1 Sep 2005Article
Pathopsychological patterns in the obesity
Alessandro Carano 1Domenico Berardis 1Francesco Gambi 1Maria Salerno 1Daniela Campanella 1Mariella Castrovilli 1Carla Cotellessa 1Filippo Ferro 1
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Dipartimento di Oncologia e Neuroscienze, Istituto di Psichiatria, Università “G. D’Annunzio” di Chieti
Ann. Ital. Chir., 2005, 76(5), 461-464;
Published: 1 Sep 2005
Copyright © 2005 Annali Italiani di Chirurgia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
The problem of relationships between obesity and psychological distress is debated in literature wherein a lot of studies exists with controversial results. The obesity phenomenon is actually considered with criteria aimed to evaluate almost exclusively the weight excess. Even if such criteria have the advantage to permit a scientific communicability, in the clinical settings the focus of obesity involves medical as well psychiatric aspects. The psychological aspects that may have a relevant role in obesity development must be recognized and distinguished from those that may be a direct consequence of obesity itself. In fact, certain obese subjects (no-binge obese) may not experience any psychological distress during lifetime whereas other obese subjects (binge obese) may have a significant and highly distressing psychological suffering. Therefore, obese persons seem to represent an heterogeneous population with different adaptive characteristics who may show several and complex psychological mechanisms and distresses. A psychotherapeutic approach seems to be essential to treat such psychological distress that may heavily concur to the development and the maintenance of obesity.
Keywords
- Binge eating
- Obesity
- Psychopathology
- Psychotherapy