The following are photos of concentration-camp victims who survived.
Young woman in Nazi concentration camp
Anorexia
Survivor of the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz
Anorexia
Survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp
Anorexia
Young Russian girl
Anorexia
Men in Nazi concentration camp
Anorexia
Romanian children
Anorexia
Buchenwald concentration camp survivor
Anorexia
Survivors in Nazi concentration camp during World War II
Anorexia
Woman who survived a Nazi death camp
With help, those with severe anorexia can survive. Please get help if you are suffering from an ED.
Links:
www.holocaustresearchproject.org/
www.haverford.edu
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16 comments:
I don't know that you're going to see this comment, or not, so I'm going to email you as well.
I'm not certain that you are fully aware of the level of ED traffic on your blog. I'm also not certain that you fully understand the psychology of EDs.
There is a significant guilt factor for each and every one of us. Every day we think, especially those with anorexia or anorexia-like EDNOS, "there are people who need this food, why can't I eat it?" We already think of these things. It is not helpful to us on any level to see pictures of anorexics juxtaposed with Holocaust victims.
I would beg you to consider this.
Julia, the images in my post are of concentration-camp victims who survived. The point of my post is that if they survived, those with severe anorexia, with help, can also survive.
I'm sorry the point of my post was obscure. I will remedy that.
Best regards,
Medusa
Julia, my take on this is the brutality of the holocaust and that of anorexia. The disease of anorexia and the diseased mind of those sick enough to have brought on the holocaust. The survival of the holocaust victims and the survival of anorexic victims.
many ignorant people assume anorexia is for attention when it takes on a mind of it's own and the anorexic is under the control of the disease itself.
If you are struggling with anorexia and you want to look like any of these photos then you need to evaluate your own recovery and illness. It's a very sick disease and recovery takes years though attainable.
Before attacking Medusa I think maybe you need to read her entire site. I have read near all her posts and there are several. You have completely missed her point and don't think you have read much here which makes me question why you zoned in on this post titled "Starvation". To me it speaks volumes of where you are at with your own disease or if you aren't anorexic than maybe you are searching for it in some sick way as many out there are. please seek help if you are.
((hugs)) Medusa. another powerful post I missed. and here I thought I saw all your posts!
Brandee
Brandee, you put into words what I was trying to convey so much better than I ever could.
Thank you so much for that.
Sending love and hugs...
Medusa
xoxoxo
October 31, 2009 10:18 AM
Although I understand the point of your post, I think it's awkward and sends a mixed message...Personally it only indicates to me that the human body can tolerate bruatl treatment and still live on, which only encourages me to continue starving myself, since I may very well live much longer than expected after all and possibly not even die from it.
ok well for school we are doing a reserch on anerexia and i realy liked the pictures some were used for our power point thaks for the thing that you wrote it was very informing thx
i have to say this page is a bit shocking.
i am from a family who fled the holocaust, my grandpa was lucky but the remainder of his family and friends were not.
i am also an anorexic/bulimic, and i have spent a long time battling with the link between seeing pictures of how my relatives were forced to be, and what i enforce against my self.
i know that i am in the minority, but i found it a shock to have it so readily compared, it just makes part of me feel even more guilty!
still, i understand the point you were trying to make.
I stumbled across this post while searching for pictures for a blog post I wrote addressing the marketing of an anorex
ic female body structure to the unsuspecting public. This "Starvation" post by Medusa says more in pictures about the disease of anorexia than any words could ever convey. The comparison might be awkward and shocking for many, but for those suffering from anorexia it seems this is just the first of what will be many shocks on the road to recovery. I also feel that seeing photos of Holocaust survivors helps us today in so many ways. To insure against another Holocaust each generation must never forget. I'm sure Holocaust survivors would feel honored in knowing that photos of their suffering might help ward off future genocides as well as help a suffering soul seek treatment for a debilitating disease. So I applaud Medusa's post for its awakening Road to Recovery message. Most if not all of the Holocaust victims in these photos were "Liberated" by allied troops. Suffers of anorexia should know that there are allied troops waiting to help just outside the barrier that anorexia has set up in their conscious. I pray that each sufferer of anorexia will find a way to tunnel under or climb over that barrier and reach the troops who so desperately want to liberate them from this incarcerating disease.
I want to make a point (hoping I don't come off harsh) that yes the human body can tolerate brutal treatment and still live on, but can only endure that much pain with adrenaline pumping through the veins and the people who were in the concentration camps only survived because they had it constantly pumping through their veins. So to who ever anonymous is, please don't continue your habits. I don't personally know anyone who has suffered through this but everyone I had read about doesn't deserve what they go though or the way they look at themselves. So I know that you don't either. You sound to smart.
I don't find that comparison appropriate here.
A whole lot of the people in concentration camps died from either malnutrition or because they were brutally killed.
How does that fit in the circumstances somebody with anorexia lives in?
Holocaust victims probable felt trapped and hopeless, and so do anorexics, but that's about it.
Would you post these pictures to a website about cancer as well, to tell people: "hey, you may survive" ?
This is lame like the speeches about people in poor countries having to starve while children here refuse to clean their plates - it wouldn't help anyone if they did, btw. Just like these pictures don't help anyone either.
No matter how you percieve this collection of images, it is truly powerful and thought provoking in so many ways. I thank you for that.
However, I'm torn as to which side I agree with more.
The only indifference I have, is that the survivors of the Holocaust were forced into starvation, while people suffering from Anorexia make a literal decision.
To me, this difference means a very different attitude towards therapy, rehabilitation, and recovery. Therefore, is the comparison is a bit obscure in that sense?
And by no means do I mean to dismiss the authors original intention of this collection. It is a wonderful idea to create a tool of hope for those suffering. But I thought this was fascinating and the comments fueled my own questions. I am merely here for conversation.
At first I felt the guilt. That I was doing this to myself and they didn't even get a choice.
But then I got sad. Really sad.
Sad that humans could do this to other humans.
Then sad that the voices inside our heads were torturing and starving us.
I see the link.
It makes me so sad.
I wish I could have helped those Jewish people.
I wish I could help all these anorexic people.
I wish I could help myself.
Faith, your sad plea has touched me. I write to tell you that today one of your wishes can be granted; you can help yourself. Just as you've reached out to this blog to express your sadness and feelings of helplessness, you can reach out to eating disorder outreach programs near you. Regardless of what the voices might say, you do have a choice in your own recovery.
Trying to do battle against any addictive disease takes more courage than most non-addicted persons could ever imagine. Use what courage you can muster to contact persons that can best assist you with the battle you must fight to survive.
Your compassion for others shows that you have much to offer humanity.
For the many Jews who submitted without a fight to being tortured and starved during the Holocaust, there were many others who angrily fought tooth and nail against their exterminators. Those were the ones that helped open the eyes of the world to their plight.
Get angry not at yourself Faith, but at the ED Disease that's holding that beautiful, healthy you captive. Get angry and direct that anger into an active search for help. We need fighters like you to awaken the masses to this horrible oppressor of good people. God Is With You - Always!
Thankyou so much. Your comment is lovely. It gives me hope and I appreciate your advice so much. I don't feel completely hopeless because I can see that alot of people do get through this disease and become healthy people.
I know it can happen. I just have to dig my nails in like you said and fight to live.
Seeing these pictures makes me want to hurt people.
I am very sorry for the people who survived a concentration camp. It makes me feel to give them a hug. Others made the decision to starve them to death. We can only see the hurting of the bodies not the souls. Anorexia is a mental illness and needs professional help. It is always wise to be careful with feelings of others. We might not understand what the other person is going trough. If you can help please help if not don't make it worse.
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