Obesity – How Can A Psychologist Help?

Obesity is a health problem that involves various physical, genetic, psychological and environmental factors. In addition to being an aesthetic problem, the WHO states that it has serious health consequences.

Some of the most common dangers are: Cardiovascular disease, movement problems and some types of cancer (liver, gallbladder, kidney and bowel cancer.)

In recent years, psychologists have become a relevant factor in the treatment of obesity. Psychologists work with people who are overweight or obese to teach them a variety of specific tools. These tools help them lose weight and keep the weight down after an operation.

In this article, we will look at various factors that experts associate with overweight and obesity. We will focus in particular on the importance and significance of psychological therapy in these cases.

What factors are at play when we talk about obesity and overweight?

Obesity is an interplay of several factors. Various causes and variables contribute to its existence and occurrence. We will quickly make an overview of the primary variables and factors that the experts associate with overweight and obesity.

Genetic and physical factors

The debate over the influence of genes on obesity is quite controversial. What we do know is that in a number of cases of obesity, genetic causes are only very rarely to blame.

It is true that there are genetic syndromes that include obesity and obesity as part of their clinical profile. However, close to 90% of overweight patients do not have any of these syndromes.

Another widespread belief is that thyroid problems and other hormonal problems are due to being overweight. Most people who start gaining weight try to find an explanation for their increased weight through hormones and metabolism. But they are often wrong.

So even though researchers have identified certain genes and physical causes of obesity, these genes are only to blame in a very small number of cases. Many people attribute their obesity to a genetic cause because their parents and others in the family also tended to be overweight.

But it is more closely related to the fact that the family shares the same environment. They have common eating habits and attitudes towards food and their body. These factors contribute to obesity “occurring in the family”, not their genes.

Psychological variables associated with overweight and obesity

Emotions are the psychological elements that experts associate most with overweight and obesity. A person’s emotional state directly relates to one’s appetite, behavior at meal times and also with regard to which food is chosen.

Emotions directly affect the appetite. How they affect varies from person to person. Emotions such as depression or joy can increase or decrease your appetite. The effect is individual. There are people who eat more when they are anxious, others eat less. This is a direct effect of the emotional state and its physical manifestation.

In an indirect way, emotions are associated with a bias towards eating certain types of food. For example, stress from work makes you want to eat less food. The bad side of it is that the bit you then eat is full of empty calories. If you feel happy and positive, you eat larger amounts of food more slowly.

There are also many people who struggle with overweight and obesity, who use food to regulate their emotions. In these cases, they eat when they feel frustrated, bored or scared.

Food makes them feel more comfortable and gives them a temporary relief. This circle makes people addicted to food to make them feel more comfortable. Later, however, many of them feel guilt and regret.

Can one be addicted to food?

In recent years, the idea of ​​”food addiction” has become popular. In the scientific and psychological circles, however, there is no unanimous agreement in this area. It’s a little controversial. This is because different studies come to vastly different results. Some support the idea of ​​food addiction, while others outright reject it.

It is worth noting that food and the very act of consuming food activates pathways of reward in the brain. These are the same pathways that are activated by psychoactive substances such as alcohol, drugs or games. With that in mind, you can say that food addiction exists because food is a very powerful primary positive enhancer.

One of the most important psychological variables is “personal habits.” Psychologists call them “lifestyle behaviors.” All behaviors related to daily habits, diet, and eating habits are variables that predispose or provide conditions for people to become overweight or obese. These habits are also to blame for us putting on weight after surgery or a successful cure.

There are several habits that cause us to become overweight or obese. The most common are lack of physical activity and unconscious diet (when you do not just think about what you put in your mouth.)

Another habit is to choose food based on the mood you are in. If you eat while doing other things and if a very long time passes where you do not eat, it can also contribute to it. For all these habits, it is important to teach our children about the health of our ways of eating. These habits will protect them from becoming overweight.

Factors in the environment associated with overweight and obesity

Environmental factors are some of the most important. They are because the environment has a big influence on whether we become overweight or obese. First, your surroundings have a big impact on the amount of food you eat. For example, if you eat with others, you will typically eat more.

The type of work you have and your working hours also affect how much you eat. People who work at night are more likely to have eating or weight problems (anorexia, bulimia or obesity.)

Changes in your working hours and night work can cause sleep problems and changes in your circadian rhythm, also known as your internal clock. It makes it very difficult to fall asleep and you get in a bad mood. Here you can then use the diet as a regulating factor on your mood. It can happen by eating too much or by not eating enough.

What can psychological therapy do for overweight and obesity?

Psychological therapy is an important part of the treatment of overweight people. It helps them to get an effective cure and successful surgery. The therapy also helps patients to maintain their changed habits over time.

The psychologist will evaluate the patient’s eating habits and the contexts that influence them. Then they will suggest a particular psychological intervention.

The psychological treatment for overweight and obesity always depends on the needs of the individual patient. Usually, the psychologist will focus on all the habits around the food. First, they need to evaluate all the psychological factors associated with food and diet. The results of this evaluation are what determine what should happen to the patient.

How can a psychologist help you if you are overweight?

A psychologist is a health professional who specializes in behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. Therefore, they are the best prepared people who can help change your unhealthy habits. They can also help get your emotions processed so you get a better self-esteem.

Any intervention against obesity is not complete without psychological therapy. If you just attack the weight problem, the patient may lose weight, which can be very self-reinforcing.

It gives the patient strength and increases self-esteem. But it does not attack the root of evil. The treatment also aims to get around the emotional aspects in relation to food and the patient’s unhealthy habits.

You need to change your habits and learn to deal with stress and emotions. If you do not, the unhealthy habits will return. Your relationship with food will not change, you have just lost yourself. If you just lose weight and do not change your lifestyle or your relationship with food, you will most likely take it on again very quickly.

Therefore, it is important to understand obesity as a health problem in which psychological factors play a major role. If we think of obesity as something other than a problem with weight, we can improve the quality of life for those who struggle with it.

At the same time, we can motivate overweight people to seek psychological therapy. The more we do it normally, the less stigmatized it will become.