Obesophobia: Fear of Gaining Weight
What is obesophobia, also known as pocrescophobia?
Obesophobia, also called pocrescophobia, is the fear of gaining weight. It’s most prevalent in adolescent women, but men can have it too.
Like all phobias, obesophobia is a type of anxiety disorder. Phobias involve an intense and irrational fear of a specific object, place, or situation.
If you have obesophobia, talking or thinking about weight gain makes you feel an exaggerated sense of anxiety. You may also experience overwhelming dread around situations associated with weight gain, like being near a scale.
What causes people to develop obesophobia?
Obesophobia doesn’t have a clear cause. It’s likely due to several factors, including:
Weight stigma
Weight stigma is the practice of judging people based on their weight. It’s a significant part of modern Western society, which often praises thinness.
Some people might also experience weight stigma from other environmental factors, like familial expectations or peer pressure.
Weight stigma generally discriminates against people with overweight or obesity. As a result, it can cause certain individuals to develop a fear of gaining weight.
Perfectionism
In a culture that idealizes thinness, weight gain is portrayed as a flaw. This can cause obesophobia, especially in those with a strong need for perfectionism.
Perfectionism, like weight sigma, may be related to pressure from friends and family. Some individuals might also have a genetic tendency for perfectionism.
Anxiety disorders
Other types of anxiety disorders may contribute to obesophobia.
For example, obesophobia might stem from social anxiety disorder, which involves a fear of social rejection. You may be scared of gaining weight because of society’s attitude on weight gain.
Personal experiences
Obesophobia could be due to your personal experiences. If you’ve been teased for your weight or appearance, you may associate weight gain with negative judgment. This can make you afraid of gaining weight.
Treatment
In psychotherapy, you talk to a mental health professional over multiple sessions. They can help decrease your anxiety about weight gain and improve your body image.
The most common method is cognitive behavioral therapy. This may involve:
- recognizing distorted thinking patterns
- changing unhealthy beliefs
- learning positive habits
Key Points
If you have obesophobia, you might try to avoid weight gain through unhealthy behaviors. This may include exercising excessively, restricting food intake, or frequently dieting.
Since obesophobia is closely associated with eating disorders, it’s important to get medical help if you think you have this phobia.
Source:
https://www.healthline.com/health/obesophobia
What's the impact of the mass media on people's mental health in you opinion?
#Obesity #Psychotherapy #MentalHealth
@calmDew1576
Unfortunately, mass media can be very harmful to peoples mental health.
It can cause a lot of comparison and unrealistic standards.
Thanks for the article 💛✨
@innateJoy9602 I totally agree! Finding balance is the key. It is challenging at first but then it's easier and easier. Self-love is very important and we should try to grow it like every other skill instead of underestimating its importance and neglacting it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
@calmDew1576 mine had to do with the relationship i was in, mental and physical abuse, once i got out of that i didnt worry about my weight so much, its more important to be a healthy weight instead of being super skinny which is very unhealthy. i exercise and try to eat right.
