A holistic treatment for obesity

Who has serious problems of overweight need a help. No just one help but the help of a team of people which can help him on several fronts. The problem in fact is never just nutritional, but it finds both in its causes and in its effects some inevitable psychological, social and cultural connotations.

The obesity is a condition extremely limiting a person's life both physically and psychologically. We can not forget that between mind and body there is an indivisible connection. Indeed it may happen, for example, that some people which have lose weight, keep a persistent dissatisfaction for their body. Or that some people spend their entire existence alternating from periods of hard diets to periods when they are out of control and recover their initial weight.

The perception we have of our body is never entirely objective, but is mediated by our emotions and is influenced by society and culture.

The psychological and social problems of an obese persons are a lot and generally arise from a contempt for the body image, a condition in which people perceive their bodies as grotesque and disgusting. These people believe that others see them with hostility and contempt, and this makes them feel uncomfortable and hinders their social relationships.

Moreover, the obese can unconsciously take advantage of his situation: the fat layer that covering the body can be a defense, a barrier from an environment experienced as hostile. Being obese can also justify one inability, such as a relational inability.

Who takes care of obesity can not ignore this, and he need to know the person to help : his habits , his frustrations, his experience, his fears, what he did before to lose weight and why he has failed.

All very important elements that must be taken into account by those who want to help an obese person to regain his health, understood in its broadest sense.

This means, accompany the obese person to understand the various causes of his problem, bringing him to an awareness on his feelings, coming to a deep consciousness of his self and the unconscious dynamics that he implements.

The therapy can be of different types (behavioral, pharmacological, surgical), but in any case, different specialists should cooperate: internal medicine physician, surgeon, psychologist, physiotherapist, dietician.

The psychological support and rehabilitation should begin immediately, both to understand the causes of obesity and to tackle its psychological consequences.

After treatment, even when the obese person becomes an ex, he should be followed for years because he can have moments of weakness, organic and psychological difficulties, and because the stabilization of a healthy lifestyle takes time, even years. In fact the obese will have to cope with the new "self": a person who was obese for 10 or 20 years and in a few months loses half his weight (as in the case of surgery) can not recognize himself, has difficulties in relationships with others, suffer a trauma.

Through an approach that takes into account all aspects related to obesity, our help can be more effective and lasting. Medicine is becoming more specialized, but this should not obscure the holistic dimension of a person, also through the analysis of his lived and the projection on his future.