Mission & Explanation Statement

Why I Do What I Do at the Anorexic Web by Lisa Arndt, M.A.

In my work with the Anorexic Web, I receive a lot of e-mails asking me personal questions about my motivations for the intense, up-front approach that I've taken to the issue of disordered eating. In an effort to be clear as to why I do what I do, I wanted to add these "personal pages" for anyone who wanted to know more about what makes me the soul I am. I know that the Anorexic Web is my unique (and to many, triggering) take on the subject of Eating Disorders and trust me, I have put in a LOT of thought behind this web site and I do have good intentions. I will try to explain my thinking behind the controversial site, and I hope this will answer some of your questions.

The many pictures of anorexic bodies that cover the Anorexic Web are not designed to encourage anorexia. They are intended to attract people who are seeking anorexia as a way of life. I am trying to draw this (sickly) audience because I really want to talk to them! Let me explain... when I was in my anorexia (I had an eating disorder for seven long years and work at recovery each day... if you are curious about my personal battle, rather than write it out in paragraphs, I go through it chronologically in a poem called Taste, which you can read on the Anorexic Web...)

I was a "student of starvation" in that I sought out information on anorexia in an effort to learn how to be the "best" at being the "least" (in weight). I recognize this is not healthy, but it was my reality and I know there are many other people today who are just like I was then. To ignore that these "students of starvation" exist is not something I want to do. There are an abundance of Eating Disorder web sites that do not address this issue and I did not want to create yet another web site that focused on the softer side of disordered eating. I adore the sites that already exist, and have actually been a player in helping these sites. [Please note: I did not author the Something Fishy site, or any other site except for Anorexic Web, nor have I EVER claimed to have authored the S.F. site. I think the S.F. site is GREAT and my participation is SMALL, I write the "About Caron" letters and was involved in the Memorial Site for a little while, but it is not my site! It is Amy's and she is a tremendous part of the Internet.] I am not worried that there is a lack of such sites. Of course there probably will never be enough helper sites, because Eating Disorders are growing in record numbers and Westernized cultures are seeing anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating in epidemic proportions. Sadly, I don't sense this changing any time soon. And so I know there will be "students of starvation" out there and my goal is to attract them to my site and talk to them openly, honestly, and directly about what they are doing (by studying the disease). It is not my goal to trigger anyone.

It is my goal to shake people up. I want to shake people up from a passive state of denial and disbelief that by having an eating disorder you are not actively and willingly choosing to destroy your body. I want to shake people up enough so that they will realize there are consequences that come directly from eating disorders that are undesirable (such as premature aging, weight gain, metabolism problems, low energy, low motivation, increased depression, digestive dysfunction and more).

It is also my goal to attempt to address things that I have heard people with eating disorders talk about but have not read about on the Internet (like the peer pressure to be disordered, the competition, etc.) so that if anyone else wants to share about these issues they have a forum to do so. In this spirit, I also am open and honest about both the negative and positive feedback regarding the site. I don't hide anything and perhaps people would prefer me to. The good news is that no one is ever forced to read my site or anyone's and so long as I warn people about the unique context of my site, then may free speech prevail! There are enough different sections available on the site that a person could enjoy sections (with artwork, for example, or with jokes) without having to go to all the sections!

In Sum... It is crucial that in order to begin any sort of recovery, one must take some responsibility for his or her choices and this pertains to the Anorexic Web.