Multi-Modal Threrapy for Stress & Obesity

Health psychologists recognize that these variables influence a person's behavior as well as his physical, mental, and emotional health. Thus, their approach to stress as a result of obesity differs from that of a traditional psychologist or a medical doctor insofar as it deliberately includes physical, mental, and social contributing factors. This holistic viewpoint can lead the health psychologist to prescribe different kinds of treatment than another health professional might. Obesity and stress are both multi-etiolic disorders which therefore often require multi-modal therapy. (Buckmaster & Brownell, 1988)

There has been a good deal of controversy about the problems of stress and obesity, and current research has led to two schools of thought about it. The older school believed that obesity was a result of st

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is not only gained back quickly, but an average of ten percent more weight is gained and an average of 40 percent more of the total body weight will be fat than before the diet. (Garner et al., 1985) Other studies have shown that there is a strong familial-genetic component to obesity (Stunkard, 1980) as well as a powerful neurochemical component. Coscina (1983) found that obesity can be induced in normal rats by impairing the function of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which also control mood, arousal, sleep and perception of pain. It is clear that there is a real physiological basis for obesity which remains unrecognized by most people. Obesity is still regarded as a sign of moral weakness, and obese people are blamed for what can literally be called a physical disability. It is the responsibility of the health psychologist to affirm to the obese client that this is nothing more than one of the few remaining based solely on appearance which is still socially acceptable. When obese people internalize society's contempt for them, they become full of shame, feel low self-worth, and experience an generalized expectation of failure. Rational-emotive therapy is one approach the health psychologist
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Approximate Word count = 1739
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)