Psychological Disorders Affiliated with Obesity

What are the Psychological Disorders Affiliated with Obesity?

Research examining the relationship between obesity and psychopathology has found that compared to those with normal body weight, obese individuals experience lower self-esteem, anxiety disorders (social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder), depression, psychosocial inadequacy, sleep disorders, sexual dysfunctions, and personality disorders. In almost all treatment methods against obesity, it has been observed that after weight loss, the patient returns to their old eating habits under severe stress or due to complacency. Considering that every unsuccessful dieting behavior leads to the development of an eating disorder and causes weight gain, in the treatment of obesity, in addition to a diet program, treatment models supported by individual and group therapy can help the person find the underlying cause of their unhealthy eating behavior, lose weight by feeling good, and thus achieve permanent weight loss.

The Relationship Between Obesity and Depression

Similar symptoms such as sleep problems, changes in appetite, sexual reluctance, and uncontrolled food consumption are seen in obesity and depression. It is thought that depressive individuals experience more stress, which can lead to obesity in certain individuals. The effect of stress on obesity occurs through both psychological and physiological mechanisms. One of its primary effects is that it leads to obesity by disrupting physical activity and healthy eating habits. Similarly, stressful situations such as family separations and job loss psychologically lead to depression. Therefore, the physiological mechanism regulated by stress can affect both depression and obesity. A study conducted in Turkey also reported that major depressive disorder is one of the most common diagnoses in obese individuals. While depression is a disorder that causes obesity, it can also emerge as a symptom as a result of obesity. One of the two most important symptoms of depression is a lack of self-esteem, and the other is a loss of interest and desire. Although it is observed that the self-esteem levels of individuals with post-operative depression increase after weight loss begins, it is essential for them to receive psychological support against the possibility of experiencing reluctance to maintain a diet.

The Relationship Between Obesity and Anxiety Disorders

It has been reported that obesity is associated with anxiety disorders in both men and women. When obese individuals are anxious, they overeat and reduce their eating anxiety. A study conducted in Turkey also reported that social phobia is one of the most common diagnoses in obese individuals. Specific phobias are more common in overweight and obese women. Again, the rates of experiencing traumatic stressful life events in the last year are higher in overweight and obese women. Although extremely obese individuals often lead isolated lives, women may experience more social withdrawal due to discrimination, and obesity is more severe in women who have been discriminated against than in men. Panic disorder, on the other hand, is reported to be more common in overweight men. Anxiety disorders can also affect the diet process after surgery. Anxious thoughts that the person will not be able to lose weight can prevent them from maintaining a diet. For this reason, getting away from these anxious thoughts with professional support and learning ways to cope with anxiety will reduce the desire to eat in difficult situations and enable the discovery of healthier coping methods.

The Relationship Between Obesity and Panic Attacks

A panic attack, which makes one think the end of the world has come, occurs suddenly at an unexpected time and in an unexpected way. During a panic attack, the patient intensely experiences problems such as fear, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed. Changes in the affects of a person in a state of panic can also cause problems in the metabolism. Similarly, certain mistakes made in the diet can cause psychological problems and subsequently panic attacks. Poor nutrition triggers panic attacks and metabolic diseases. Hormones in the body are secreted more in certain special situations. Adrenaline, secreted in situations of excitement and fear, causes conditions such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and hot flashes. Panic attack patients fixate on issues that would normally be ignored. Afterwards, hormone releases that will trigger diseases such as blood pressure and sugar in their bodies begin. Considering that this entire metabolism is operated by the substances formed as a result of the digestion of nutrients, which are the source of life, it is seen how important nutrition is in panic attacks, as in every disease. Some poor nutritional habits increase the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

The Relationship Between Obesity and Personality Disorders

In studies conducted with adult patients with obesity, researchers have suggested that post-traumatic stress disorder also plays a role in the etiology of advanced obesity in women, and that exposure to physical and sexual abuse is particularly more common. In Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s study examining 20 female cases with severe obesity, he did not detect a significant psychological disorder but found that personality disorders, especially passive-aggressive personality disorder, were more common. He suggested that although the cases had depressive features, they were not severe and that food intake was typically used to soothe emotional deprivation. Although studies in this field are limited in our country, a study was conducted comparing the psychological symptoms shown by obese adults and individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). It was found that the obese group showed more psychological symptoms than healthy individuals and that the general symptom distributions were similar to individuals with BPD, but there were differences in some areas. In another study, it was found that schizophrenia patients are more prone to being overweight or obese compared to the general population. According to the results of the research, this situation is particularly more evident in female patients. Weight gain in schizophrenia can occur not only as a side effect of antipsychotic drugs but also depending on the living and treatment conditions of the patients. Hospitalization can limit energy expenditure by reducing mobility. Control over eating behavior may decrease due to conditions such as apathy (lack of emotion) or anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure), or a carbohydrate-heavy diet may be mandatory due to low socioeconomic status. This also leads to obesity.