Its makers are making money off of mental illness.
This is a pro-anorexia bracelet.
According to its makers, "the pro-ana bracelet is worn as a reminder of staying true to your diet, and also to meet other [sic] Ana’s.
Perhaps most disturbing: The bracelets are actually out of stock.
Pro-ana and pro-bulimia communities have proliferated online, where users can anonymously trade tips and support one another in their desire to lose weight.
As Dr. Alexander Yellowlees, Medical Director at the Priory Hospital in Glasgow explained it, "It’s like having a drinking club for alcoholics where you can learn how to drink more effectively. They are encouraging anorexia and seem to be trying to make money from the illness, like having a happy hour for alcoholics."
.S / Via Flickr: 82381247@N00
There seems to be some confusion around the symbolic meaning of the red bracelets.
According to one woman selling them on Etsy, the bracelets were initially intended as a subtle sign of solidarity among eating disorder survivors. "This bracelet is not intended to be used as "pro-ana" paraphernalia, but as a reminder that one is not ailing or hurting alone," she explained. "To my knowledge, this was the original idea of the red bracelet, but misuse and negative media attention has warped into it a self-destructive accessory."
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