Is being Obese an illness?

[agel]

Yes or No
Im really not trying to start an argument. I want to understand what people actually think/know/believe about this.

I am obese and am trying to gain some sort of control over my eating through therapy at the moment. I’ve tried diets and exercising that do work but long term I don’t seem to be able to change my lifestyle enough to keep the weight off. I hate living like this and how people treat me differently because of my size. My family don’t understand at all. My partner is not understanding and it’s seriously affecting our relationship in many ways. It seems unfair because I don’t feel I have much control over this. It’s actually very lonely being in this situation. I rarely mention the topic of my health or weight to others because pardon the pun it’s always the elephant in the room! But you can almost hear what people are thinking. I hate the judgemental looks and comments. I rarely go out now because of anxiety and panic attacks brought on by this situation.

Nope Im not personally digging for info on peoples sizes or making shitty remarks about size
I find it baffling that anyone would gain some sort of " comfort" from it as suggested

This I think is correct. Agree with you.

Is it baffling to think that someone who feels inadequate or not in control of something in their life may get comfort out of pointing out other people's apparent failings? Isn't that quite a common behaviour for some people?

I was referring specifically to you saying "I have zero intetest in how big or small anyone else is".

It simply isn't true. This is a thread about people of a particular size category that has piqued your interest.

Mental heath support

Hou are viewing this through your lens and projecting

I care about my friends/ families health but I am not sizeist
Its poor self esteem that makes someone happy if others are different to them and its a nasty trait

I don't think that people need or should have mental health support whilst using WLI, unless they want it themselves as an individual decision.

I always wonder what sort of thing people envisage when they suggest things like this, and how they know it's proven to be helpful when treating obesity. I also wonder how it's meant to be implemented - is it something that I should pay for, in addition to my private WLI prescription? Or somehow provided by the NHS? Who currently don't provide anything like that as part of their current weight loss services.

Its pretty obvious that this will now be a long back and forth and self medication for some through arguing so will take my leave
Its like the SAHM threads but with cake
They all hate us so...

"

🤣 So much going on in this comment has been fabricated out of thin air. My lens? Projecting?

I used your words to show you that you are contradicting yourself. I haven't spoken about sizeism. You seem to be finding it difficult to stick to precisely what I've pointed out and that runs the risk of confusing the matter. But I have a sneaking suspicion that may be your intention 🤭

Poor self esteem makes someone happy?
Word salad. Anyway, I think I've made my point lol.

Oh that’s a shame. I was hoping for some further interesting discussion about mental health support for obese people. Oh well.

TLDR; I'm not going to win this one, time to scarper

I was also hoping so. I am always open to listening and learning from others. Helps no end and can be extremely interesting.

Yup … and flounce

Please understand I was not actually calling you that, and am fully on your side - I believe that's what the poster you were replying to believes of obese people and is unlikely to change their view.

My apologies if that didn't come across in my response.

Yep -I’ve lost a couple of stone but still 12st 13 - I’m not an enormous eater but am now 64 - - mine crept up through literally eating/drinking around 2000 cals a day from mid 40s and then around a stone and a half extra in lockdown - drank too much wine , got into the habit of Danish pastries most days and a bottle between us 4 nights a week ( we had just moved to Copenhagen pre 2nd lockdown) it was a bit of a long lonely winter!! I don’t feel obese and am a size 16 - actually look quite well! But tge online bmis say I am - just!!

Sounds like we're very similar - I'm also a size 16.

On a diet now because I'm just not prepared to go up a size in clothes (wouldn't mind dropping one as I've still got size 14 clothes in my wardrobe).

Is a disorder I think, not a disease. I say this as someone who went through a traumatic loss in 2023 and have since gained a lot of weight. When I feel sad, I eat. It kind of dampens down the sadness. It’s self medication with food which is something I never used to do. I was a toned size 10 up until 2023, never struggled with my weight. The more I eat now the more I crave carbs, sugar and processed treats. I’m very stuck.

Taking GLP1 has made me realise it probably is a disease. People who haven’t been very overweight or obese don’t get it.

Yep me too - I woukd be happier around 11 and a half

What don't you feel they get? The majority of the population are overweight or obese so I guess that's an advantage so far as most people getting it.

I’m actually chuckling at the thought, most size 16 women, unless tall are obese. I’m trying to imagine a world where they are all carted off to the therapists office, told they are mentally unwell and given therapy, or a therapist attending every slimming world meeting, to inform everyone they are mentally ill. 😂

It makes me think of the issue with CBT where the issue is placed with the individual instead of society (the food industry in the case of this discussion is a main aspect). Regardless of the fact that a patient may be in an abusive household, in poverty, in housing around problem neighbours etc it is up to them to challenge their negative thoughts.
It's an extrapolation of the social versus medical model of illness. So much of the cause of obesity can be identified in influences outside a person's control. Especially if they're in a lower socioeconomic bracket.
We live in an unhealthy society, symptoms of which are people within its population who suffer things such as obesity.. and mental illness.

My reading of the post is that when you start taking WLIs you realise what normal eating feels like including the full signal.

Sure. The most common review I've heard of GLP1s is that the 'food noise' goes. They're no longer always thinking about food. I also have have a client who struggled with OCD and ruminating which reduced as a result of their GLP1. There's been talk of it having a positive impact on ADHD symptoms too. I'd love to know what the actual biological and neurological mechanism of GLP1s is. Sometimes they don't even know with these meds lol, it's a lot of trial and error and by no means an exact science.

It isn't a normal situation though, when people have little to no appetite.

It isn't normal to feel full after a tiny amount of food.

Normal is people having good appetites and struggling to make healthy choices most of the time.