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Psychodynamic phenomena in obese patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

F. Mustač ,
S. Bjedov ,
M. Matovinović ,
N. Jaksic ,
B. Vuksan-Ćusa  and
D. Marčinko
F. Mustač*
Affiliation:
Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
S. Bjedov
Affiliation:
Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
M. Matovinović
Affiliation:
Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
N. Jaksic
Affiliation:
Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
B. Vuksan-Ćusa
Affiliation:
Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
D. Marčinko
Affiliation:
Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Obesity is one of the leading problems of today’s society. According to WHO, 650 million people worldwide are obese, which is 13% of total population (in Croatia 21.5%). There are various psychodynamic theories that interpret the psychological aspects of obesity.

Objectives

The aim of this paper is to present psychodynamic and contemporary psychiatric concepts that explain the interrelated phenomena presenting in obese patients.

Methods

The review of the literature included the investigation of the existing studies in the field of modern psychiatry, as well as previous knowledge in the field of psychodynamics.

Results

Obesity is associated with the emptiness of not recognizing one’s own emotions from hunger, and the need for constant replacement. The everyday life of the obese is filled with shame, an uncomfortable perception that is so intense that can be unbearable. The emptiness and shame which overwhelm and create discomfort cannot be fulfilled by constant food intake and are associated with pathological narcissism (grandiose or vulnerable), which in turn is associated with more regressive behaviour. Thus, obesity may sometimes be associated with addictive behaviours, and a cognition that a bad pattern of rewarding behaviour through food has been adopted in parallel with poor self-control.

Conclusions

Relationship between psychodynamic phenomena and obesity is complex and multidimensional. Further research is needed in order to ameliorate our understanding of these connections.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

obesityshamepathological narcissismeating
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 64 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 29th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2021 , pp. S701
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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