How is Mental Health Connected to Obesity?
WHAT IS OBESITY?
Obesity is defined by being a complex and chronic disease that involves excessive accumulation of body weight. It usually can lead to developing physical and mental health related problems.
SYMPTOMS OF OBESITY
Difficulties regarding breathing
Psychological changes, such as low self esteem, depression, social anxiety, lack of confidence, and feeling shameful.
Sleep troubles ( insomnia)
Varicose veins
Feeling exhausted without doing so much effort
Fatigue
Eating disorders
Large body frame
Lack of energy
Sleep apnea
Panic
Stress eating
CONNECTION TO MENTAL HEALTH
Obesity can lead to stigma from family , friends , professionals ( in the workplace ) , media etc.
Obese people are predisposed to experience depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic syndrome
Eating compulsively and excessively contributes to obesity
Changes in appetite caused by depression lead to accumulation of weight
Women who have low self-esteem are reported to have a significantly greater risk of weight gain
Stress felt by people can cause changes in daily nutrition, excess weight being much easier to accumulate in this case
Bulimia nervosa and mood disorders are experienced by obese people due to psychological pressure.
People with mental illness die 25 years earlier than those without mental illness due to obesity-related conditions
Patients with a history of ADHD have a greater chance to becoming obese
People who are taking psychiatric medication have a predisposition to gain weight more than people who do not take such medication
Poor self-imagine conducts to gaining weight
Binge eating disorder represents an illness which results in eating enormous quantities of food in a short amount of time - people with this kind of disorder seem to feel ashamed and experienced anxiety and depression
Traumatic experiences can cause weight gain
Depression decreases physical activity, causing patients to either increase or decrease their intake of food