5 mental disorders related to obesity | An overview
Abnormal or accumulation of excessive fat that poses health risks is termed obesity. Therefore, obesity is the most prevalent and essential concern for public health. WHO has estimated that about 500 million individuals in the world population are obese. Such people suffer from complex physical medical anomalies and suffer from mental disorders related to obesity. So, the relationship between obesity and mental health is also considered crucial.
Following are the five most prevalent mental disorders.
Mental disorders related to obesity
Anxiety or depression is the most diagnosed issue when it comes to obesity and mental health. Obese individuals experience bias and stigmatization that leads them to depression and hopelessness. Such a condition may vary in intensity and may even lead to suicidal thoughts in patients. Women are more prone to suffering from severe mental illness. People with obesity are at 55% risk of developing depression.
Mood disorders related to obesity
Mood swings or mood disorders carry a significant concern in mental disorders related to obesity. A constant feeling of deprivation of aesthetic look and bias thoughts of the society creates mood disorders. Mood swings may aggravate and may turn into depression. These unusual mood swings also lead to binge eating.
Bipolar disorder and obesity
Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness is a term coined for complex mental behaviors that include unusual shifts in mood, daily routine, energy utilization, intense emotion, and concentration. Obese individuals present a risk of developing these conditions mildly or at an extreme level. If these symptoms sustain for a more extended period, it turns into a critical psychological state that may also lead to schizophrenia. Bipolar disorder may lead to other mental disorders related to obesity as well.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that occurs due to past traumatic experiences or witnessing a trauma. Obese individuals are also a victim of bullying and teasing especially in younger age. Such acts prevail in the mind and become a source of mental torture, leading to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Agoraphobia disorder related to obesity
Agoraphobia is also a type of anxiety disorder in which individuals fear and avoid places or situations that might create panic and create a situation in which they feel trapped. Studying agoraphobia as a mental disorder related to obesity shows that an obese person feels greater dissatisfaction with his body figure. They avoid crowded places, family meetings, friend gatherings. They constantly experience an inferiority complex and have panic attacks when present among people. So, they are not comfortable in any public area.
Mental disorders related to obesity can be cured by proper behavioural therapies, consultation with a psychiatrist, and developing good eating habits.
