Groups of people from all over the world who are struggling with body and food related issues are coming together in internet communities that support and promote eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa. These pro-anorexic communities have developed recognisable qualities of religious systems very similar to that of the Christian faith and fit Emile Durkhiem defination of religious phenomena and religion.
             A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to scared things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden- beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.*
             Anorexia nervosa is a psychosomatic disorder, literally meaning lose of appetite although this is misleading. A person with anorexia nervosa is hungry, but he or she suppresses their hunger because of an irrational fear of becoming fat or more coherently a fear of all that is involved in growing-up and achieving physical maturation. The illness is also often tied to issues of low self esteem, poor body image and unrealistic ideas of perfection, the sufferers are often over come with feelings of hopelessness and helplessness and have an extreme need to control their surroundings and emotions. The development of an eating disorder is a reaction to external and internal conflicts. Anorexia is characterised by extreme weightless due to self starvation. Anorectic behaviour is often highly ritualistic, especially eating habits, they have a preoccupation with food and often engage in compulsive activities, such as exercising and self induced vomiting. Anorexia is a socially and psychologically isolating disorder, the sufferers are often secretive by nature and as their self damaging behaviours are not social acceptable. As a result they become withdrawn from the outside world, they disguise their problem fearing judgement and ridicule. With the development of pro-anorexic internet communities...