Starving in Suburbia

 
​Is about the stresses of modern life and how they lead to self destructive tendencies. Hannah is in high school, and as a good student and talented dancer she hopes to get into New York University. The Ann Arbor teenager is working on a college essay when she is introduced to a Pro Ana site by her friend, Kayden who also dances and is quite tall and thin. 

Pro Ana sites are dedicated to losing weight, for the most part. Hannah asks who the "Ana" is that people on the site keep writing to. Her friend explains it stands for anorexia. Hannah takes an interest and signs herself up one night, asking other chat members if she is the only one who can't stop eating peanut butter. HipPopK replies that late night cravings are the worst. HipPopK has "don't eat" carved into an effeminately displayed stomach. 

Hannah asks if that is a real photo, which brings to light the world of ghosts that is an online chat forum. HipPopK asks if she is impressed or grossed out. On the site Hannah gets lured under Butterflyana's wings. She pushes Hannah to lose 20 pounds in 20 days. Which is possible if one stops eating to an extreme. 

Hannah loses weight very quickly and her dance teacher, Miss Christie becomes concerned. Hannah is angry when Miss Christie tells Hannah perfection is not always a good thing and later inquires if Hannah is feeling alright. Hannah's mother gets her brother to break into her computer so they can track what sites she is on. The Thinspiration site is discovered and Hannah's mom becomes desperately worried. 

During this time Hannah's brother, Joey, continues to diet for wrestling. Their father constantly pushes him to stay very thin despite Hannah's dieting issues. Eventually the mother notices moths in her daughter's room and opens the closet to find decaying dinners as Hannah has been stashing her food for some time. 

Treatment can cost up to 90,000 dollars and Hannah's mother is willing to sell the house to make her daughter better. Hannah does become well again but only after Joey dies, as his heart gives out during a wrestling meet. He had been HipPopK. Hannah goes to meet the real Butterflyana and finds that she is an impoverished girl who needs help. 

Though, the acting is on par with a Lifetime film, it is worthwhile to see as it brings to light the role the internet plays in eating disorders. A relatively new network brings people together in ways they would never have met before. What might have been kept to a journal is written online. And for those suffering from eating disorders this is not necessarily a good thing. 

By Sarah Bahl

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