Obesity is a highly prevalent condition with significant health implications. 

In the last two decades, obesity rate has risen at an alarming rate. 

Long-term physical consequences of obesity on health are well-known. But very few of us are aware about an emotional and psychological impact of obesity.

Yes, the negative attitude towards weight gain can adversely impact mental and emotional health to a great extent. People living with obesity often struggle with mental health issues in the form of depression, anxiety and mood disorders.

Obesity as a cause of poor mental health

Being overweight you feel ashamed of  your body. You feel embarrassed or dissatisfied with appearance and look.

Maybe you’ve been trying hard to reduce your weight but not seeing results or you’ve developed a health problem related to obesity in spite of your best efforts. 

You feel frustrated, worried, discouraged, or tried of dealing with daily lifestyle practices. 

It seems like your weight is controlling you instead of the other way around. 

Those overwhelming feelings may cause you to slip into more unhealthy habits. 

It happens to many, and you are not alone.

This emotional distress likely plays a role in treatment seeking and can impact successful treatment.

Obesity as a cause of social stigma

A negative perspective on obesity leads to unfavourable misperceptions such as obese people are lazy and undisciplined. This leads to discrimination within families, among friends and at a workplace. The derogatory remarks from known circle affects person’s self-esteem.

Heavy size put a restriction on performing certain social activities such as enjoying fun events, going for adventure, or travelling that can lead to social isolations and loneliness. 

Body-image dissatisfaction is a great concern, especially among teenagers and youth who are seeking admission in collage or want to get married. Profound societal stigma around obesity feeds this view.

There is bidirectional relationships between obesity and depression. Obesity can be the cause of depression, often due to associated stigma and discrimination. On the other hand, depression could be the reason for weigh gain due to stress and decreased physical activity.

As mentioned earlier, obesity is associated with several comorbidities, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and several forms of cancer. Being overweight is a major driver for diminished health-related quality of life and rising healthcare cost.

Also Check : Heart Attack And Emotional Health

Self-acceptance is the key

Being overweight brings lots of mental health challenges. 

But still you can overcome many of them with the power of self-acceptance.

Self-acceptance means capitalizing on your strength and accepting your limitations. So, instead of trying to “fix” yourself, you honor where you are right now. Here you possess a positive attitude towards a self, acknowledge and accept multiple aspects of self and feel positive about your life.

You don’t wait for hypothetical “perfect” version of yourself to exist. You have a strong belief that your life is valuable.

One you understand the worthiness of your own life, it will become easy to practice self-care.

Self-care is anything you do to take care of yourself. These can range from adopting healthy habits such as a regular exercise, eating healthy food, pursuing a hobby up to practicing stress management techniques.

Focusing enough attention on healthy habits have an immense potential to make a difference in emotional health and subsequently on weight too.

Disclaimer 

Mediclin Brain Health’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.