The recently published article “You Thought Those Extra Pounds Came Simply From Eating…” focuses on the psychosomatic causes of being overweight; here I would like to talk about a real-life clinical case that demonstrates this focus.
Paula’s weight loss story (*)
(Real clinical case)
Paula is 41 years old, born in Venezuela, married twice, two children with her first marriage (13 and 11 years old), and one daughter with her second marriage (6 years old). She now lives in Malasia.
Purpose of visit: 20 kilos of extra weight, 10 pounds in each leg.
She has been overweight ever since the birth of her last two children, 10 kilos in each leg. She leads a healthy, normal life; she eats a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, she does not have a sedentary job (she is a teacher and walks nearly 2 km to get to school and back).
As you read in the previous article about obesity and being overweight, from the Humanistic Clinical Psychosomatic, we believe that whenever emotional imbalances are present, they are sometimes “fixed” by means of an organic conversion, in this case, excess weight. When speaking of emotional imbalances we are referencing, whether real or imaginary, those that the unconscious mind perceives as abandonment/loneliness, neglect/insecurity, malnutrition, feeling lost, and conflicts with time.
Researching Paula’s life reveals that:
- During gestation her mother experienced episodes of fear and anxiety (she felt she was experiencing astral travel). Possible fears, phobias, and anxiety attacks were sent to the baby, and later on in adulthood.
- When she was one year old, Paula was allergic to lactose, white flour and honey. Rejected affection from her toxic mother. Possible abandonment syndrome.
- As a child she felt unloved. Punishing and depreciating mother. Loving and present father. Confirms the previous hypothesis.
- From 7 – 9 years of age she had visions of other people. This disappeared later on (primarily because of her mother’s criticism). They returned in 2004 when she divorced, and during her acute period of stress.
- At nine years old, her younger sister, 4 years old, dies. They had his vigil in her bed…Paula was more than twice her age when she was born, and when she died. Possible unconscious message sent by her mother: “Substitute child syndrome”
- When she was 9 years old, doctors stated that she began premature development into a woman.
- Currently has visions at night. Two people visit her, one of them is friendly while the other is bothersome. I feel like I need to go home, I feel imbalanced…I lost my way. She doesn’t know where her spiritual life is going, she feels unsure.
- Her maternal great uncle, Juan Pedro (*) was murdered for political reasons. Her maternal grandfather, Juan Pedro, is her spitting image. He has three children, all three died. He had one girl, then a boy – Juan Pedro – and Paula’s mom. Juan Pedro died the first week of September, 2013. Paula’s other two children were born 1/6 and 7/3; they’re Juan Pedro’s doubles that “replace” the murdered great-uncle (2). In wake of the first murder, one of the victim’s “fixed” it by substituting the emptiness with his first, second and third children, which died. The memory of this tragedy – the death of all three sons – of which Paula plays the role of messenger, coming to say “Warning, your children will die, you will suffer and the Gonzalez’s future is in danger”. Paula is unconsciously sensitive to this memory, and when her children are born, uncle Juan’s doubles, the sense of threat comes to life. She increases the strength and resistance for the danger: her legs become strong and solid, like towers.
- Her maternal uncle, Raul (*), was murdered at 22 years old. This uncle is the double for Paula’s younger sister, who died at 4 years of age. Possible recumbent syndrome.
Clinical causes for being overweight, in this case
With each statement regarding Paula’s case, the following circumstances are given which are related to her excess weight.
- Transgenerational memory – Need for solidity and safety by having children. – Recumbent syndrome
- “Abandonment syndrome”: feeling unloved by mother
- Substitute child
- Losing one’s path, not knowing where one’s spiritual life is going.
All of this points towards 20 kilos of excess weight.
These interpretations are hypotheses that need to be explored and proven clinically. Each one of these factors contributes to excess weight.
All of this slowly became clearer to Paula.
Because the sightings were the first things that started to bother her, these night visions led to a state of anxiety and insecurity about the future; this was the first thing we treated. After one month she lost 2 kilos.
The recumbent syndrome conditioned her to not live her life, and took away her ability to forgive and accept her mother how she is, as she loved her with her imperfections, which was the second step that we treated. After bringing this memory to light, there was no conversion into weight gain, and her weight didn’t change even though it is more stable.
Now we’ve reached the insecurity that was brought about unconsciously after having her last two children. After treating this issue, she lost 7 kilos.
Paula experienced an Unconscious Family Loyalty by feeling like she was a “substitute child” for her sister that died prematurely. This caused a family blockade. This “condition” of being loyal to her mother and filling an emotional void for her mother, helped her lose 4 more kilos.
So in four months of treatment, Paula has lost 13 of her 20 extra kilos. This means she has lost 65% of her goal.
There could still be certain active factors to this need, which may still need more time to resolve. These could be the factors that still keep on those extra kilos.
Paula has lost weight and also gained peace in her spiritual life. Peace and love in her relationship with her mother bring her peace and security. Her mother feels fuller and at peace.
Time will tell.
(*) Due to professional secrecy and respect of privacy, the personal information has been changed to respect clinical information.
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