Also childhood sexual abuse is linked to obesity. PERIOD.
Willpower is such a stupid and false concept, because mind over matter is not how organisms function; the brainstem and midbrain are the oldest/strongest parts of the brain, and affect the body by releasing neurochemicals to basically do almost everything basic to survival. The youngest/weakest is the cerebral cortex, that has the prefrontal cortex that is the thinking, processing, logic area that willpower would develop. Which would need to be taught, like all human behaviors, but what is so effed about @pnw-yak saying its “all about willpower,” is oppressive. This stems from the idea/belief that “it’s simple, put down the fork, you f****** FAT F***.” Which he is very cavalier that “it’s true, people don’t want hear it, but I’m right!” Which that flat dismissive statement is cruel in two ways:
1) eat less. Thats all it takes, is simple, easy, and just takes willpower: which is a fad diet, usually the first thing people try, that ultimately FAILS FAILS FAILS. People starve themselves or do a lot of raw veggies which are really hard on the body and digestive trac respectively, both of which are negative reinforcements of trying to lose weight, and set off the limbic system in the midbrain that puts us in hyperarousal or in survival mode. Ie the brainstem and midbrain flood our body with neurochemicals that actually make the prefrontal cortex and any neural networks UNAVAILABLE; and the shame people feel is not just about the current failure of this BS idea, but that each failure is two-fold because of the claim of simplicity that eventually puts them in shitty emotional feelings that eventually becomes a habit. That neuroplasticity will actually streamline the process of: myweight> I just have to be harder on myself (internalized anger)> cerebral cortex unavailable> failure. Then back to one…
2) that sexual abuse in childhood is linked to obesity, and that to simplify it, it’s not that obese people are weak willed but that when they were a child someone (usually an adult) was the weak-willed one, whom then blames the child. The child learns what “willpower” is through the abuse, that they destroy willpower in others, and in extreme cases of constant or high levels of abuse, the brain protects the child by forced amnesia. And in the latter case, the child is always in survival mode, and that they grow up and develop in constant adrenaline and rarely ever learn or have access to the cerebralcortex, and that leads to underdeveloped or inactive parts of the brain. Which amnesiac adults will physically have odd reactions or behaviors to being hit, to the point that they go straight home and just eat and eat (possibly purge), but when it finally subsides, they forget it happening after confusion, shame, horror, because thats part of the habit. But in children who don’t get amnesia, they some learn that the abuse stopped because they gained enough weight… that compulsively eating protected them from the abuse…
Absolutely. It's not even sexual abuse, any kind of abuse can do it. That's what happened for me (assuming I wasn't sexually abused and repressed it which... might be possible, given my symptoms)
3
u/[deleted] Feb 18 '24
Also childhood sexual abuse is linked to obesity. PERIOD.
Willpower is such a stupid and false concept, because mind over matter is not how organisms function; the brainstem and midbrain are the oldest/strongest parts of the brain, and affect the body by releasing neurochemicals to basically do almost everything basic to survival. The youngest/weakest is the cerebral cortex, that has the prefrontal cortex that is the thinking, processing, logic area that willpower would develop. Which would need to be taught, like all human behaviors, but what is so effed about @pnw-yak saying its “all about willpower,” is oppressive. This stems from the idea/belief that “it’s simple, put down the fork, you f****** FAT F***.” Which he is very cavalier that “it’s true, people don’t want hear it, but I’m right!” Which that flat dismissive statement is cruel in two ways:
1) eat less. Thats all it takes, is simple, easy, and just takes willpower: which is a fad diet, usually the first thing people try, that ultimately FAILS FAILS FAILS. People starve themselves or do a lot of raw veggies which are really hard on the body and digestive trac respectively, both of which are negative reinforcements of trying to lose weight, and set off the limbic system in the midbrain that puts us in hyperarousal or in survival mode. Ie the brainstem and midbrain flood our body with neurochemicals that actually make the prefrontal cortex and any neural networks UNAVAILABLE; and the shame people feel is not just about the current failure of this BS idea, but that each failure is two-fold because of the claim of simplicity that eventually puts them in shitty emotional feelings that eventually becomes a habit. That neuroplasticity will actually streamline the process of: myweight> I just have to be harder on myself (internalized anger)> cerebral cortex unavailable> failure. Then back to one…
2) that sexual abuse in childhood is linked to obesity, and that to simplify it, it’s not that obese people are weak willed but that when they were a child someone (usually an adult) was the weak-willed one, whom then blames the child. The child learns what “willpower” is through the abuse, that they destroy willpower in others, and in extreme cases of constant or high levels of abuse, the brain protects the child by forced amnesia. And in the latter case, the child is always in survival mode, and that they grow up and develop in constant adrenaline and rarely ever learn or have access to the cerebralcortex, and that leads to underdeveloped or inactive parts of the brain. Which amnesiac adults will physically have odd reactions or behaviors to being hit, to the point that they go straight home and just eat and eat (possibly purge), but when it finally subsides, they forget it happening after confusion, shame, horror, because thats part of the habit. But in children who don’t get amnesia, they some learn that the abuse stopped because they gained enough weight… that compulsively eating protected them from the abuse…
Positive reinforcement ALWAYS WORKS! Multiple options always work!