"Anxiety makes me fatter": a case study on the importance of self-care in obesity

Abstract

The present case study was developed based on a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive approach, aiming to understand the importance of self care and its impact on a patient with obesity. The sessions lasted 12 sessions, were performed at the Centro de Endocrinologia e Diabetes do Estado da Bahia (CEDEBA), in the light of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. As results, therapeutic advances were perceived, based on pre-established goals at the beginning of the process, such as the development of self-confidence, increased self-esteem, changes in eating habits, recognition of situations that arouse anxiety, and its impact on the treatment of obesity, as well as adherence to a more assertive style of communication. It was possible to conclude that the psychotherapeutic process, together with an interdisciplinary approach, and techniques focused on the change of lifestyle and understanding of illness and treatment, can transform the life of an obese individual, especially with regard to self-care, a major factor treatment.