Overview

Thinspiration blogs are a rising trend in social networks. These blogs, on websites like tumblr and pinterest, encourage people, many of whom already have eating disorders, to starve themselves, binge and purge, and do anything they can to lose weight. Some are made by people with eating disorders and are run under the guise of creating a community for people with these illnesses. Yet, it's only making the problem worse. These blogs are mostly affecting young girls. The question is, how do thinspiration blogs affect adolescent girls' mental health? Many articles have been written on the subject and they have found a relationship between thinspiration blogs and mental illness, like eating disorders, in young girls. It might make an existing disorder worse, or they may be catalysts in the girls' development of a disorder. Either way, this is a very important topic. If these blogs are not stopped, the world will lose an even larger number of girls to eating disorders and other mental illnesses that might come along with them. By taking down these blogs, social networks may help in the recovery process of the people affected by thinspiration media.

An example of a common image on a thinspiration blog used as motivation for people to keep up their harmful diet and exercise habits.

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