There was a post a few days ago on the main board about the relationship between a history of abuse and the development of obesity.  I’m not suggesting that all obese people were abused as children or that all abused children become obese, and I’m also not saying that if someone was abused as a child and is obese as an adult, the abuse caused them to become obese.  But I am interested in the relationship between the two.  A few years ago I spent a few weeks in an inpatient program that specializes in treating PTSD and other trauma-related disorders, and it was interesting to me to notice that nearly all of the women in the program were significantly underweight or significantly overweight.  I’m interesting in exploring this further.

Here are my questions.  Let me thank everyone now for sharing.  Please feel free to skip any questions you feel uncomfortable answering.  I know this is sensitive stuff.

Do you have a history of abuse of some sort?  If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse?

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time?

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on?

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight?  Can you briefly say why or why not?

And here are my answers.

Do you have a history of abuse of some sort?  If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse?

Yes.  Sexual abuse.  And I guess I’d say emotional, as well.

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time? 

Over a period of time.

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on? 

Much later on.  Like, 20 years later.

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight?  Can you briefly say why or why not? 

Yeah, I guess so.  I had been dealing with major depression and PTSD for years and years, and reached a point at which the depression became so severe I could not work.  I was prescribed a medication that commonly causes weight gain, but in addition to that, due to the depression I rarely left the house for several months.  I ordered a ton of pizza during that time because I was too depressed to go out to buy groceries and too depressed to cook something healthy even when I did manage to go to the grocery store.  I gained a lot of weight during that time and I think it was caused by a combination of the medication I was taking, the unhealthy food and the lack of physical activity.  I did go on to gain more weight later on, when the depression had improved and I was no longer taking that particular medication, but that’s when I gained the majority of my weight.  And I think that the depression is partly a biological thing but partly caused by the abuse, so in that way they are related for me.

I was a bit overweight as a teenager, I think it was due to neglect.  Not that I had bad parents, they just worked so much, I never say them.  They did not make sure that I was eating right.  I was lonely and I turned to food quite often as my friend.  It never let me down.  But I kept in weight in check, never getting too big.

When I was just about done in college I met my son's father.  He was horrible, and it is a long story, but I spent a year in a horribly abusive relationship, physical and mental.  I got VERY big during the time I was with him.  Food was my escape for the physical, mental and sexual abuse he dealt me on a daily basis.

During and after that relationship my addiction to food grew worse.  Once you have addition it just never goes away, it only changes form.  If there were times in the past when I was not addicted to food I would be addicted to something else: working out, beer, work.

I don't think that the abuse made me gain weight, it was the addiction.  I still have not dealt with it, like before I just find myself addicted to something else. I also think I have low self esteem, or at least it has to be worked on.  When you believe you are good enough then addiction is more easily handled.

At least that is my story and my belief.  I hate being addicted to food, I hate fighting it everyday of my life.  

Do you have a history of abuse of some sort? If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse?
 I came from a broken home but had a happy childhood. My abuse started with my first husband. I suffered a lot of physical, some sexual and most definitely emotional abuse.
  Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time?
It happened over a period of time and happened by most of the men I knew.
  Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on?
The obesity came in the past 6 years.
I've been happily married for 10 years.
  Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight? Can you briefly say why or why not?
No. I was always a little chubby as a kid. Went through yo-yo diets as an adult. I think my metabolism went nuts with age and hormones. 

 Do you have a history of abuse of some sort?  If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse?

Yes, sexual & emotional and a fear of physical after witnessing it happen to other family members. 

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time?

It was my whole childhood.

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on?

I've always been overweight.

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight?  Can you briefly say why or why not?

I have had extensive therapy regarding this subject.  I have no doubt the abuse played a part in developing a protective layer of fat.  The more severe the abuse, the fatter I got.  Even after I got married, when we would have marital problems, I'd pack the pounds on.  I am an emotional eater.

 

 Do you have a history of abuse of some sort?  If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse?
Physical, Sexual, and Emotional Abuse

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time?
All of these abuses took place over a period of years. 

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on?
I became overweight in my teens when the abuse was still going on. I think this happened because I finally realized that what was happening was abuse. I used eating to cope. 

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight?  Can you briefly say why or why not?
I think the experienace of abuse did play a role in my weight. I would eat to comfort myself. Also, my family where all over weight and ate to push away problems. 

Do you have a history of abuse of some sort? If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse?
Yes sexual and emotional abuse as a child, sexual abuse and physical abuse in my late teens with my first husband.

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time?
Most of my young childhood until about the age of 12... and at 19 when i was married to a alcoholic and physically and emotionally abusive man.

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on?
I was a *****unky for a time as a child but outgrew that. Most of my weight came on after the birth of my 2nd daughter and after the relationship with her dad. Had a 2 year relationship and when i got pregnant he left.

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight? Can you briefly say why or why not?
Yes i do in that i did not have any self esteem. I also have been diagnosed with PTSD/Depression/Anxiety. But most of my weight came on after my partner left after i told him i was pregnant. I was very depressed (always had some mild depression), and i swear at times i still fight that depression and i am almost 13 years married to my current husband. But my current husband and i quit smoking 9 years ago and i put on a LOT of weight after that. So my weight started creeping up in my late twenties..into my 30's and then after i quit smoking i gained about 100 lbs. i am a strong person when i set my mind to something though and this weight loss i have had so far has made me feel so much better about myself..and more in control.

Do you have a history of abuse of some sort?  If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse? Yes; "minor" sexual abuse

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time? 2 incidents, same perpetrator when I was 10.

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on? MUCH later on (I was also raped as an adult and lost weight the first month afterward but then gained weight (approx 30 pounds) during the two years afterward.)

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight?  Can you briefly say why or why not?  Indirectly, in that it damaged (to a certain degree) my sense of "worthiness".


The majority of my counseling clients are women with a history of childhood sexual abuse, teen/adult rape, or domestic violence.  FWIW, almost all of the CSA and rape survivors have weight issues; about half are morbidly obese.  Most of the domestic violence victims, however, do not have weight issues.

Lora

 Do you have a history of abuse of some sort?  If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse?  Yes, I was abused by the kids I went to school with and by my parents. Physical and emotional.

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time? The abuse from the kids I went to school with started in 3rd grade when I switched schools and followed me up through school. I only had 1-2 friends. My parents abused me ever since I can remember.

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on? Later, I was normal weight  and in high school  senior year I weighed 125. 

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight?  Can you briefly say why or why not? No, I dont think it played any part in my weight. I think it is genetic. my weight came on during/after each pregnancy.  On my moms side all the women are fat and some of the men are too. My grandma died from diabetes complications, my great grandma was a big lady.  My grandmas brothers 2 out of 3 were fat. I think that it did play part in my low self-esteem and I felt unloved, but it did not cause me to over eat.

Do you have a history of abuse of some sort?  If so, and if you feel comfortable sharing, was it physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse? Yes. Physical, Sexual and Emotional abuse.

Was it a single incident or something that took place over a period of time? Over a period of time: Sexual abuse by father from toddler to 9 years old, Physical and Emotional abuse by father and mother from toddler to 17 years old when I finally left the home.

Did you become overweight before the abuse took place, during the same time period, or later on? Same time-since a toddler.

Do you think the experience of abuse played a role in your weight?  Can you briefly say why or why not? Yes. Parents gave me food to appease their guilt so food equaled comfort and acceptance in my eyes.