Our psychological makeup plays an important role in either promoting or preventing obesity.

In fact, some experts claim that people who tend to become overweight have a very distinctive type of personality that predisposes them to weight gain.

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The main characteristics of the so-called "obesity personality" are believed to be: 

• lack of self-worth
• lack of self control or compulsive behaviour
• emotional lability
• tendency to depression and/or anxiety.

These personality traits can either individually, or in combination, increase the risk of developing overweight and/or obesity.

Lack of self-worth
People who lack self-worth and regard themselves as failures may seek comfort in eating and also give up the struggle to lose weight before they've even started.

“I won’t be able to lose weight/diet/exercise, because I’m such a failure” is a common refrain. The slightest setback in a slimming programme will also reaffirm your erroneous belief that you're a failure.

This characteristic needs to be combated by techniques such as positive affirmation. Tell yourself that you can succeed and make a list of positive things you've already achieved.

Also keep a "positive diary" when slimming and note each one of your triumphs, e.g. “Lost half a kilo this week - doing well!” or “Went to the gym, despite feeling tired”. You'll be surprised how successful you actually are when you keep track of positive, instead of negative, things in your life. 

Lack of self-control or compulsive behaviour
Many obese people report that they have an absolute lack of self-control when it comes to eating. They just cannot stop gorging on food and they cannot envisage themselves eating less or cutting out fatty foods or exercising regularly.

In some cases excessive food intake is a form of compulsion. Compulsive eaters may say, “I only feel in control of life when I'm eating vast amounts of food.” 

Sound familiar? Then you need counselling by a clinical psychologist who may use positive affirmation to reward instances of self-control such as a day’s successful dieting or going to the gym.

If you lack self-control, you will also benefit from diet clubs and organisations such as Weighless and Weight Watchers. These organisations provide structure and motivation for people who cannot control their food intake.

Severe cases of eating compulsion require medical treatment by a psychiatrist and a dietician. If you suspect that you're a compulsive eater, talk to your doctor and ask him/her to refer you for in-depth treatment.

Emotional lability
People who are constantly on a seesaw of emotions, feeling happy one moment and depressed the next, tend to also seek comfort in food which they regard as the only constant factor in their fluctuating emotional world.

If this is you, it's important to realise that you're dependent on external factors for emotional satisfaction. You need to wean yourself of this dependence.

Get help from a clinical psychologist or a dieting support group, who'll give you the kind of stability you crave.

Depression and/or anxiety
Do you start eating the moment you get worried or anxious? And the greater the stress, the more you eat?

The most important step is to first try and identify the root of your anxiety, which may lie at a very subconscious level.

Consult a clinical psychologist or a stress counsellor if you're plagued by anxiety which makes you turn to food.

The second step is to learn to control your anxiety by learning coping mechanisms that don't involve eating. Relaxing techniques, yoga and non-stressful exercises are excellent ways of defusing anxiety that threatens to get out of control.

Depression is another psychological condition that can cause weight gain. This is in part due to the inactivity such patients experience. They tend to sleep for many hours a day and hardly ever feel up to doing any exercise. In addition, antidepressants may also cause weight gain or increase appetite.

If your obesity is linked to depression, it's important to consult a psychiatrist who'll be able to prescribe medication to counteract the numbing effects of this illness. He/she will also be able to help you select an antidepressant that doesn't lead to weight gain.

Also see a clinical dietician who will work out a very low-energy diet if you're not getting enough exercise. 

- (Dr I.V. van Heerden, DietDoc, updated October 2007)

QUIZ: Are you ready for weight loss?
 

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