PrettyThin

It didn't take long before Facebook removed PrettyThin, once again. It's somewhat disheartening when the focus of the community was to promote awareness around eating disorders, and to discuss recovery.  This is now the second time that PrettyThin has been taken off of Facebook. I remember last time trying to contact them to no avail, and tried again in hopes that they might have improved their communication channels only to find that Facebook does an extremely good job at ensuring no one gets in touch with them. Then again, why would they, right? They run the largest social network in the world, and it continues to grow. They're making more money than they know what to do with. So why would they open up a channel of communication? I think many governments fell for reasons similar to this....

I think there is a lot of value to having a Facebook page. For example, it was going to help organize the first official PrettyThin meet up. Within a couple hours of posting, two people (in one city) responded with an interest. And because it was through Facebook, there was some degree of verification, for reasons of privacy and security.

Anyway - deleted, with no options to contact them or repealing it. If anyone has a contact, let me know.

So yes, a meet up - it will be happening in Washington DC sometime this year. I'm still not sure of the format, or what will happen. It will be 18+ and will be about us, the members. As a general direction, I want PT to be more resourceful. It does a pretty decent job at offering a place for discussion, which is probably how it became the wolds largest community for eating disorders. But it does a mediocre job at communicating the world of eating disorders, from all sides. No, this won't become some recovery website, but I think more on what recovery means should be expressed on the site. I think more resources in general need to find their way, and I hope that to a large extent it comes from the community. People have already been sending their stories; it takes time reading them all, but I think they bring great value to the site.So keep on sending them (click Contact on the left to do so). The recovery stories especially are of value, because as much as many understand what it feels like to have an ED, many don't understand he world or process or life within recovery. And I say "recovery" with some reservation. I would rather say treatment or therapy. This might make for an interesting discussion (or article) in itself.

More to come....
James

I often than you, the members of this community, for creating the kind of community that you have. It has its ups and downs, but that's what makes this a family. Here are the words of a member, to members, in a way that people from outside may feel we don't understand....but many of you do.