Obesity: Psychological Factors Involved In Being Overweight
Obesity is considered a pandemic in Western countries. Unhealthy habits, stress, a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet are the most common causes of excess weight. It is a disease that comes hand in hand with a work context that forces us to sit in an office and pay little interest in our health.
Of course, There are several disorders that can also cause obesity.. Medical problems such as endocrine or hormonal imbalances. These are separate cases that must be treated from a primarily medical perspective.
Psychological and psychiatric factors of excess weight
Scientific research has put the focus on this disease, obesity. In the United States, more than two-thirds of adult women and up to 75% of men are overweight.
Overweight and obesity: differences
It is useful to differentiate between overweight and obesitysince they are related but not identical concepts. Both have in common that they refer to excess accumulated fat. However, people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) from 25 to 29.9, being people who should reduce their weight to be healthier.
Obesity is a quantitatively and qualitatively more serious problem. Obese people exceed 30 BMI points, and their health is at significant risk.
Treating obesity from Psychology
The causes of obesity are various and, in many cases, comorbid. This means that Treatments to overcome this problem must be multifactorial.: from the medical and endocrinological field, to psychology and psychiatry, they can help people who suffer from this problem.
Over the last few decades, a good number of therapies and treatments have been developed against this disease, especially focused on improving eating habits and promoting physical exercise. These two factors are closely linked to the reduction of body volume.
However, professionals who treat obesity have been realizing that it is necessary to intervene in this problem with more specific and personalized approaches, through medical, nutritional, psychiatric and psychological intervention. This deployment of professionals to tackle this problem is motivated by the human, social and economic costs that obesity generates.
Risks of obese people
Obesity is a disease that not only affects the quality of life of those affected, but also entails other important problems:
1. Comorbidity
Obesity is a risk factor for the development of other pathologies: hypertension, heart disease, cancer, sleep apnea, etc.
2. Social stigma
Unfortunately, people who suffer from this health problem are strongly stigmatized both at school and in the workplace. This leads to a decrease in self-concept, increasing anxiety and worsening personal relationships.
3. Psychological and psychiatric disorders
Obesity has a high rate of comorbidity with psychopathologies, such as anxiety, addictions, depression, eating disorders, among others.
Relevant psychological aspects
As I mentioned before, obesity has biological, psychological and cultural causes. Regarding the psychological aspects associated with excess weight, there are different approaches and studies that point to certain possible causes, although none with a high degree of consensus.
For example, Psychoanalysis usually attributes obesity to the symbolic act of eating, and overweight is usually associated with an externalization of neurosis, associated with depression, guilt and anxiety. It is also common to associate obesity with certain underlying emotional conflicts, or with another previous mental disorder.
The psychological etiology of obesity is confusing, so intervention efforts focus on assessing and re-educating certain beliefs of patients, in addition to knowing the affective (emotional management) and environmental variables (eating habits, habits, etc.) . This variety of psychological processes involved in obesity raises the need to address the situation of each patient individually, evaluating their personality and their environment.
Psychologists and psychiatrists can investigate and intervene in the beliefs and emotional states of obese patients with the aim of improving their quality of life. It is important that the therapist creates the conducive environment for the patient to expose and express his or her emotional and cognitive conflicts. Usually, obese people experience low self-esteem and have a poor image of their own body.
Self-esteem, eating habits and perception of intake
In short, the therapist must not only promote changes in eating habits and lifestyle, but must also find a way to reinforce self-concept to focus on achieving weight loss. In this sense, it is worth emphasizing the importance of offering the patient tools to control emotions, impulses, as well as anxiety management techniques.
It is notable that patients with obesity tend to underestimate their caloric intake compared to people without weight problems. They minimize the amount of food they eat, not being fully aware that their intake is excessive. This is a common characteristic with people who suffer from other types of addictions. To control this, the psychotherapist must accompany the patient and make live recordings to show what quantities should be acceptable for each meal.
In short, therapy should focus not only on weight loss, but also on the process of psychological maturation that allows us to become aware of the problem, improving quality of life and establishing healthy habits, such as physical activity, a better self-concept and perception of one’s own. body and healthier eating habits. It is also key ceducate the patient that obesity is a diseaseand emphasize that they must make an effort to avoid relapses. One of the treatments that has shown the most success is cognitive-behavioral therapy.
The role of the psychiatrist is also relevant in the treatment of people with obesity.. Psychiatrists are in charge of deciding which patients are suitable to undergo surgery, and which are not. Traditionally, patients with psychotic symptoms have been considered unsuitable for undergoing surgical procedures, nor are those with a history of abuse or dependence on alcohol or other drugs.
Another group of patients who have serious difficulties in following psychiatric treatment linked to excess weight are those who have a personality disorder.
Approximately 30% of obese people who come to therapy express having bulimic impulses. Furthermore, 50% of patients with bulimic urges also present depression, unlike only 5% of patients without this type of urge.
Treating affective disorders such as anxiety or depression in obese people is key to a good prognosis. It is the necessary basis for the patient to commit to carrying out the treatment and changing their lifestyle habits.
Concluding
Definitely, patients with obesity require comprehensive treatment: doctors, psychiatrists, nutritionists and psychologists must intervene to diagnose and treat each person correctly and in a personalized way. Although there is no broad consensus on the psychological causes of obesity, we find some common points in many obese patients: low self-esteem, poor self-concept, poor eating habits and comorbidity with other psychopathologies.
This should make us value the relevance of the role of mental health professionals in improving quality of life. and the chances of recovery of these patients.
