Holy mackerel. I’ve been checking on pro-ana and pro-mia blogs around cyberspace, and a very large number of them are in Spanish. (Many pro-ana sites are in French, too, no doubt because of the hubbub from last spring involving the size of runway and fashion models.)
It’s too bad that I can’t translate some of the Breaking the Mirror posts into Spanish, nor can I read the pro-ana and pro-mia sites from other countries.  I’d love to understand what it’s honestly like to have an eating disorder in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Portugal, South America, Central America, et cetera. I’ve always heard that most Hispanic …read more

Maybe you’re already familiar with Ana or her “sister”, Mia (aka, anorexia and bulimia).  Maybe not.  Regardless, I’m certain that even those among us who are disordered eaters have questions.
In a quest for real, honest answers, I’d like to start a new feature here at Breaking the Mirror called “Ask Ana”. 
The premise is simple — if you have a burning question about eating disorders, body image, et cetera, please leave it in the comments section of this page -OR- privately email it to me at lemonpepr(at)aol(dot)com. 
As I receive questions, I’ll post them here for us all to discuss based on …read more

You know, I’ve always wondered about the days before Ana and Mia were openly discussed.  Obviously, people suffered from eating disorders, but no one called them EDs or even addressed them the way we do now.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to determine how many anorexics and bulimics there were in the “good old days”, but there aren’t any solid stats that I’ve been able to find.  So I’m turning to you, the fabulous Breaking the Mirror community!
My question for today is simply:  “Do you know of anyone from your family tree who probably suffered from an ED?  Anyone …read more

Wouldn’t it be great if all those of us with body image and eating disorders could call Friday, July 4, 2008, OUR day of freedom and independence from the demons that haunt us?
Will you join me in making tomorrow the first day of a group effort to feel better about ourselves?  What shall we call our team?
(I’m serious about this.  Let’s do it!  There’s safety and support in numbers… and no time like the present.)

I’ve long known that eating disorders are associated with high mortality rates; however, it’s only in recent months that I’ve been able to understand exactly why.
You see, I always assumed that it was because anorexics starved themselves to death and bulimics purged their bodies to the point where a heart attack or stroke was inevitable. 
But that’s not necessarily the case.
Instead, it seems many women and men with eating disorders die from suicide.  Many suffer from undiagnosed conditions, like depression and bipolar disorder… and without proper medications and/or therapy, they take their own lives.
This article from Psychiatry Online delves into the connection …read more

I must preface this by saying that I’ve only tangoed with Ana, not with Mia; however, this morning I got a small taste of what life is probably like for bulimics.
I went to the dentist and discovered that my constant morning sickness (from five years ago) was enough to start decay in a couple of my teeth.  Now, half a decade later, two of my teeth are headed for filling-land.  Though I can’t prove it was my many months of vomiting that did it, I’ve been told by several professionals that it’s highly likely.
I can’t begin to wrap my head around what happens …read more

There’s a wonderful post over at Mental Health Notes that I thought you might like to see.
Alicia, the ultra-blogger who runs the site, has a listing of female celebrities who’ve publicly confessed to battling mental illnesses. 
I was most interested (though not entirely surprised) to note that along with the celebs’ depression, bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) diagnoses came many accounts of eating disorders.
Check it out and tell Alicia howdy!

I always enjoy seeing which Breaking the Mirror posts are floating your boat.  So today, I thought I’d share the brightest stars for June.  It’ll be interesting to see if they remain the winners or if their moment in the spotlight will be limited!
Top Post for June ‘08:  If Renaissance Painters’ Muses Had Been Anorexic – This post almost always rises to the top, though I’m not sure why…  Still, I’m happy it’s popular!
Second Most Popular Post for June ‘08:  Is Death Really a Motivator in Recovery? - As a post that was written only a few days ago, I think …read more

I didn’t become anorexic until 13.  Up until then, I was chubby and felt uncomfortable in my own skin, but I never considered starving myself to achieve a sense of happiness.
I’m curious, though — when did you first become intimately aquainted with Ana (or Mia)?

So many people believe that anorexia and bulimia were somehow “invented” in the 1970s or 1980s, but that’s far from the truth. 
Check out these celebs who have admitted to having eating disorders before there was a name for their problem:
CATHY RIGBY, GYMNAST

SALLY FIELD, ACTRESS

SANDRA DEE, ACTRESS

Photos Source:  Newscom