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January 2015 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
Psychosocial
Needs and Weight
Management
By Dr. Tom
Miller, Staff
Writer
Psychosocial
needs are the mental
needs that motivate a
person to achieve goals and perform
certain activities in life like weight
control. They are distinct from physical needs, which have more to do
with meeting requirements to survive.
Abraham Maslow identified major
categories of psychosocial needs
as part of his hierarchy of needs.
Relevant to weight management is
his focus on the psychosocial need
for safety and security, which is the
lowest level of psychological needs.
These include the desire to feel
physically and emotionally safe and
healthy. Psychosocial issues common
to individuals struggling with weight
gain are reflected in overeating,
increased rates of psychopathology,
and a generally reduced quality of
life. Motivation to lose weight often
hits an all-time high when the first
buds of spring pop out, signaling
that bathing suit season is not far
behind. And while there’s no getting
around the need to exercise and eat
healthier, long-term weight loss starts
in your head. Experts say that having
the right attitude can help you think
yourself thin.
Psychological stressors in our lives
are often a causative factor in weight
gain and they challenge one’s ability
to maintain effective weight management. Am