Obesity and Mental Health Disease
Obesity and Mental Health Disease Twins coexist as epidemics. Some things to know about health. It might remain realized that mental health’s main issues to obesity and mental health diseases cause obesity. It seems that mental health problems and other diseases
“Obesity patients are exposed to weight-based stigma and prejudice in various aspects of their lives. Society perceives them negatively and labels them as individuals with little willpower and self-control. In addition, their worth is judged based on outward appearance.” and not based on their capabilities. As a result, they remain constantly mocked and given unwarranted advice about their weight and body shape. It hurts their body image and can lead to low self-esteem and depression in many individuals. Women are more prone to obesity-associated depression than men.”
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During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Revealing how, during the Covid-19 pandemic, social distancing norms in most countries forced patients suffering from obesity to stay at home, she said: “This takes led to immense pressure and uncertainty in the lives of individuals suffering from obesity. Of obesity. Overeating and a sedentary lifestyle predispose them to greater weight gain. Social media is awash with weight-based memes and weight-stigmatizing content.
It further reinforces the bias that individuals who suffer from obesity may be lazy, less active, and have less willpower. Internalizing these biased attitudes towards weight in media portrayals has been shown to adversely affect psychological health, leading to more depression and anxiety, body image, low self-esteem and disordered eating. Weight-based internalization remains also associated with greater emotional distress and has remained linked to depression.”
Stating that patients with mental illness are also more probable to develop obesity, “Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome have remained linked to schizophrenia. Many antipsychotic medications also main to weight gain and impact insulin sensitivity. Disorders are also associated with comfortable eating, lack of interest in preparing healthy meals, impulsive eating, and sometimes food addiction. The resulting weight gain in these patients leads to an even greater increase in psychological problems, forming a vicious cycle.”
Obesity has Debilitating Effects
“It’s important to know that obesity has debilitating effects not only on physical health but also on mental health. It’s high time we thought about creating systems through which we can help our patients. We need to use technology to its fullest potential to spread positive feedback messages, encourage our patients online, and change the tone of social media messages. While we need to educate our patients to practice self-compassion and mindfulness, we also want to become more sensitive to the issues facing patients.
The medical community celebrates World Day of Mental Health and International Obesity Day on two consecutive days in October (October 10 and 11, respectively), meaning that these two conditions are closely related and need our attention more holistically. Obesity, we must remember that the definition of “health” is a state of the whole physical, mental l and social, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Does being Obesity or Overweight effect your Mental Health?
Obesity is a common and severe condition that affects about 42% of adults in the United States. Obesity can increase your risk of physical health problems, such as:
Type 2 diabetes
Heart attack
Leakage
certain cancers
It can also put you at better risk of severe complications if you develop COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. In addition to physical health issues, obesity remains also linked to an increased risk of mental health disorders. If you are overweight or obese, there are steps you can take to support and manage your physical and psychological health.
How to know if you are Obesity?
The body mass index (BMI) is a way to determine whether or not your weight is within a healthy range. It consists of in-between the weight in kilograms through the height in meters. You can choose your BMI by clicking here. The resulting number (your BMI) indicates which category you fall into:
- Underweight: less than 18.5
- Healthy range: 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight: 25.0 to 29.9
- Obese: above 30.0
If your BMI falls into the overweight or obese categories, your body weight is higher than it should remain based on height. A BMI above the healthy range significantly increases your risk of health problems. While being overweight carries a slightly higher risk of health problems, being obese is even more dangerous. In addition to affecting your physical health, being overweight or obese can also affect your mental health.
How can obesity affect my Mental Health?
Several research studies have found that obesity remains linked to mood and anxiety disorders. Therefore, obese people are more likely to suffer from mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety.
You may be wondering if obesity causes mental health problems or vice versa. The nature of the relationship between obesity and mental health differs from person to person. For some people, emotional distress can lead to overeating. On the other hand, diet can serve as a way to deal with stress, resulting in excessive weight gain and obesity.
For others, Obesity and Mental Health Disease can cause emotional distress. Being overweight can lead to negative feelings about yourself. People who are overweight may also encounter judgment or stigma from others. These experiences can lower self-esteem. People who are obese may have difficulty participating in positive activities, making it more challenging to deal with negative emotions. In addition, obesity remains linked to more physical health problems and pain, which can increase stress.
What Mental Health conditions remain linked to Obesity?
Obesity remains associated with an increased likelihood of having certain mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a type of mental health disorder that involves significant worry. People who are obese are extra likely to experience anxiety disorders, panic disorders, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety disorder. Here is a rundown of what these three disorders are:
Generalized anxiety involves an excessive preoccupation with various areas of a person’s life.
Social anxiety disorder occurs when a person’s preoccupation focuses primarily on social interactions.
Panic disorder often occurs alongside other anxiety disorders. Persons with panic disorder knowledge panic attacks, which are episodes of intense anxiety that include chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
It remains unknown precisely why overweight people are more likely to experience anxiety. However, one explanation is that your fear may stem from problems that obese people face, such as:
Increase in stigma
- Judgment
- Health problems
- Low self-esteem
Some researchers support a biological explanation for the relationship between anxiety and obesity. Pressure remains linked to improved activity in a part of the brain called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis involves several functions, including digestion and emotion regulation. When it is not working correctly, it can increase appetite, leading to weight gain and obesity.
Anxiety and obesity also share common risk factors, such as a history of child abuse, and personality traits, such as neuroticism, sensitivity to criticism, and a tendency to avoid stress.
Depression
Depression is a mood complaint that involves sadness, loss of interest in activities or hobbies, and negative feelings about yourself. Increased appetite and weight gain are common symptoms of depression, which can put depressed individuals at risk for developing obesity. Therefore, the link between obesity and depression is vital for female adolescents.
Studies on the connection between depression and obesity have found that, in some cases, having depression can lead to obesity and vice versa. For people with existing depression, eating can be a way to deal with negative feelings, leading to excessive weight gain over time.
Feeling depressed can also lead to low energy and low motivation to engage in physical activity, contributing to weight gain. In addition, for people with existing obesity, the stress of dealing with this condition and its effect on life can lead to negative feelings, which can turn into depression.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is an extra mood disorder involving both manic and depressive episodes. During a manic episode, a person experiences an elevated or irritable mood for at least one week. Other symptoms include:
An exaggerated sense of importance or abilities, Increased energy that interferes with sleep, runaway thoughts, and impulsive behaviours. The specific causes for the link between bipolar disorder and obesity are unknown. However, like other mental health conditions, persons with bipolar complaints may turn to food to cope with grief.
Another possible explanation is that medications used to treat bipolar disorder, including specific mood stabilizers, can cause side effects like increased appetite and weight gain. So, over time, people who take these drugs are at a higher risk of obesity.
Actuality obesity and suffering from bipolar disorder are concerning because it is associated with the following:
The higher number of manic and depressing episodes
more severe depression
suicidal ideation
treatment resistance
Tips for recovering your physical and mental health
There is a strong link between weight and physical and psychological health. You can improve these areas of your life by making specific lifestyle changes.
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