My 600-lb Life is a documentary series airing on the popular network TLC. The show began in 2012 and has since detailed the weight loss journeys of men and women dealing with severe obesity. Two of the women focused on in this series are Marla and Brittani. Both suffered a traumatic experience as adolescents and have since developed extreme binge eating disorders. As the cameras follow these two women before and after gastric bypass surgery, the details of their mental health begin to unfold.
In Marla’s story, at 800 pounds she is bed-bound and fed by her daughters in their home. As a young adult, she was taken hostage by an ex-boyfriend, and during the kidnapping two police officers were shot. After the ordeal, she began to cope with the trauma …show more content…
Brittani, for example, began binge eating as a child after being molested by a family member. According to Brewerton (2014), this is common in child-onset binge eating disorder following some sort of trauma. Marla was also exposed to a traumatic experience after being taken hostage and began binge eating. This is a consistent finding especially in women of Caribbean-Black decent, like Marla that may use binge eating in order to cope with stress following a traumatic experience (Lacey, K.S., …show more content…
In this show, it is clear that most commonly a traumatic event triggers these disorders in an individual. While some people may cope differently and proactively seek help, the two individuals discussed in this show did not. This eating obsession became an unhealthy form of coping, leading to a decrease in quality of life. It is clear that overcoming a binge eating disorder is greatly dependent on the individual’s willingness to change. Once an individual decides to make a lifestyle change, there are multiple components that may help with success. The psychopathologies in these disorders are strong, and surgery is not always the answer. By utilizing a strong support system, seeking help psychologically, and learning about new coping mechanisms, an individual much like Brittani will hopefully be able to overcome a binge eating disorder and lead a healthy
In Marla’s story, at 800 pounds she is bed-bound and fed by her daughters in their home. As a young adult, she was taken hostage by an ex-boyfriend, and during the kidnapping two police officers were shot. After the ordeal, she began to cope with the trauma …show more content…
Brittani, for example, began binge eating as a child after being molested by a family member. According to Brewerton (2014), this is common in child-onset binge eating disorder following some sort of trauma. Marla was also exposed to a traumatic experience after being taken hostage and began binge eating. This is a consistent finding especially in women of Caribbean-Black decent, like Marla that may use binge eating in order to cope with stress following a traumatic experience (Lacey, K.S., …show more content…
In this show, it is clear that most commonly a traumatic event triggers these disorders in an individual. While some people may cope differently and proactively seek help, the two individuals discussed in this show did not. This eating obsession became an unhealthy form of coping, leading to a decrease in quality of life. It is clear that overcoming a binge eating disorder is greatly dependent on the individual’s willingness to change. Once an individual decides to make a lifestyle change, there are multiple components that may help with success. The psychopathologies in these disorders are strong, and surgery is not always the answer. By utilizing a strong support system, seeking help psychologically, and learning about new coping mechanisms, an individual much like Brittani will hopefully be able to overcome a binge eating disorder and lead a healthy