Thinspiration

Combining the words "thin" and "inspiration" to form the word "thinspiration," those with anorexia often use the term to describe an ideal of thinness.

While thinspiration may be used by anyone who wants to lose weight, thinspiration typically comes from "pro-ana" Web sites, which show famously thin celebrities and others who have anorexia.

Thinspiration On the Web

Thinspiration has existed for many years, but has proliferated along with "pro-ana" sites.

Vistors to such sites, which are numerous on LiveJournal and elsewhere, typically find an image of someone to serve as their thinspiration. The chosen image, which may be of a famous person or just anyone who has advanced anorexia, serves as a thinspiration identity for joining pro-ana sites. Some pro-ana sites will not let individuals visit unless they approve of the person's thinspiration photo.

Some even use negative thinspiration, using images of obese people to inspire themselves to thinness. Common thinspiration images include photos of Mary Kate Olsen, Nicole Ritchie, Kate Moss and Calista Flockhart.

Thinspiration role models would look frighteningly thin to most people, but they are an ideal that many with anorexia strive to achieve, because of their perception of body image.

Thinspiration and The Media

A major reason many people aspire to this ideal of "thinspirations" is because of the impact that media have had on our perception of body image.

Ultra-thin models and actresses appear in ads on television and in movies. Even though media photos of many actresses and actors are airbrushed so they appear younger and thinner, many people see them as having achieved an ideal weight and an ideal look that they aspire toward (thinspiration).

One study found that the average height and weight for a model is 5'10" and 110 lbs., while the average height and weight for a woman is 5'4" and 145 lbs. Considering that the average person sees approximately 3,000 ads and commercials daily, it's no wonder that media has created a distorted ideal body image.

What To Do About Thinspiration And The Impact of Media On Your Children

You can help minimize the impact of media and have your children develop a healthy body image by:

• Talking to them about the health risks of being thin.
• Explaining how many media images are altered and that the body image they aspire to (thinspiration) that is shown is often not real.
• Reading up on eating disorders and understanding the symptoms.
• Limiting your children's exposure to the body image portrayed by the media.
• Discussing what a healthy, positive body image is.

While media and body image issues are pervasive, with your help, your children should learn to cope with them. If you think you have a body image problem that has led to an eating disorder, contact Walden Behavioral Care today at 781-647-6700 or Info@waldenbehavioralcare.com.

Our Eating Disorder Treatment Program includes inpatient, residential, and partial hospitalization programs, providing discrete, highly specialized treatment for patients 13 and older with anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder and other eating disorders.