Obesity psychosomatics Louise Hay. Psychosomatics of overeating: causes and treatment of psychological illness

  • 29.06.2020

Obesity is a pathology that causes a malfunction of the body. The main symptom of obesity is overweight. Excess weight brings many problems, and the love of food ends in death. According to statistics, 30% of the world's population is obese and overweight. Gaining momentum lately childhood obesity. The reasons for weight gain are not only gluttony and a sedentary lifestyle, but also the perception of the world around us.

Many fat people suffer because they cannot lose weight. Neither dieting, nor exercising, nor changing the diet will help. Nutritionists shrug their hands: hormones are in order, the person is healthy, active, eats healthy and healthy food but the weight stays the same. The reason for this is psychological factors.

The relationship between somatic diseases and mental disorders has long been established. It occurs in both men and women of all ages.

There are several reasons for overweight:

  1. Weight gain as a form of protection. The body decides that completeness - The best way protection from external threats. The vulnerable human soul and unstable psyche are protected by a layer of fat. Acts as an airbag. The decision to get better comes unconsciously. Children who are prone to overweight have a program on the benefits of being overweight at an unconscious level. Protects from annoying contacts, because they don’t want to play and communicate with full ones. Excess weight cover the shortcomings: a sedentary lifestyle, excessive love for sweets.

  1. Completeness as a consequence of internal conflicts. Dissatisfaction with appearance, personal life leads to bad mood, depression, there is a feeling of anxiety. A person engages in self-digging, closes in on himself, stops communicating with friends. It is easier to deal with internal conflicts with the help of food.
  2. Lack of attention from relatives, friends. Loneliness is another reason for food addiction. With the help of food, a person fills the void, replaces live communication. Sweets will not be criticized for failures, give various advice. Therefore, obese people prefer to eat rather than talk with friends.
  3. Stress. The inability to cope with stress and jamming is the main cause of excessive fullness. Failures at work and problems in the family lead to the fact that a person consumes more sweet, fatty foods. A delicious cake cheers up, and life no longer seems bleak. Fat people are very vulnerable, they do not know how to restrain emotions. At the slightest upset, they console themselves with food. Adjusting mood with food is similar to drug or alcohol addiction.

  1. Extra weight as an opportunity to look better. Fat is an essential tissue for the human body. It weighs little, but is energetically capacious. Those places that the owner does not like, the body “decorates” with fat. This is how deposits appear on the stomach, arms and cellulite.

There are many psychological causes of overeating and obesity. Someone eats stress with food, someone is protected by being overweight from outside world. Fat people believe that fear, hatred of one's body, neurosis is easier to seize than to get rid of. So there is a food addiction, getting rid of which takes place in several stages.

A picture of the personality of a complete person

Overweight people have similar personality traits. They push a person to eat a lot, gain weight. In obese people, there is an installation in the subconscious that fat - the best remedy from all problems. According to scientists, obese people are neurotic. They eat a huge amount of food to get rid of anxiety, depression. After eating, the mood of neurotics rises.

Factors contributing to obesity:

  1. Infantilism - characteristic of men with female type obesity. Fat is deposited on the abdomen, hips, breasts increase. This means that a man is dependent on a powerful woman who controls his life. The wife or mother makes decisions concerning the man's life. A person loses independence, becomes weak and weak-willed. The character leaves an imprint on the appearance, the body takes on a feminine shape.

  1. The desire to take everything on your shoulders. Fat people do not consider themselves attractive, arousing the interest of the opposite sex. They try to prove their importance by caring for others. They grab onto everything at once, taking on the burden of other people's problems. In order not to break under these loads, you need to weigh a lot. There is a need to eat a lot, replenish energy, gain weight.

In recent years, childhood obesity has been on the rise. This is due to the fact that children eat problems rather than talk about them. Weight is gained by the one who cannot throw out anger, anger, express resentment. A child subjected to corporal punishment is forgotten with a piece of cake, pizza or Coke.

The loser syndrome is inherent in most overweight people. Food makes up for the absence personal life and self-motivation to develop. The patient does not understand the dangers of overeating and weight gain. Does not realize that fullness depends on the perception of the world, character and personality traits. In such a situation, it is advisable not to self-medicate. Only a specialist knows how to help a person with psychological problems that cause obesity.

Psychosomatics of excess weight in women

Women's nature is very different from men's. The way of thinking, mood and behavior - everything is due to the psychological state at a given time. Women need new emotions, impressions, sensations. Ordinary days bring discomfort and dissatisfaction with life. The woman starts eating negative emotions gaining weight quickly.

There are several causes of female obesity:

  1. Marriage. Quite often, a woman, having married, begins to recover. This is due to a change in status in society. The image of a young, carefree girl fades into the background. Married woman- the keeper of the hearth, solid and solid. Lush forms help to form the image of the Matrona - the head of the family.

  1. The woman is the breadwinner of the family. When the fair sex takes on men's duties, her weight increases. Fragility is inherent in women who are cared for by a husband or father. Women who perform male functions become big. The body takes care of the hostess, increasing endurance and performance with fat deposits.
  2. Denial of one's own sexuality. It manifests itself in an increase in the fat layer on the abdomen and thighs. Single women consider themselves ugly and unattractive. It does not have the opportunity to be realized as a loving wife and caring mother. The organism consoles the mistress, decorating some parts of the body.
  3. Lack of attention from her husband. The lady needs constant attention and proof of love. If a man does not show signs of attention, he thinks that they do not notice her. Fullness and an increase in volumes will help to become noticeable. Especially if the husband once mentioned that he likes soft, curvy women.
  4. Rest after work. Eating at night is one of the main causes of female obesity. Relax at home in front of the TV, take a break from the heavy labor day high calorie foods help. A delicious dinner distracts from the troubles at work, a piece of chocolate is able to cope with negative emotions. In the evening, metabolism slows down, fat is deposited on the stomach. Therefore, such a vacation is a dubious pleasure.

Female completeness is based on a psychological foundation. Ladies are sensitive to remarks, criticism, minor failures lead out of balance. It solves problems with a tasty, hearty dinner, a snack at work, a hearty lunch. Get rid of the desire to seize problems with the help of psychotherapy.

Obesity Treatment Methods

Obesity is a dangerous disease that the patient cannot cope with on his own. A qualified specialist will help you get rid of psychological problems and lose weight. The fight against excess weight occurs in several stages. First you need to imagine the image of yourself losing weight, visualize it. This will allow you to focus on the desired result. Having diagnosed the psychosomatics of obesity, the psychotherapist will prescribe treatment. However, before choosing a treatment regimen for the disease, it is important to understand what caused it. The cause of obesity is stress, self-doubt, hatred of one's body.

Deposits on different parts bodies talk about the following issues:

  • The fat layer on the lower thigh informs about children's grievances and conflicts with parents.
  • Loose buttocks indicate the presence of debts to society. For example, when a person does not fulfill promises, refuses to help those in need.
  • Deposits on the abdomen indicate a lack of attention and care from the opposite sex.
  • The second chin reports unspoken words, suppression of emotions.

Having identified the cause, the doctor will prescribe a course of treatment.

There are several methods of treating overweight:

  • If the food acts as an antidepressant, helps relieve stress, replace it with something else. For example, for a walk in the park, swimming or watching your favorite movies.
  • Before putting another piece of cake into your mouth, ask yourself: “Is this a physical or mental hunger?”. Moral dissatisfaction encourages to eat even on a full stomach. Give up food, switching to something else. Knitting, sewing or drawing relieve stress.
  • Love yourself and those around you. It is not good to seize one's own shortcomings. Realize that there are no perfect people. Adoption weaknesses relieves food addiction. If the reason for overeating lies in the attitude towards others, reconsider the attitude towards people. You may be overreacting to jokes and remarks. Take everything to heart, deal with resentment through food. Any conflict is resolved by talking with a person. A large number of sweet, fatty, high-calorie foods will not make you better.
  • Set your priorities. Write on a piece of paper what is of particular value to you. You will see that family, career, travel are located at the top of the list, and food remains somewhere at the bottom. Answer the question: "Eat to live or live to eat?". Then you will understand what is really important.
  • Learn to say no. This applies to people who want to help everyone around them. Do not take on the problems and worries of loved ones and friends. If you refuse any request, you will not cease to be loved or respected. Do what you can. Do not take on an unnecessary, unnecessary burden of responsibility. Remember that, having found inner harmony, you will get rid of the hated kilograms.

Reset excess weight as difficult as holding it. Staying slim will help prevent obesity. It consists in a positive attitude, love for yourself and your body, acceptance of the world around you.

The fight against excess kilograms is a whole range of exercises. The help of a psychologist is only one of its components. Only a change in lifestyle, nutrition control and exercise will help to defeat obesity and find the body of your dreams.

Why does one woman not feel the need for food, while the other constantly seizes something? In fact, the body does not require such an amount. This is required by her psychological state. In this article I will talk about why psychosomatics of excess weight appears in women.

The tendency to be overweight (and obese) usually has the following causes:

  • heredity (at the level of genetics along someone's line);
  • diseases in the body (for example, hypothyroidism contributes to weight gain);

But not everyone who has problems with extra pounds has organ problems.

The point here is psychological reasons over which a woman does not work and which she does not pay attention to.

What is the reason for the psychosomatics of obesity in women?

To begin with, we note that overweight and obesity are not the same thing.

These conditions are distinguished by different body mass index. If in the first case it is more about discomfort and what is easier to get rid of, then in the second it is a real disease that can be difficult to cope with alone.

Psychosomatics is a branch that studies how the psychological state affects the state of our body. These can be manifestations in the organs, and can also be expressed in the accumulation of excess weight in the body.

Eating disorders are associated with unconscious processes.

Therefore, it is not so easy to get rid of them! It’s not enough to say to yourself, “I’m eating less from today.” Here - in a way, as with alcoholism, the same obsessive need for use.

A woman experiences a real food addiction, with which she satisfies some of her needs. Only often does not realize what exactly this need is. Such a need, as a rule, is the need for love, care and attention.

It turns out that she constantly experiences psychological discomfort and seizes him. Therefore, when the stomach is saturated, the body receives some kind of satisfaction, which is very difficult to obtain in other ways.

This is the very source of obtaining positive emotions. At the same time, the woman herself does not seek to say goodbye to being overweight. If she didn't need him, she wouldn't have him. She needs him. Needed to protect against something disturbing and unsafe.

Where does this state originate?

Like many neurotic disorders, it starts in the family. There are several options here.

First option.

Usually in our country, teenagers are kept on a "short leash" so that they do not do any stupid things. Parents begin to control their every step, every word. “It’s impossible, and that’s impossible, you can’t dress like that and you can’t make up like that either.” Otherwise, you will be "bad".

Of course, without control anywhere. But parents fanatically adjust the teenager to their own expectations. And this is what affects his psyche. If everything is impossible, then somehow you need to compensate for all these prohibitions, to get at least some freedom.

They begin to find this freedom in food. Where there are numerous prohibitions, extra pounds are also possible. Further, this bundle is fixed in the psyche, and a person, already in adulthood, continues to behave in exactly the same way.

Second option.

The mother understands that "a well-fed child is a contented child." And she begins to feed him not only to satisfy his hunger, but also in order to calm him down (that is, psychological aspect). In some children, parents in this way remove the tantrum.

Sometimes mothers treat what they eat as a form of expression of love: “Eat porridge, otherwise I will be offended. Isn't she tasty? And I don't want to offend my mother. Manipulation of pure water.

So the girl understands the following: when you eat everything, it means you show your love and respect.

If the child at the same time has some kind of unpleasant internal state (fear, stress, shame), and at the same time it is removed by food, the psyche very quickly remembers this way of relieving stress.

Therefore, in adulthood, someone takes antidepressants to calm down, and someone “takes” food.

Option three.

Many still have habits from the past, when it is simply a pity to throw out half-eaten food. They paid, tried, prepared. Therefore, in order not to be left, you need to eat here and now.

So the body receives the surplus that it does not need, but rather our mind to calm down.

What are the similarities of all women whose causes of obesity are psychological?

Obesity is a more serious condition. This is already a diagnosis. And best of all, go through all the medical examinations to be sure that this is exactly it.

With him, diets and sports are no longer so effective. Often, they bring little results. The occurrence of obesity is affected by the following.

Low self-esteem.

It has one of the decisive roles. Firstly, as far as we value ourselves, the environment communicates with us to the same extent. If we don't appreciate ourselves, others don't appreciate us either. Not at work, not in the family.

Therefore, it is most difficult to lose weight if self-esteem is low. You do not see this image in which you are in demand and beautiful. Many in this state make another attempt, during which they are convinced that they are not allowed to be different. “I tried to lose weight - it didn’t work, not for me. Here they are, beautiful, - yes, they have willpower, and in general they are from another planet and from a different test.

Low self-esteem is very related to the body. This connection for many, again, comes from childhood. Rejection of the body in adolescence, when we think that something is wrong, causes a desire to constantly think about our imperfection. Leads to insecurity in our behavior. It seems that everyone only thinks about "my shortcomings".

A person with low self-esteem has very little motivation to change. Not worthy - and that's it.

Self pity.

“I felt so bad today morally, there are difficulties at work, and I do a lot, don’t I really deserve a small reward ... Moreover, the boss only does what he notices one bad thing ...”

We often experience the victim state. From which, of course, you want to get rid of. When eating, satisfaction comes both at the level of the body (with the help of the release of insulin into the blood), and at the level of the psyche. But this is intermittent and does not remove the cause.

People feel sorry for themselves and justify their inaction with this pity.

There is no skill to resist the outside world.

Sometimes a girl infringes on her needs for the sake of others, she does not know how to say “No”. Does something even if she doesn't like it.

Obesity often appears in those who were suppressed in childhood, whose opinion was not considered, forced to do something against their will. And not only in the family, but also in the circle of friends.

Some have psychological traumas, and in order to isolate themselves from them and protect themselves from new ones, the body builds new boundaries at the physiological level.

And since many of us do not know how to calmly assert our boundaries, express our feelings and work with emotions, the body comes to the rescue. So it turns out psychosomatics (the psyche affects the somatics).

How does a woman suffering from the psychosomatics of gluttony feel inside?

She feels like this:

  • vulnerability,
  • touchiness,
  • sensitivity,
  • and etc.

A woman needs to fill the inner void, but positive emotions it is impossible to do this, so you have to fill the stomach, which also affects the psyche.

Sometimes, of course, the trigger is a major stressful event. For instance:

  • death of husband
  • divorce,
  • hard work,
  • difficult situation with children.

Here, some go into alcoholism (which, of course, is more characteristic of men). It is no coincidence that there is a saying "get drunk and forget." And women use food instead of alcohol.

What causes the psychosomatics of excess weight in women? What are the consequences?

The consequences are familiar to many.

  • in the summer "a hundred sweats come down",
  • you have to buy clothes that fit, not what you like,
  • it is not always possible to sit comfortably, because the “belly hangs down”,
  • fear of dating
  • others perceive as a unkempt person,
  • ridicule from the uncultured, who offend. (“Today is exactly half a year since I go out for a run tomorrow morning”).

Obesity as a disease affects not only appearance but also on the body as a whole. Over time, there are consequences such as diabetes, hernia, depression, arthritis, heart attacks and more.

How to lose weight with psychosomatics?

1 - Understand the reason.

If you understand the unconscious motives, it will already be easier to work with.

2 - Deal with secondary benefits.

With her weight, a woman fences herself off from the outside world. And for her, this state is very important!

If she has a negative relationship with a man, then she may now gain weight to confirm that she really has become unattractive to others.

And the thing is that she subconsciously wants to avoid the trauma of rejection. Or just afraid to make mistakes. Shielded from mistakes. Strives to be a perfectionist.

Fat always protects against something. From potential failure. Therefore, it is necessary to work with anxiety and fear, in some cases - with childhood trauma. And in all cases - with self-esteem and self-love.

Critically important:

3 - Learn to say "no".

4 - Work with self-esteem.

5 - Workout.

6 - Work with responsibility.

Overweight people are often lazy. Therefore, extra pounds are just a punishment for laziness. But the responsibility for your appearance and health lies only with you. You can always take matters into your own hands.

This is how the psychosomatics of excess weight in women is worked out!

The good news is that you can do all this much faster with the help of an experienced specialist. Especially if there is internal conflict, which was laid down in childhood. Here simple physical activity definitely not enough.

How to deal with psychosomatics faster?

Two points are important: to get to the exact cause and to choose the right psychological techniques. If you break down all the work into stages, then it is more expedient to go this way:

  1. determine the starting situation
  2. specify the root emotion (anger, guilt, shame, grief - everyone has their own),
  3. select appropriate psychological techniques,
  4. check the correctness of their implementation,
  5. correct emotion (develop new reactions to provocations).

Example: you can read for a long time about constipation - that these are mental blocks, dislike for yourself. But in 95% of cases, he appears in a state of choice, in limbo. If you also have basic distrust and anxiety, constipation develops into chronic and worsens during the selection period.

Consequently, situations with a choice will never end, but the attitude towards them can be changed in psychotherapeutic ways.

What is the majority doing?

They study the theory, but do not achieve improvement.

The fact is that independent work with his unconscious requires a lot of preparation.

Is a specialist needed?

It will just be faster with him. You can cope on your own, but it turns out in units and for a long time.

In my practice, the terms ranged from 1 consultation to a year. The most common cases are:

  • headache,
  • gynecological problems,
  • lungs,
  • childhood illnesses through parents and others.

You can learn about working with me.

Health to you and psychological comfort.

Psychological factors play a very important role in the life of any person. Sometimes an overabundance or, on the contrary, a lack of emotions in a person transforms into an uncontrollable desire to eat. The psychosomatics of overeating explains how nervous experiences and bouts of psychological illness can lead to overweight and obesity.

What is psychosomatics

The scientific direction at the intersection of medicine and psychology, which studies the relationship of emotional needs with real diseases of the body, is called psychosomatics. It has been proven that psychogenic factors can cause any ailments. Psychosomatic causes are said to be when all the symptoms of a disease are present, but it cannot be treated with medications. In this case, the doctor will recommend the patient to seek the advice of a psychologist.

Psychosomatic theory of overeating

The style of food speaks about the state of mind of a person, because eating is the main life function. After satisfying hunger, a feeling of security is created, well-being improves. The psychosomatic theory of overeating is that the patient consumes food when he is in an agitated state. He can eat an unlimited amount of food without feeling full.

Psychological causes of overeating

Psychogenic or compulsive overeating has many different factors. Among the most common reasons psychotherapists call:

  • psychological trauma received at an early age;
  • food addictions;
  • negative emotions;
  • low self-esteem;
  • depression;
  • conflicts in the family and at work.

According to the psychosomatics of overeating, any problem can cause an attack if you do not pay attention to it in time. The habit of "jamming" emotional discomfort is fixed very quickly, and it will be more and more difficult to get rid of it over time. Therefore, it is recommended to study all the factors that lead to psychological overeating.

Food habits

The psychosomatics of overeating is laid down in childhood, which is why it is so difficult for adults to get rid of eating habits. One of the most common examples that causes many people to overeat is the empty plate rule, where the child is required to eat all the food to the end. Parents' insistence that you need to eat a lot for health is also one of the main causes of obesity.

stress

Strong excitement causes stress to the body, tension pains may occur. There is a temporary stimulation nervous system. This condition often contributes to a decrease in appetite, but after relaxation, the opposite reaction occurs and the desire to “eat stress”. The reason could be:

  • exam;
  • applying for a job;
  • date;
  • performance in front of the audience.

food addiction

This type of addiction is no different from any other, for example, alcohol or nicotine. A person in the same way enjoys the process of eating. The occupation is unsafe, because the consequences lead to the appearance of very unpleasant diseases. If the patient feels guilty, then bulimia can develop, when the patient eats up, and then tries to get rid of what he has eaten, going on a diet or causing vomiting.

Emotional conflicts

Conflicts occurring in the family or work environment lead to the desire of the organism to receive compensation in food equivalent. Gradually, these addictions are fixed emotionally, leading to calm and relaxation, gluttony becomes a habit. It has been proven that women have a predisposition to such dependence, which appears after quarrels.

Psychological trauma

The psychology of overeating among the main causes of the problem considers the psychological trauma received by the patient. The strongest are those that arise in childhood. Divorce of parents, lack of attention, moving to another place, careless remark about appearance - all this can lead to mental disorders in the child. In mature people, the psychosomatics of the disease occurs after parting with partners, failures at work, dissatisfaction with appearance.

Psychosomatic symptoms of overeating

The first signs of overeating are difficult to notice. At first, they appear slightly and worsen over time, when food addiction already has strong psychological roots. The peculiarity lies in the fact that the need to eat food arises automatically. The main psychosomatic symptoms of overeating are:

  • compensation for missing emotions with food;
  • inability to influence the process;
  • lack of feeling of hunger.

Treatment of psychosomatic disorders

The peculiarity of this mental disorder is that a person cannot cope with it on his own. In order to carry out the correct treatment, the patient needs to contact an experienced psychologist. Overeating as a psychological problem is successfully eliminated in a few weeks time may vary depending on the severity of the patient's condition. Psychotherapy for excessive eating includes:

  1. A conversation to clarify eating behavior, clarify living conditions, establish the relationship between mood and irresistible desire eat.
  2. Sentence new program for eating, recorded on paper or electronic media.
  3. Record all psychological sensations associated with the new regime.
  4. Conducting sessions in which the patient will assess the attitude towards life and himself. The main task of such classes is to help a person accept his body with any shortcomings.
  5. Conducting group conversations with patients about the psychosomatics of overeating. This method will help to understand that the disease can be successfully dealt with.

The first classes are held, if possible, daily, so that the person is under the supervision of a specialist. Gradually, the intervals between conversations become longer. For many people, it is important that someone is interested in his condition. After the bouts of overeating recede, it is recommended to visit a psychotherapist at least 1-2 times a year.

Video

The number of people with . The problem of obesity affects all people equally. According to statistics in Russia, a third of the population suffers from obesity, and this is an impressive figure. Most clinics, narrow specialists, nutritionists offer expensive treatment, exhausting diets, intense workouts, but the weight returns. The connection of many somatic diseases with the psyche has long been known. Obesity is no exception. Psychosomatics is given special attention, because ladies are more vulnerable, emotional, sensitive natures. The roots of many diseases in them can be found by studying the psychological characteristics of the individual.

Psychosomatics is a branch of medicine and psychology that studies the influence of a person's psychological characteristics on the occurrence of somatic diseases. There is a popular opinion among doctors that character traits, behavior style, emotions, temperament are of great importance in the appearance of body diseases. Pathologies with a proven psychosomatic nature include:

  • Bronchial asthma.
  • Panic attacks (vegetative disorders).
  • Arterial hypertension with an unspecified cause.
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
  • Obesity.

Why you need to deal with the problem

Obesity is a chronic progressive metabolic disease, manifested by excessive deposition of adipose tissue in the body, followed by an increase in body weight. The disease has a chronic nature, it is difficult to treat, the weight returns. This happens for reasons of positive energy balance, when the body receives more energy than it can spend. The problem of obesity is multifaceted, it has more causes than cures. Overweight people have many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, live less, are largely limited, and the quality of life and social communication also suffer.

Complications of excess weight:

  • Diseases of the heart and blood vessels (hypertension, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia).
  • Respiratory congestive failure.
  • Diabetes mellitus type 2.
  • Vascular atherosclerosis is common (intermittent claudication).
  • Violation of cerebral circulation.
  • Joint diseases (deforming osteoarthrosis, osteochondrosis).
  • Fatty infiltration of the liver.

Causes of obesity

For the successful treatment of this disease, it is necessary to determine the causes that cause it. Doctors identify three main points in the emergence of obesity.

Physiological factors

These include overeating. When a person begins to consume more food than necessary, the excess reserves do not have time to be wasted, are deposited under the skin, and also during internal organs. The problem is relevant for people with a sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, unwillingness to play sports. Gradually, the stomach of such patients begins to stretch, the feeling of fullness is late, you have to eat more food to satisfy your food instinct.

It is customary to distinguish several conditions that provoke weight gain:

  1. Decreased motor activity.
  2. Hereditary feature of slow metabolism.
  3. Pregnancy, lactation, oral contraceptives.
  4. Long-term hormonal treatment.

Social factors

Society means society. These reasons include:

  1. Family traditions, habits.
  2. Excessive overfeeding of the child in childhood, which may be associated with the fears of parents, the desire to satisfy the baby's need for food.
  3. Eating behavior at work, among friends and in a team.
  4. The manner of eating quickly, impulsively, out of necessity, not out of desire.

Systematic overeating with a low consumption of energy reserves leads to speed dial weight. Change social causes much more difficult than physiological, where simple overeating takes place.

Psychological factors

Psychosomatics of excess weight is a complex concept. Not many nutritionists take into account the psychological factor when prescribing a diet. Most of them do not even think about the subconscious causes of extra pounds. The result of such a diet will always be the same. After some time, body weight will return to the previous figures. We are almost close to the psychosomatic causes of obesity in women. It remains only to find out what is female nature?

Mental characteristics of women

The mental system of women, their way of thinking, reasoning, logic and much more are very different from those of men. Ladies are always hungry natures. It is not only the passion for food that is invested in this concept. Women will always have few new emotions, sensations, impressions, they suffer greatly from monotony and routine, and are also very dependent on mood. Each of their actions, movements, thoughts, ideas is subject not only to reason, logic, but also to the spiritual, mental state at the moment.

But that's not all! Women have more fears, fears, superstitions. There are also negative traits character: temper, anger, talkativeness, envy, nervousness, hysteria. Mobile mental activity leads to the release of adrenaline and stress hormones, which greatly affects metabolism, metabolism, hormones. Frequent failures provoke fluid retention, replenishment of glycogen, glucose, and fats.

Psychological causes of excess weight in women

Women's somatic diseases, obesity, in particular, have a purely psychological foundation.

Interesting! An undermined, destroyed, painful female psyche can affect the energy balance of the whole organism and bring it out of balance!

Stress in our lives occurs at every turn, and ladies are extremely sensitive to them, so it becomes clear where obesity takes its roots from.

  • Women's emotions and overeating. In women, there is a close relationship between mood and sweets. I was nervous at work - I ate a chocolate bar. Serotonin did its job, the lady felt a surge of good mood. Gradually, this setting becomes a habit. Depression, disappointment in a life partner, divorce, any troubles are “extinguished” by eating sweets or simply overeating. Hungry natures satisfy their needs, which they cannot fulfill, with food. The body consumes a large amount of energy, which accumulates in reserve. If the harmful causal factor(depression, neurosis), then pathological eating behavior is formed, leading to obesity.
  • Food for the night. We believe that the evening will come, we will be able to relax at home, sitting at the table, have a delicious meal, forget about problems, deeds. That's just an imaginary pleasure! In the evening, at night, the metabolism slows down dramatically. Everything eaten at dinner will certainly be deposited on the stomach. Why is this happening? Yes, it’s just difficult for many women to imagine a non-home vacation. It is much better after work to swim in the pool, run in the park, ride a bike. It is not always possible to fulfill the plan, and the reason for this is the habitual way of thinking that has developed over the years, which you absolutely do not want to change.
  • Food is a sense of security. Pathology of the psyche comes from childhood. Psychologists call this the baby syndrome. In early childhood, babies sometimes require their mother's breasts not because they are hungry, but to feel comfortable and protected. With age, this reflex fades, but not for everyone. Under the influence of any external causes adult woman behaves like a child, limiting his safe zone to the kitchen, feeling secure while eating. Saturation of blood with glucose gives a unique feeling of happiness, peace, which you want to experience again.
  • Excess weight is an internal conflict. Most psychiatrists and psychologists think so. There is an internal setting that it is better to be a full and curvy woman than a thin one. The mood is subconscious and such a decision is made in connection with reasons that even the lady herself does not suspect. Pathological beliefs forbid being slim through a complex series biochemical processes associated with metabolism, metabolism, the work of hormones, enzymes. At obese women there is a direct causal relationship between weight and mental attitude. As long as there is internal conflict, all attempts to reduce body weight by diet, intense training will lead to nothing. The subconscious will again force the body to become what it needs to be. The task of the psychologist is to find the internal cause, destroy it, and only then proceed to the fight against excess weight.
  • Being overweight is beneficial. In this case, the benefits of excess weight lies in an attempt to protect yourself from the outside world, hide from communication, problems under a layer of fat folds. The benefits of fullness are expressed in the following criteria: weight justifies failures in life, gives appearance significance, solidity, obesity changes attitudes towards people, makes others take you more seriously, helps you feel loved, defenseless, evokes sympathy from loved ones, protects from a specific problem.

Excess weight therapy: psychological aspects

Before proceeding with the treatment of obesity, you need to enlist the support of the patient himself. Obesity is an addiction. Without the voluntary consent, as well as the strong desire of the woman, all attempts to treat psychosomatic obesity will fail from the very beginning.

Doctors face three challenges in treating obese patients:

  1. It is difficult to find an internal cause (some appeared recently, while others stretch from childhood itself).
  2. A woman's fear of seeing herself thin.
  3. Constant feeling of hunger.

The usual treatment for obesity comes down to the appointment of medications that break down fat, reducing its absorption in the intestines. They also use means for the accelerated removal of fats from the body, various herbal diuretic preparations. The complex of therapeutic treatment is complemented by a low-calorie diet, a visit to the gym. No one will deny that the effect of such therapy is very impressive. The body weight is reduced, the patient, as well as her doctor, are satisfied with themselves and the results.

After 2-3 years, the woman again asks for help, or maybe she will give up on the problem and become even fuller than she was. So why is the weight coming back? After all, you can not sit on a strict diet all your life? There are several options for the development of events:

  1. Concomitant pathology of the endocrine system contributes to weight gain. There is no need to look for psychosomatics here (only 5% of people suffer from secondary obesity). Correction of the disease will help to reduce weight.
  2. Some manage to follow a diet, play sports all their lives, maintaining the shape of the body. This path is difficult, costly, requires willpower, free time.
  3. Contact a specialist, find an internal psychological problem, then eliminate it.

Finding the internal cause

Psychotherapeutic treatment of obesity in women is a modern approach that gives very good results. Excess weight is the intake of excess food in the body. Why is this happening? What subconsciously pushes a woman to overeat? Psychologists highlight several important aspects:

  • The feeling of being insignificant, flawed, almost invisible in this world pushes the subconscious to gain weight, to increase its size.
  • Women who have been raped also subconsciously want to become less attractive, so they gain weight.
  • After the birth of a child, young mothers change their thinking, try to look more solid, more weighty, because now they bear a great responsibility for the baby. The image of a slender young girl is a thing of the past, and a new one is coming to replace it.
  • Lonely ladies dump on their shoulders all the problems at home, at work, playing the role of a man who is not around.

All these aspects the woman is not aware of. No slender girl will intentionally gain weight in order to become significant, for example, at work. So decides her inner subconscious. This is the protection of the individual from the outside world, stressful situations, problems. Only a psychologist can see this conflict, bring it to the surface of the psyche, take it apart, make the patient believe in the need to reduce excess weight.

Psychotherapeutic correction (hypnosis, introspection, psychological techniques) is supplemented by a course medicines affecting emotions, mood, desires, sleep. These drugs include tranquilizers, antipsychotics, sedatives, antidepressants. The latter are used very often in the practice of a doctor.

Weight loss

As soon as the first difficult stage of psycho-correction is passed, an internal psychological problem is discovered, you can proceed to the second stage. Some patients are looking forward to shedding extra pounds directly. Their problem is solved, they have a strong incentive, a great desire to change, to see themselves differently. This category of women will achieve the desired harmony and maintain the effect for a long time only because they have a strong enough mindset for change.

With the second group of women, the situation is less rosy, since they have too many “skeletons in the closet” that need to be disposed of before treatment with a diet or training. It can be very difficult to imagine yourself different, not the same as now. You will have to change your lifestyle, diet, schedule, expose yourself to exhausting activities. Yes, and this is not the most important thing. After all, the attitude towards oneself, towards other people, thinking and much more will change. Is any woman ready to take on such a test?

Girls come to see a psychologist who are ready to lose weight outwardly, but inside they have a barrier or prohibition. Subconsciously, they do not want to lose weight, so they find hundreds of reasons, excuses not to go to the gym, not to diet. It is extremely difficult to work with such patients, their internal conflict is difficult to overcome. If the specialist manages to do this, then the next difficulty for this category of women will be overcoming hunger.

Here are a few rules to help you get the job done:

  1. Food is dope, you need to use it in moderation.
  2. Willpower and desire will help you lose weight.
  3. It is important to build a mental image of a beautiful and slender woman, and then strive for it.
  4. Patience. Fat from the sides will not melt by morning.
  5. You need to take your mind off food.

In conclusion, I would like to say that women cannot live in conditions of lack of something. No one is actually asking them to do this. If there is not enough love, attention, finances, communication, comfort, new sensations, vivid emotions, then you should not resort to food as to doping. This will end badly for health and figure. There are excellent means by which you can replace the desire for a constant snack: hobbies, reading, watching a movie, visiting a museum, walking, traveling. All these methods save from obesity, and also bring the mind and psyche into a state of balance.

The relationship between mental health and physical condition studies - a science formed at the intersection of medicine and psychology. The doctrine is based on the concept of the influence of mental factors on the health of the body. Representatives of science believe that negative emotions, stresses and experiences, negative thoughts affect the development of diseases of organs and systems. Psychosomatics of excess weight is a bodily sign of psychological problems.

Obesity, medically speaking, is a chronic disease with a metabolic disorder, manifested by excessive deposition of fat cells in the body and weight gain. Obesity is reversible – you can lose weight and get fit.

Being overweight has the following consequences:

Psychosomatics of excess weight in women

Causes and predisposing factors

Common causes of being overweight:

Secondary benefit of being overweight

In psychology, a secondary benefit is a set of benefits that a person receives from the formed symptoms of the disease.

The most common forms of secondary benefit are:


Overweight as a form of protection

Psychosomatic obesity can be perceived as a mask, or an escape from reality. People seem to be trying to hide behind a layer of body fat.

This form of protection is more often typical for women who try to hide their personal core, hide their "I" in the depths, and leave a folded image on the facade.

A look at the problem from Louise Hay

Louise Hay believes that the cause of obesity is fear, the need for protection, self-denial and unwillingness to feel others. She also attributes the desire to show herself and hypersensitivity to the reasons. In order to get rid of this problem, Hay advises repeating the phrases “this place is safe”, “now I’m not scared”, “I create security for myself and my loved ones on my own” every day. These affirmations, according to Louise Hay, can solve the problem of excess weight.

The psychologist also links body parts with obesity and psychological problems. For example, psychosomatic obesity in the abdomen indicates internal anger for food deprivation, the pelvis indicates aggression towards parents, and the shoulders indicate a lack of love.

Opinion Liz Burbo

Liz Bourbo () associates obesity with three phenomena:

Overweight according to Sinelnikov

Valery Sinelnikov states that being overweight is an expression of fear and a need for protection. Often overweight people feel vulnerable and vulnerable. The fat layer plays the role of a shell that hides a person's feelings from others.

The healer also says that people with a large mass are sensitive and unable to cope with internal experiences. Fat dulls unacceptable emotions and thoughts. Sinelnikov also says that the tendency to overeat is a sign of dissatisfaction with oneself, up to hatred.

How to deal with being overweight

Not a single diet on the Internet will help until the overweight person himself turns to a nutritionist. However, there is a code general rules for weight loss:

  • you can not starve;
  • count the number daily calories;
  • create and adhere to a diet;
  • properly distribute carbohydrates, fats and proteins;
  • maintain water balance;
  • eat sitting and at rest;
  • chew food thoroughly.

Psychotherapy

In the psychotherapy of obesity, cognitive-behavioral therapy and a hypno-suggestive approach have the best effect. In the first option, the therapist, with the help of verbal attitudes, destroys the mental patterns of the client and teaches him to control his state with the help of the train of thought. With hypnosuggestive techniques, the doctor gives an orientation to the correct eating behavior.