Exclusive ~ Eating Disorders Interview, Part III: Freedom of Speech?
November 5, 2008 by angelique
Filed under Women's Health
Note: This is the last in a three-part series interview between Breaking the Mirror and Michael J. Pertschuk, M.D.
Dr. Pertschuk is a psychiatrist at Friends Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He serves as Medical Director of the Eating Disorders Program at Friends Hospital which includes inpatient treatment for male and female adults, adolescents and children suffering from anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
To read more of his biography, see the bottom of this post.
Breaking the Mirror (BtM):
What do you think (from a professional perspective) about the so-called “pro ana” and “pro mia” websites and online communities?
Michael J. Pertschuk (MJP):
In a free society anyone can express his/her beliefs about anything in print and now on the Internet.
I don’t know how pro-ana websites can be prevented or shutdown; however there is no question that they can be a pernicious influence. Just as parents of adolescents are warned about the dangers of sexual predators on the Internet, they should be informed about these other potentially dangerous websites as well.
Bottom line, parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing on the computer. Eating disorders can be difficult enough to treat without the addition of a “how to guide” and “cheering section” for symptoms.
Our sincerest thanks to Dr. Pertschuk for allowing us to explore this subject together!
More about Dr. Michael J. Pertschuk:
Pertschuk, 49, received a B.A. from Yale University and his M.A. and M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He served a psychiatric residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and is board certified in psychiatry. Pertschuk continues as a clinical associate professor of psychiatry for the University of Pennsylvania Medical School.
Friends Hospital, ranked one of the best psychiatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News and World Report (2000), provides a system of programs and services designed to deliver “moral treatment” to the mentally ill. The hospital, which was founded by Quakers in 1813, is the nation’s first private psychiatric hospital. Friends Hospital offers a range of outpatient, partial hospital, inpatient and residential services at its Northeast Philadelphia campus and throughout the Delaware Valley for individuals of all ages.
