Psychology Clinic
Stop thinking you can't achieve your goals
WHAT IS THE GOAL?
Psychological evaluation is essential to successfully tackling obesity treatment. Evaluation by the Clinical Psychology specialists over the course of the treatment process is essential to recognizing and modifying the patient's negative behavior patterns. We help patients address the emotional and behavioral problems related to eating. Why do you eat too much? Does food make you anxious? Are you always hungry? Do you want to but can't?... We offer a integral psychological approach in relation to obesity and overweight.
Some of the most common alterations in patients with obesity include:
- Body image distortion/dissatisfaction.
- Lack of control or disordered and altered heading habits.
- Psychological disorders (stress, depression…).
- Social and familial problems.
- Low self-esteem.
- Emotional control.
- Poor lifestyle habits.
WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?
The emotional component plays a crucial role in predisposition to having obesity or overweight. Psychological treatment provides solutions and improvements to potential problems the patient may be experiencing.
- Psychological treatment and support.
- Identify the presence of eating disorders or issues (anorexia, bulimia nervosa, binging…).
- Obesity as a cause or consequence of other imbalances.
- Adjust the food-body relationship to work on self-esteem and self-satisfaction.
- Work on motivation and control to achieve maintenance of new healthy lifestyle habits.
This support therapy helps patients gain awareness of their negative behaviors and habits, learn to be more adaptable and involved in their medical and nutritional treatment, make a 90-degree shift in terms of their relationship with food, and learn strategies to control their emotions and enjoy food in a healthy manner.
The clinical psychologist is also responsible for evaluating whether or not patients are candidates for obesity surgery. Below are some of the causes that prevent surgical intervention:
- Substance abuse (alcohol or drugs).
- Major psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, neurosis, psychosis…).
- Intellectual disability.
- Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia…).
- Inability to understand the mechanisms of weight loss.
YOUR TREATMENT, STEP BY STEP
CONSULTATION WITH THE ENDOCRINOLOGIST
- General patient medical history.
- Evaluation of the degree of obesity (family and personal history, precipitating factors, and prior treatment).
- Evaluation and early detection of associated comorbidities.
- Physical examination and body measurements.
- Diagnosis, therapeutic plan, and goal-setting.
CONSULTATION WITH THE NUTRITIONIST
- Medical history of the patient with obesity.
- Comprehensive patient assessment.
- TEE calculation (Total Energy Expenditure).
- Design of different types of diets for each of the patient's treatment phases.
- Work on areas for improvement detected in the patient's eating habits.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
- Psychological treatment and support.
- Identification of any potential psychological problems the patient may have.
- Patient support in the preparation of life/habit changes following surgery.
- Goal planning, impulse and stimuli control.
CONSULTATION WITH PERSONAL TRAINER
- Evaluation of the patient's physical condition.
- Program to improve and adapt the patient's physical activity and sport activities.
- Evaluation of progress and program implementation.
- Sport-related guidelines for weight loss and to improve quality of life.
- Patient monitoring.
IN-PERSON MONITORING PLAN
Weekly, monthly, or yearly depending on the characteristics of each program.
We use telemedicine in our clinics to facilitate access to our healthcare professionals to prevent our patients from making unnecessary trips to the clinic and avoid wasting time.
FAQs
WHY DO I ALWAYS END UP GIVING UP?
According to the report published by the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO), 75% of the adult population has tried to lose weight at some point in their life. The same study highlighted that only 2 out of every 10 people who start a diet actually achieve weight loss. One of the main reasons that obesity treatment fails is wanting to lose weight too fast. A person who wants to lose weight must want and be willing to change their lifestyle, habits, eating, and physical activity.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT MY ANXIETY?
A lot of patients with obesity use food as a stress reliever. This means managing anxiety is fundamental. In order to control anxiety, it is important to identify which situations lead people to eat more. The patient must learn to deal with stress through other alternatives. Our psychologist will help you understand this and will teach you distraction strategies, muscle relaxation, etc. It is equally important to work on impulse control, the ability to plan and structure time and activities, etc. Physical activity and exercise will also help you control your anxiety.
WHY DO I FEEL SO FRUSTRATED?
In the majority of cases, patients with obesity are aware that they have a serious disease which can also cause other health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, etc. However, they are unable to muster sufficient motivation to place their case in the hands of a multidisciplinary team and that lack of motivation causes feelings of frustration. Weight loss should be slow and progressive, particularly at the start of treatment, to ensure that the lost weight will not be gained back later. Patients' eagerness to see quick results can also cause frustration and jeopardize treatment as some people quit when they do not see immediate results. You must follow the steps laid out for you by the professionals. Throughout your treatment, they will point out your progress, improvements, and goals to achieve.
Angel Salas, 60 años (Madrid)
"He perdido 25 kilos, pero no solo es el peso, yo tenía problemas de hipertensión y problemas cardiacos.
Hay que perder el miedo a ir al médico, así van a obtener los mismos resultados que yo, o mejores"
Tratamiento integral sin cirugía
Medical team
Prestigious experts in the treatment of obesity and overweight
We have a comprehensive clinic and multidisciplinary team comprised of multiple specialists: expert surgeons in metabolic and bariatric surgery techniques, endocrinologists, nutritionists, psychologists, specialists in exercise and fitness education, and more.
In addition, our patients can choose from a wide range of services at the Quirónsalud Sagrado Corazón Hospital, and the experts they may need from any specialized units: Intensive Care, Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, Radiology, etc.
