The 5 best legends on weight loss and mental health

as Eating disorder Specialist, I see every day how much is a deep weight Stain The culture of the diet is the way people think about their bodies, health and even its value. One of the most common novels is that weight loss will make you automatically happier, quieter and more confident. But the reality is more complicated, and in many cases, the pursuit of weight loss can harm mental health rather than helping it.

Below are five common myths about weight loss and mental health, and what the research already says.

1. “Loss of weight will make me love my body.”

It is easy to believe that if you reach a specific number on a large scale, you will finally feel comfortable in your skin. but, Body Unstable by reducing your body. It is a relationship with yourself that is formed with your thoughts, emotions and experiences.

Studies indicate that even after losing great weight, many people are still not satisfied with their bodies, and sometimes they become more Polivy & Herman, 2002. When you learn that your value depends on your appearance, no losing weight can retreat from that basic shame.

Instead of improving mental health, this myth often keeps stuck in self -criticism sessions, anxietyAnd social withdrawal. Cultivation of body respect and self -sympathy is a more sustainable path of peace than chasing the “ideal” body size.

2. “Weight loss will resolve mental health struggles.”

depressionAnxiety and low Self -respect You can feel that they will melt if you can change your body. Moreover, although physical health and mental health are linked, there is no evidence that losing weight alone treats psychological pain.

In fact, restriction Follow diet It is often the focus on weight It gets worse Mental health, increase work with food, Social isolationFeelings of failure when the weight is inevitably fluctuated (bacon and Aphramor, 2011).

Moreover, research shows that the stigma is the same, or the experience of judgment, or shame, or treating it differently due to the size of your body, is a major driver of depression, anxiety and poor self -esteem (Puhl & Suh, 2015).

Emotional pain begins with the treatment of hardship directly, not by trying to control or reduce your body.

3.

This legend is one of the most damaged because it transforms a biological reality into moral failure. Following a diet leads to strong physiological and psychological responses designed to keep you alive, including the retired metabolism process, and increased hunger HormonesAnd increase the focus on food.

When people restore weight after a diet, they often blame themselves and feel very shame, and they nourish depression and anxiety. Studies indicate that long -term weight loss is not sustainable for most people, not because they are lazy or lacking discipline, but because their bodies are fighting to protect them (Mann et al., 2007).

This continuous cycle of self -blame can deeply erode mental health.

4. “To be in the largest body is always bad for my mental and physical health.”

In fact, people in “big bodies” often suffer from more anxiety and depression and pressureBut it is very important to ask Why. Research shows that these mental health results are often driven by weight stigma, not the size of the body itself (Tomiyama, 2014).

When someone is constantly exposed to thickening, discriminationOr medical bias, so it is no wonder that they may struggle with the value of the self, Social anxietyAnd even shock symptoms. Also, the stigma does not encourage people to search for mental health care, for fear of governing service providers.

By challenging these biases, in society and ourselves, we can create space for emotional luxury of any size.

5. “Focusing on weight loss is the best way to care for my health.”

Health is much more complicated than the number on the scale. However, when “health” becomes synonymous with weight loss, people often develop obsessed, Perfection Patterns that harm their mental health, such as strict food rules, exercise, or deep Guilt When they cannot meet unrealistic Goals.

On the other hand, research shows that you build behaviors such as eating regular administrationEven without losing weight, it can improve the results of physical and mental health (Tylka et al., 2014).

Transforming the focus from reducing your body to supporting your emotional well -being can be free and often improving mental health in the long run.

The bottom line

The idea that weight loss is a key happiness Health is deeply inherent in our culture, but it does not stand up to evidence. If you are fighting with your relationship with food, body, or mental health, know that you do not have to punish or shrink yourself to deserve care and respect.

Healing is possible, and does not start with a diet.