Participant #1
How old are you?
21
What is you occupation or what are you studying?
I study management, but I singing is my passion and I do it on the side.
Do you know what is anorexia?
Yes.
Did you experience it?
Yes, I have been diagnosed when I was 17 years old.
How did it start?
It started when I started singing and getting out of there.
What did you do after you were diagnosed?
I struggled to cope with the idea that I had the disorder, I never though I would be one of this girls that would want to change for the society’s needs. However, I got up and started taking care of myself.
Do you think media had anything to do with all of this?
Yes, absolutely. I think media was 90% of the reason. When I stared signing I put my music in my YouTube channel and other blogs. And because of my weight I got so much hate that I slowly started hating myself for being a little bit overweight (if you can call it that). I received hate from people who thought that being on stage or being on the internet meant I should have been perfect in every way, and somehow it got to me.
Participant #2
How old are you?
I am 19 years old.
What is you occupation or what are you studying?
I am currently in school studying psychology
Do you know what is anorexia?
Yes
Did you experience it?
Yes, I experienced it two years ago, and I am still recovering
How did it start?
It started when I had a fight with my bet friends and started going out with girls that were all into fashion and fitness and stuff like that. Because all of them were doing diets, always looking at what they eat, I became like that too. At one point I stopped eating and only drunk water, which got me into hospital.
What did you do after you were diagnosed?
After I was diagnosed I started going to the doctor constantly, my best friend came around and really helped me to stay constant with my treatment and get through this.
Do you think media had anything to do with all of this?
Yes, when I became friends with the girls they opened facebook and instagram accounts for me. First, I liked it, as I felt I am art of something and than I looked all those girls and models tat are in there looking perfect and fit and healthy and like all the other girls I wanted to look just like that.
Participant #3
How old are you?
21
What is you occupation or what are you studying?
I am out of school, but I am planning to go back this fall.
Do you know what is anorexia?
Yes I have a personal experience with it
Did you experience it?
Yes
How did it start?
It started when I started being active on my social media sites. I opened a lot of them at once and slowly stated changing and giving in the emotions and all the comments and because I wanted to fit in started eating purely and than not eating at all.
What did you do after you were diagnosed?
I refused to go to the doctor for a while and than when I felt very weak and could not eat anymore even if I wanted to, I agreed to go.
Do you think media had anything to do with all of this?
Yes, media portrays girls in the worst possible way. Girls always need to be thin, beautiful, perfect, all in one, or else you don’t belong. I lost myself thinking that this was the truth for me, until I did not anymore and life became so much meaningful and easier.
Participant #4
How old are you?
19
What is you occupation or what are you studying?
I m studying Fashion Design
Do you know what is anorexia?
Yes
Did you experience it?
Yes
How did it start?
It stared when I joined a dance team at my community college, we were posting out practices and competitions on social media and I was the only one that was getting negativity because of my looks.
What did you do after you were diagnosed?
I got out of my dance team and got into a depression, it was really hard, it is even hard now, but I am taking care of myself.
Do you think media had anything to do with all of this?
Yes, media has a huge part of what I went through, but I do not blame it, I blame myself for that being aware of my surroundings and paying so much attention to how someone that doesn’t know me personally, made my life a hell for few years.
Participant #4
How old are you?
25
What is you occupation or what are you studying?
I am a personal trainer
Do you know what is anorexia?
Yes
Did you experience it?
No, but my sister did
How did it start?
It started when she was 18 years old, she just stared college and initially wanted to lose weight, which turned into something terrible.
What did you do after you were diagnosed?
My parents took her to a doctor and really made sure she ate and stopped thinking she is fat.
Do you think media had anything to do with all of this?
Yes, it makes sense it started when she started using social media constantly and looking all those Tv shows that don’t make sense to me.
