Our mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It also influences how we deal with adversity and make life decisions. Our mental health is directly related to our physical health and our body weight. You might be wondering whether obesity causes mental health problems or vice versa. The nature of the relationship between obesity and mental health varies by individual. Emotional distress can lead to overeating in some people. Food can be used to cope with stress, which can lead to excess weight gain and obesity.Also Read - Struggling With Belly Fat? Lose Weight By Managing This One Hormone
Mr. Hussain Minawala, counsellor and specialist in meditation therapy explains how mental health is related to weight gain and how to deal with it. Also Read - Childhood Obesity: Know Why Preventing Excessive Weight Gain in Kids is Critical
5 mental health issues associated with obesity and how to deal with it
Depression: People suffering from depression face complications that can arise from career, loneliness and feeling of un-worthiness, etc. To overcome such issues the person needs a good family support and proper love & care. If the person’s family or friends aren’t supportive, then he or she can consult a professional counselor who can sit and listen to their problems. Daily affirmations is another great way to instill positive energy. Also Read - Weight Loss Ayurvedic Powder: 1 Magical Ayurvedic Mixture to Help You Reduce Kilos
Stress-eating: Stress-eating is the problem where people eat excess amount of food and gain extra weight. This issue arises due to being nervous and over-thinking regarding something. In order to tackle stress-eating, stress busters like dancing, listening to music, watching movies, spending time with friends and family are a good way to deal with it.
Anxiety: The problem of anxiety comes up due to bad past experiences or when the exam results are about to release on education board/website. To impede the hurdles built by anxiety, the person should peacefully calm themselves and think about positive outcomes and trust on their skills and abilities. Breathing exercises also help to calm the nerves.
Mental Laziness: This is a common issue among a lot of people. There are many people who do not wish to perform any physical activity and therefore gain weight. Such kind of personalities are more inclined to enjoy leisure time rather than burning the midnight oil. Physical workouts are a great way to pump up the adrenalin and also helps in a lot of other ways. ‘3, 2, 1’ is great way to get you moving. Count till 3 and make sure to tell your mind that you must get up and go.
Constant Cravings For Unhealthy Food: Cravings almost always leads to unhealthy eating especially in large quantities. To avoid over devouring, only eat 80% of your required intake (as the Japanese do) for healthy living.
