct criticisms of this website. However, because this site does provide such a large and varied amount of information, it may be somewhat overwhelming to individuals in the beginning stages of recovery.

2 Eating Disorders Shared Awareness. (2010). Eating disorders: Mirror mirror. The purpose of this website is to serve as a source of support for individuals who have an eating disorder. It offers a large amount of personal narrative that is meant to be a support to individuals that are struggling with an eating disorder. The site provides descriptions, a list of symptoms, and a list of possible related health complications for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. There is a section of the website about the recovery process; it includes information about finding help, tips that the site administrator found helpful, as well as ideas about coping with situations like holidays and social events. Additionally, there is a page devoted to dispelling common myths about eating disorders and the types of people who have eating disorders. I believe that this website could serve as a useful resource when an individual needs encouragement or information with a more personal touch, but it should not be viewed as a factbased or professional resource. A strength of this website is that it provides a large amount of supportive information and offers a validating perspective on a disorder that is often stigmatized. It also provides an extensive list of links to other relevant websites and resources. The links guide individuals to both professional websites and other support-based websites. I believe that the personalized nature of the site can also be seen as a criticism of the website. Much of the information on the website is based on one individual s personal experience, but is written as though it is fact. Aside from the sections directly about the disorders, the information on the website is written from a first person perspective by the site administrator.

3 World s largest eating disorder support group. (2009). The stated purpose of this website is to provide a support community for individuals who struggle with eating disorders. It is a live journal website that allows individuals to make posts and respond to others. The site is operated by a female who had anorexia nervosa. She frequently posts reminders that, while she calls her website a proanorexia site, she does not intend it to be a place for individuals to encourage harmful behaviors in one another. There is a very large disclaimer at the top of this website that states that it is not a stereotypically negative proana site, rather it provides a space for individuals with anorexia nervosa to share their struggles. Members post detailed descriptions of their experiences and reply to one another with support and responses about similar experiences. There are also several YouTube videos posted about the dangers of anorexia and of individuals tellings of their personal stories. I believe that the administrator of this site intends the site to be helpful and supportive. However, I fear that the information provided and the responses to one another may be more harmful than helpful. Many of the responses to posts are purely supportive, but many include detailed information about how the individuals used to (or currently do) maintain their eating disorders and may serve to trigger a harmful response in other readers. One strength of this site is that it does provide links to other resources and organizations, such as the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and the National Eating Disorders Association. However, despite this small strength, I would not recommend this site to future clients over other online support communities that are available.

4 Pale Reflections. (2010). Pale reflections: The eating disorder support community. This website provides an online support community for individuals struggling with eating disorders. It includes a wide variety of information and services, including the following: descriptions of the DSM-IV-TR recognized eating disorders, facts and statistics, signs and symptoms of eating disorders, information about treatment options, message boards, and listservs. Membership is required for full access to the website s features and services, but it is free and signing up is easy to do. Extensive lists of online resources and phone support hotlines are available to members, as well as contact information for recovered pale reflections members. Additionally, information about current research and news is available to members. A strength of this site is that it provides a trigger rating on each post on the message board that indicates the likelihood that the post could trigger a harmful response in an individual currently struggling with an eating disorder. The message boards are highly monitored and do not include information that promotes or supports disordered eating behaviors. The site also provides information about topics and issues that are related to/comorbid with eating disorders, such as suicide, NSSI, obsessive compulsive disorder, and bipolar disorder. This is an important feature because it provides information for individuals about how they can receive help for these issues as well. Additionally, the site is very well designed and easy to navigate. I do not have any criticisms of this website and I would greatly recommend this site to future clients struggling with an eating disorder.

5 CRC Health Group. (2010). Anorexia Nervosa treatment. The purpose of this website is to provide visitors with information about treatment for anorexia nervosa. The site provides information about the signs, symptoms, and diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. Descriptions of the different types of treatment options are given, including information about outpatient and residential treatments. Intake counselors are available to chat immediately online and provide assessments of needed services for free. Current research information and statistics are also provided to give individuals an even greater understanding of anorexia nervosa. An obvious strength of this website is that it provides a large amount of information about treatment options for anorexia nervosa. There is personalized service immediately available to individuals in need of treatment. Additionally, the site conveys a sense of hope and optimism regarding the possibility of recovery while also underscoring the seriousness of this disorder. I believe this site provides a useful and efficient resource for women with anorexia nervosa. A criticism of this website is that, while there is information specifically for teens, it does not have any information specifically for males with eating disorders. The percentage of males with anorexia nervosa is admittedly small, but I believe that having at least one page dedicated to information for males (or even including a photo of a male on the website) might make it more male-friendly. Additionally, the site cannot be easily navigated. There are several different pages and topic areas, and they are not organized in a very user-friendly way.