The world of phobias is sometimes complicated when related to other health disorders. This is the case of obesophobia, a problem closely linked to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia that can cause very serious consequences. It’s not just fear; it’s the entire sociocultural context that rejects extra pounds. In our dictionary of phobias we tell you everything about the fear of being fat.
What is the fear of the fat?
Obesophobia is the fear of fat people, fatness or gaining weight. This is a problem closely linked to eating disorders that can also lead toanorexiaor bulimia. Obesophobia is something more than the rejection of fatness; it is a true panic of fat or kilos.
People who suffer from obesophobia can also commonly suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is a very limiting phobia because in addition to the rejection that fat people cause them, they have an irrational fear of gaining weight, so they tend to avoid social situations in which they are surrounded by food.
Symptoms and consequences of obesophobia
Obesophobia is manifested by an irrational and excessive fear of fat people and also of gaining Weight. Theca is experienced if the situation becomes unbearable and they cannot avoid it. But in this case the consequences are more dangerous than the symptoms.
The consequences of obesophobia range from social isolation if the person who suffers from it is gaining a few kilos due to vital circumstances to depression. Without forgetting those eating disorders that can cause countless physical. Avoiding gaining weight becomes an obsession and the real image is distorted.
Causes of the phobia
It is difficult to imagine a traumatic experience in the past that could have developed this phobia of fatness, so the most probable cause is a previous anxiety disorder that brings out totally excessive and distorted fears, fears and obsessions.
In the specific case of obesophobia, the sociocultural context plays an essential role. In a world where thinness is revered as a divinity, obsessive thoughts about the body and physique often appear. Although obesity is a health problem that must be fought, obesophobia can take you to the opposite extreme.
Treatment of fear of gaining weight
Overcoming obesophobia requires psychological help and conscious therapy. Generally, cognitive behavioral therapy works, which helps to transform distorted thinking and also the behavior that causes the phobia. But other methods or treatments are not ruled out.
In any case, obesophobia involves modifying that ideal of beauty that is as unhealthy as excessive fatness. And most people who suffer from obesophobia also need a program to improve, as well as relaxation exercises to alleviate anxiety symptoms.