Do you go to therapy?

Daphnerose86
Daphnerose86 Posts: 77 Member
in Motivation and Support
I know for a lot of people having gained a lot of excessive weight is actually a symptom of a much deeper emotional problem. Making it a lot harder to keep weight off long term because... it's not really about the weight, it's about something else we are having trouble dealing with.

With that, is anyone out there incorporating therapy into their weight loss routine? If so,out of curiosity has it been beneficial? Is there anything that your therapist discusses with you that hits on both feeling better emotionally and physically. (Like because weight is really a symptom of an emotional state, is that addressed or mainly focusing on helping heal emotionally first?)

Any advice is very much welcomed on the subject. I know very little about it.

Replies

  • heidispideymfp
    heidispideymfp Posts: 179 Member
    My sister in law sees a therapist to help with her wright issues.
    She's lost about 20-30 kg this year. I think seeing the therapist has more to do with keeping the weight off, than losing it, as she loses weight well, it just seems to find her again.
    This is the longest she's kept it off
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    I saw a hypnotist off and on. She helped me to appreciate that hunger is good -- that means the body is working to lose weight for me. Also, she really wanted me to sit and focus on my food one bite at a time -- sit at the table and keep away from my electronic gadgets. She did other things as well. Most of them were about relaxation and meditation.

    This might sound odd, but I spent the last year getting rid of lots of crap in my house that was in boxes, crammed in closets, (clothes, jewelry I did not wear, books taking up room, . ). . when I started freeing my self of all the junk in my life, I started losing weight.
    My house is lighter and am I lighter.
    If you interview therapists, ask them about clients they helped lose weight. Also look for one who has been trained in DBT (Dialectical behavior therapy).
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
    I saw a hypnotist off and on. She helped me to appreciate that hunger is good -- that means the body is working to lose weight for me. Also, she really wanted me to sit and focus on my food one bite at a time -- sit at the table and keep away from my electronic gadgets. She did other things as well. Most of them were about relaxation and meditation.

    This might sound odd, but I spent the last year getting rid of lots of crap in my house that was in boxes, crammed in closets, (clothes, jewelry I did not wear, books taking up room, . ). . when I started freeing my self of all the junk in my life, I started losing weight.
    My house is lighter and am I lighter.
    If you interview therapists, ask them about clients they helped lose weight. Also look for one who has been trained in DBT (Dialectical behavior therapy).

    I have never incorporated therapy into my weight loss plan. Though I know folks who have and this is the first I've heard of Dialectical behavior therapy. Thanks for the info, it is worth looking into.
  • Skout528
    Skout528 Posts: 17 Member
    I probably should go back to therapy (went for years for other problems) because for the past few days I cry every time I try to eat. I've been so miserable I'm sure there's a reason
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    DBT is a mindfulness based therapy and many of the mindfulness based therapies help well with weight loss.....................it helps you look at why you are eatting............ie are you eating because you are hungry.........board...........emotional etc.
  • cdoesthehula
    cdoesthehula Posts: 141 Member
    There's never any harm in talking to someone who you feel could help you understand yourself. But I honestly believe that anyone can be your therapist, and that professionals won't necessarily do a better job. Get out into the world, and life changes you.

    I used to be friendly with a therapist. Or at least, I tried. She was a deeply troubled woman. That's probably the reason she became a therapist. Wouldn't want her inside my head.
  • Daphnerose86
    Daphnerose86 Posts: 77 Member
    That's really interesting advice. I've never even thought of a hypnotist. I was thinking more behavioral/cognitive therapy. I'm gonna research that.

    On a side bar. Most professionals in therapy have gone through some sort of traumatic experience or depression. Most found a way out of it and felt passionate about helping others find a way out too. When dealing with our own struggles it is comforting to be around other people who know what it's like to actually be in that position- know where you are coming from. It's not that therapists are crazy. It's that they are usually better equipped to guide someone through their own crisis not simply because of their education and skill sets, but because they have actually been there, coped, survived and come out the other side.

    It's definitely great to have friends and family to help guide you through troubled times as well but not everyone feels comfortable sharing really personal feelings with people they are in such close relations too. Sometimes we only feel comfortable enough to be completely honest with a stranger. Ever been waiting in line at a grocery store and have someone unload their entire life story on you after you were just simply being polite in asking how they are? lol. I never quite know how to respond...

    About 80% of people will experience depression at some point in their life. With that statistic it's highly unlikely you've actually met someone who HASN'T had an emotional crisis they've had to deal with.

    Thank you for your comments. It's been really informative!
  • madeleineld
    madeleineld Posts: 75 Member
    Therapy has been very helpful for me. I struggle with a lot of depression and anxiety, which is sort of a vicious cycle of weight problems (felt sad, so I overate, so I gained weight, so I felt worse, so I...). I'm dealing with a lot of feelings about being overweight, but ALSO I'm dealing with a lot of feelings that come up as I lose weight.

    Don't know if this applies to everyone, but I've been overweight for so long that I really need help processing changes, even if it's a positive one. I also have a lot of guilt over WANTING to lose weight. And in addition to that, it's really hard for me to talk to friends about it--if they're skinny I worry that they won't understand, if they're heavy I worry that they'll think I think they should lose weight too, and I have a lot of shame over what I'm going through. Also just feels sort of selfish to talk to friends all the time about what I'm eating, how I'm exercising, etc--really nice to have someone to talk to about it.

    My health insurance covers it so that I only pay eight dollars a session--do your research before you go and see if you can get covered! If your insurance doesn't cover it, or you don't have insurance, there are plenty of great therapists who work on a sliding scale.

    I'd also add that you shouldn't just find one person and see them--it's worth it to talk to a few different people and find someone you have good chemistry with. You can let them know that you're seeing a few people to figure out what works, any good therapist will approve of you making sure you're seeing the right person.

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