Online Resources

The Internet is a huge source of information, some of it is useful and a lot of it is not-so-useful. The links provided here should help you find information relevant to recovery from eating disorders.

General information

• The Something-Fishy website is an excellent source of general information and is very pro-recovery. In case you were wondering, this site has nothing to do with the South African take-away chain.
• The Eating Disorders Association (UK) also has good general information.

Specific Questions/Topics

• Eating disorders in South Africa: the effect of Western culture on the rate of eating disorders in black South African women. UK Guardian article.
• Is there such a thing as complete recovery from an eating disorder? Read Amy's story on Something-Fishy.
• Does therapy really work?
• How do you find a therapist who's right for you? Take a look at therapy questions on Something-Fishy. Also check out the therapists list on this site.
• Read up about the serious physical side-effects of eating disorders on Something-Fishy (again).
• Information on the side-effects of diet pills and laxatives etc.
• Read up about improving the way you think about your body. Take a look at the article on healthyeating.com about learning to hate your body a bit less and read tips on improving your body image on something-fishy.

Online Support Communities

These are sites where those suffering from eating disorders can share problems and provide support for each other. They are either chat rooms (expensive if you don't have a 24/7 Internet connection) or discussion forums, where messages are posted and replied to. Although the communities on these sites can be very supportive, be aware that some people find this type of interaction triggering or upsetting. Two well-known pro-recovery sites with forums are:

• Something-Fishy, which has a lot of traffic and lots of different forums to post on. Forums include: Anorexia, Bulimia, Anorexia/Bulimia recovery and many related to other issues such as sexuality and relationships, spirituality, family life, identity, abuse, current events and other mental health problems (e.g. Obsessive compulsive disorder, self-injury etc.). A benefit of this site is that no mention of specific numbers (e.g. calories, kgs, BMI etc.) are allowed, so you are less likely to find other posts triggering.
• Mirasol is smaller and quieter, with fewer forums and fewer posts. Forums available include Anorexia/Bulimia recovery, teens, men, long-term recovery, compulsive overeating and family/friends. However, because the site is quite quiet, the Anorexia/Bulimia forum sees the most traffic and is probably the best to use.