Obesity is a serious health problem that threatens human health, limits life, brings with it co-morbidities and is increasing in today's population. While the causes are very diverse, the underlying causes are interrelated. Among these reasons, psychology also plays a big role.
Psychology, with its broad definition, is a science that studies human behavior and the underlying causes of these behaviors. In this context, a good investigation of the reasons that lead people to unhealthy and overeating behavior will also help to illuminate the causes of obesity. Different schools consider the psychological causes of obesity from different dimensions. One of these schools is the dynamic perspective. According to this school; One of the most frequently described psychological functions of obesity is its use as a "protection" in interpersonal relationships. Individuals with a fear of intimacy create a “wall” (i.e. fat) that pushes others away. One woman stated that her obesity allowed her to "filter" cruel people. He stated that he believed that good people would see beyond his physical appearance, and that bad people would not even bother to befriend him because of his weight.
There are also cases where a few patients with a history of sexual abuse describe an intentional attempt to gain weight in childhood/adolescence to make themselves seem less attractive to the abuser. For such patients, there is a risk of conscious or unconscious sabotage of their weight loss. If the psychologist has any concerns during the psychological evaluation, these are openly discussed with the patient. For example, the patient is asked how they imagine their life would be different as a thin person. Ask explicitly how they would feel if they received more attention from men or women and how they would deal with that attention.
Exp. Cl. Ps. Cihad Basaran