I'm appaulled...did you see Dr. Oz today?

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soagirl777
soagirl777 Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
today's show is about "Women dying to be thin". There is a guy on there that is basically promoting anorexia with his website. He says he's giving people a place to go and talk about their weight and self image and not be judged by others. I think he is doing more harm than good. WTF? Seriously? I agree with the guest, this guy is signing peoples death certificates. Anorexic or not, these people need professional help from a doctor not some guy on the Internet promoting anorexia with extremely unhealthy pics. What do you guys think?.....
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Replies

  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
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    This may seem weird, but I want to check out the website. Morbid curiosity, I suppose.
  • TaraNeecole
    TaraNeecole Posts: 3
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    I'm watching it as we speak... Speechless!
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
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    So many people who have recovered avoid photos that they consider triggers, it can't be a good idea for people who are actively ill to look at them. And it's bad enough they are competing against an imaginary image in their heads, let alone real people competing to lose the most weight.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    I haven't seen the show but the website in question (prettythin.com) has put up an interesting response to the Dr. Oz show:
    http://www.prettythin.com/
    http://www.prettythin.com/dyingtobethindroz.htm

    They are not allowing new memberships apparently to avoid causing problems within their community, so rubber-neckers are out of luck for the moment.
  • EmilyMae12
    EmilyMae12 Posts: 61 Member
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    What is this website? From your description it sounds like a pro-ana site or something of the sorts, which I am utterly appalled by. I have seen a few through my struggles with bulimia (not joining, just things you come across, since there are so many..). I had seen them promote things like "Eat cotton balls to make your hunger decrease..". Anything promoting crash dieting, etc I think is disgusting and nowhere near supportive.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
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    Seems to me this guy doesn't give a crap whether these people who follow it dies or not. He's just there to exploit their mental and self image issues for profit. Makes me sick
  • Hayesgang
    Hayesgang Posts: 624
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    I don't watch Dr. Oz but it doesn't surprise me that he'd have someone like that on, the good Dr. also promotes detoxing and cleanses. Tired of junk TV!!
  • EmilyMae12
    EmilyMae12 Posts: 61 Member
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    Saw the link after I posted, yup just what I though, pro-ana. Most of the girls on these sites do not previously suffer from an eating disorder, they are people who try to mimic the behaviors to get a quick fix. Which can later lead to actual anorexia.. sad really, and they really need to be shut down.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    Seems to me this guy doesn't give a crap whether these people who follow it dies or not. He's just there to exploit their mental and self image issues for profit. Makes me sick

    That's exactly what I was thinking... capitalizing on people's weaknesses. Evil.
  • Moeblessings
    Moeblessings Posts: 215
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    :sad: :sad: I can't watch it, stupid work :grumble: but it sounds awful.
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 572 Member
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    Seems to me this guy doesn't give a crap whether these people who follow it dies or not. He's just there to exploit their mental and self image issues for profit. Makes me sick

    Yup. Right on point.
  • EmilyMae12
    EmilyMae12 Posts: 61 Member
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    "i am not saying dr oz is wrong i am just saying that not everyone is fortunate enough to get therapy and this could be a place for them"

    Quote from a person commenting on the site, I assume is using the site..
    I don't see where supporting somebody who is destroying themselves is an alternative to therapy.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    I just can't judge the site w/o more information, I mean I know in some circles MFP is identified as a great place to track disordered habits, so I can imagine if Dr. Oz did a show and focused on that aspect that this very site could be viewed the same way. No that's not the focus and not what's supported here, but it could easily be skewed that way depending on the 'angle'. Especially since we DO have several support groups on here for people with EDs. But like I said I haven't seen the show yet and the site is only allowing very very limited access from people who were not already members, so it's very hard to know what it's all about.
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member
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    I wouldn't say its proanorexia most users really have issues and it is a place to talk about it. You are not allowed to encourage anorexic tendencies but the people there already have it in their head. I have come a long way in my own issues but like any other problem you will not recover until you are ready.
  • Stephisonaroll
    Stephisonaroll Posts: 38
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    This may seem weird, but I want to check out the website. Morbid curiosity, I suppose.

    haha that is weird but I totally get it
  • nataliefallbach
    nataliefallbach Posts: 105
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    I didn't see the show but if this guy is promoting an eating disorder he is a tool. I hate how daytime shows even give these people air time.
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
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    I didn't read the forums there, since they require registration. I read their blog on Tumblr. It's curious. Clearly, they're saying what they need to say to get eating disordered people to log in. But then they ask them reflective questions. The lack of self insight is a big part of eating disorders. And people with eating disorders can be very manipulative, but maybe they are exactly the people to not buy into the manipulative behavior of other anorexics. The photos they show labeled "sexy" are thin, but not emaciated. A lot of anorexics would be doing well to be satisfied with that type of figure.

    It would be interesting to see data on what percentage of the people who become members of PrettyThin die vs. what percentage successfully overcome the disease eventually. The outcomes data with traditional therapy isn't very impressive, and if better treatments made obvious sense, therapists would already be using them.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    I used to think Dr Oz was great until I started hearing so MANY people talking negative about him. I have only watched a handful of his shows and I don't care for him much now, he could do a show on the topic that could actually do some good.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    According to the website PrettyThins is NOT a diet website, nor does it promote anorexia or any other eating disorder.
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
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    I am a member of that website. I have had disordered eating most of my life ranging from restriction and being underweight to binging and being slightly overweight. The website in question is not like a typical "pro-ana" website. You can't give out tips, you cant promote anything unhealthy. You can go and talk and vent. Many discussions actually have nothing to do with eating disorders. There is a forum just focusing on recovery. Many members are in some form of therapy, so this actually isn't replacing therapy. While it is odd having someone owning and running a website for eating disorders who does not have one himself, he has kept a place open for all people who have an eating disorder. The last thing he does is promote eating disorders. He has many resources available for people who are suicidal as well, which can not be said for any other "pro-ana" website I have ever seen.

    I think people's prejudices and misunderstandings of eating disorders makes them think we are not entitled to a web forum. However, how is that any different that a forum for those who have depression, or any other medical condition? Sometimes, you just need a group of people in the same situation to commiserate with. We are not a delusional group who thinks what were are doing is cool or good for us. We know it is not healthy, which is why I think you will find many members here as well. To help keep us on track of a healthier lifestyle.

    And just so you all know, I see way more "Tips and tricks" and such promoted and discussed here than I do on pretty thin. Which I find kind of ironic, but I try to just ignore it.

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