The recent Channel 4 programme ‘Shut-ins – Britain’s fattest people’ was sad and disturbing at the same time. Focusing on two morbidly obese people Sharon and Aftab, it found how their lives (and the lives of their partners) were so severely restricted by their eating disorders that they could no longer go out and do all the things that the rest of us do. It then showed how they were offered different ways of losing weight, Sharon a very dangerous operation to reduce the size of her stomach, so that she could no longer eat huge quantities and Aftab had the help of a lovely personal trainer, along with a strict diet.

Both seemed to achieve success, losing stones, and by the end of the programme doing those normal things that we take for granted. It will be interesting to follow their progress.

What was striking to me was how they both seemed to treat their partners quite cruelly at times, and they seemed to be almost wrapped up in their own problems.

At the root of extreme eating disorders such as this often lies a very low sense of self-esteem, perhaps stemming from difficulties in childhood, resulting in their addictive behaviour. The psychiatrist on the show said that, in effect, binge-eating is a form of self-harm and this is so true. One part of the person knows that this behaviour is so negative, but with the overwhelming pain and torment felt inside, eating is a known easy way to make themselves feel better immediately. They then become trapped in a vicious cycle of bingeing and feeling bad, as the food is the only thing that appears to offer comfort.

I regularly see clients with eating disorders, and each person is unique, so I treat them in a holistic way. Many hypnotherapists offer the gastric hypnoband treatment, but I feel that it is far more important to focus on what is at the root of the overeating, and concentrate on building up confidence, self-esteem and helping to make small changes which will last, and result in the adoption of long term healthy habits. Many people want to see drastic change very quickly, but I feel that it is more important to work on the client’s emotional wellbeing, and the rest will follow naturally.

If you wish to chat to me about hypnotherapy, and find out how it can make a difference to your life, please call on 01449780352 or 07817158429, or email me on wendy@wendychalk.co.uk.

Take care and best wishes,
Wendy x