No, No, No and No

Because it is eating disorder awareness week, there are more ‘recovery’ images floating around than usual. Whilst I applaud everyone who highlights these mental health illnesses and activates for awareness, there is a level of responsibility in this.

We need to look carefully at the picture we are wanting to circulate. The text on it might be perfect and the right message, but the image you use behind it can send the opposite message. The image on the right is an example – and I am very sorry if this triggers anyone but I want the point to get across. Anyone with an eating disorder immediately looks at the girl, then looks at her size. They don’t read the text nor get the right message from it. If you want to talk about weight, size, body image etc don’t use a slim, sexy image of a girl behind the message. For heavens sake, don’t be someone else’s stumbling block.

There has been one lately of a good exercise image but the text again, will read the opposite to someone with an eating disorder. It just takes a little responsibility on behalf of those in the recovery, exercise, health areas to think about what they do on the web.

Tumblr and other social areas already cause people with many health/mental issues (not just eating disorders) to get caught in a circle of enabling wrong or harmful behavior. Many have said that when they stay away from such social image websites, they are amazed at how much easier it is to stay on track for recovery. It doesn’t give you any honor personally if you keep adding to these sites images that cause others to trip or fall. And don’t say well, they don’t have to look, or I have the right. Anyone with an eating disorder finds it extremely difficult not to look or turn away. They don’t have the same filter abilities to ignore the media around them.

Be responsible and think before you post. There I have had my vent.