A relative that we love very much is so obese that her organs are collapsing from the weight of the fat. She's mentally ill and is addicted to food. It's so scary to watch her laboring to breathe, be unable to walk very far, and not know how to help her. Her mother is a weight watcher leader and has not been successful in helping her either. We love her and want her to live and it seems like she doesn't care if she lives. Her thoughts and conversations are always about food and the next meals that she's going to eat.
She's bright and manipulative and knows what foods will help her lose weight, control her blood sugar levels, and knows about portion sizes. If any of you have any suggestions that family members can do to help her, they will be so welcome. She takes multiple meds for her multiple health problems, has to use a ventilator, a C-PAP machine, and is now on insulin. Her doctors tell her it's mandatory that she lose weight and she thinks she's being picked on.
2007-03-05 08:04:08 · 7 answers · asked by grandmafulkerson 1 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
I would treat it like a drug problem. it's an addiction, and it's deadly.
I would find a local therapist, see if they're available to take her, and go see her with other friends/loved ones and do an "intervention", if you will.
Also look into rehab for obese people. This is really dangerous and it sounds like she needs professional help.
http://dailystrength.org/support/Personal_Challenges/Obesity/?gclid=CMnK7YXH3ooCFR6AWAodfUe-2Q
2007-03-05 08:16:16 · answer #1 · answered by britt g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really feel that you need to find out when all of this overeating started, was it just a bad habit for the whole family, did it start just after a significant event (one you may or may not be aware of).......I think you need to deal with the issue of why is she feeling the need to over eat. I am sure you are all telling her how much you love her because of the fact that you wrote in the question in the first place......perhaps the person she relates to the best having a chat with her about her expectations of herself and others in the near future and her long term goals would be a good place to start. I am sure if she is this ill that she is aware that she is killing herself so 'why does she want to kill herself?'. Once this sinks in, is someone available to help her change her bad habits and slowly change each one for a good habit.
You are all in my prayers.
2007-03-05 08:23:07 · answer #2 · answered by like to help 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, i would first tell her how much I cared about her. Ask if you had a problem like with drugs, would she help you? Once you have done that, talk to her about not losing her. Tell her that NOTHING is more important than LIFE. Try to explain these things and help her to seek professional help. Not just MD, but try psychological. If that doesn't work , stay on her, even if she says you are mean. Wouldn't you rather have her alive and HATING you, than not around at all?
2007-03-05 08:11:01 · answer #3 · answered by Whitney 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow, im sorry for your families situation but something i truely believe in is will power. No matter how much help, advice, or medicine anyone recieves from a doctor or anyone else is truely not enough in any situation. As you have already said if she doesn't loose wait she will die the only way she will live is if she wants to live. If she has the will power the want and desire to loose wheight, diet, and live she will live. Otherwise she will not. Please take my advice and tell your relative that it is her choice to live or die and it is only up to her. Don't let your family feel guilty it is your relatives choice now. Good Luck
2007-03-05 08:18:59 · answer #4 · answered by cometgirl2415 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just love her. You can't change a person, they have to do it themselves, but you can make sure to let her know that you love her and your life will be a sadder place with out her. What ever you do don't enable her to continue this lifestyle. If she wants to bring up food change the subject, if she wants to go out to eat fin, but tell her your not going to sit their and watch her eat things that are going to kill her. Get up and leave, let her know your serious, but makes ure she knows its coming out of love.
2007-03-05 08:16:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh, I see.
Well, obviously, she can't stop thinking about food. She needs to stop her ways, or you aren't going to have her anymore.
Watch what she eats, and make sure she eats only healthy foods. My grandma died of a heart attack last November and part of it was due to her obesity.
I wish you the best of luck.
2007-03-05 08:08:16 · answer #6 · answered by Sarah* 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to get proffesional phsycological help.
2007-03-05 08:08:53 · answer #7 · answered by migratingmonkey 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋