The Link Between Happiness And Weight - Psychology And Physiology

[Alex Brecher 10,515]

I unpinned, thanks.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

What is interesting to me is that I had many life changes in the same general time frame. I was not happier, but i think I had more day to day meaning when my kiddos needed me, when I thought my sig other needed me. I had a dying sister that needed me. I had a sick mother who needed me and when she passed, her husband with no family of his own needed me. i had a more important career job where I at least felt needed (probably false, but it is how i felt)

Now, nobody really needs me and i sometimes feel like there is less purpose, less responsibliity and certainly more fun. That is not necessarily all a good thing, BUT it isn't all weight related, some of it is other life circumstances. Well, and I am kinda enjoying the more fun part!

I do think I am finding what my new life looks like, why it is it's intrinsic value and contribution, but goes way beyond my weight.

[gamergirl 4,610]

What is interesting to me is that I had many life changes in the same general time frame. I was not happier, but i think I had more day to day meaning when my kiddos needed me, when I thought my sig other needed me. I had a dying sister that needed me. I had a sick mother who needed me and when she passed, her husband with no family of his own needed me. i had a more important career job where I at least felt needed (probably false, but it is how i felt) Now, nobody really needs me and i sometimes feel like there is less purpose, less responsibliity and certainly more fun. That is not necessarily all a good thing, BUT it isn't all weight related, some of it is other life circumstances. Well, and I am kinda enjoying the more fun part! I do think I am finding what my new life looks like, why it is it's intrinsic value and contribution, but goes way beyond my weight.

This part I can understand well. I had my son when I was only 23 so I've been a mother forever. He needed me, then my husband did, younger one came along etc and it's been a large part of how I see myself. Work too is a large part of my self-definition and purpose.

I do sometimes wonder how I would have found meaning, and in what other way I would have found purpose if I had not had children. Of course people do it all the time, but I've not done that in so long, it would be akin to defining a new life and a new me when that time comes.

And yes I do think purpose grounds us like nothing else can. Have any of you read "the meaning of life?" Written by psychologist after being in a concentration camp about how people find the will to go on. And to paraphrase him, he said something like, as long as there is a WHY for living, people will find some kind of HOW to continue living.

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I love, love, love that book…if you mean "Man's Search For Meaning?" Viktor Frankl?

[southernsoul 773]

And yes I do think purpose grounds us like nothing else can. Have any of you read "the meaning of life?" Written by psychologist after being in a concentration camp about how people find the will to go on. And to paraphrase him, he said something like, as long as there is a WHY for living, people will find some kind of HOW to continue living.

I love, love, love that book…if you mean "Man's Search For Meaning?" Viktor Frankl?

What is it they say about great minds??? I almost referenced Frankl in my last post, as I also love Man's Search For Meaning. His story is incredibly moving, and his experience was the foundation of Existential Therapy, which he developed.

[mistysj 1,940]

I don't have kids. I have found meaning in my family, work, my faith, social justice, and music. I agree that our lives need purpose. I also think that often when we are obese, it detracts from the value we get from the rest of our lives. It is an ever-present "yeah but". "I'm successful but I'm still fat." "I provide for my family but I'm a failure with my weight". And on and on. And sometimes the obesity gives us a scapegoat to blame all our problems on. If we "fix" it quickly, such as with bariatric surgery, it can be quite shocking when our lives don't turn into a perfect fairy tale.

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I have a friend who is coming off of benzodiazepine addiction (all prescribed through her doctors) and we just were talking about how the only constant is that most people eventually have some really difficult, insurmountable shitted to surmount. In her case, everything came kind of ridiculously easy to her until this happened.

Don't know if difficulties (in the best case scenario) become meaning, or a reason to hang on. But it is interesting.