Happiness and Disregulated Eaters
Disregulated eaters tend to think
they’ll be happy when this or that happens—when they find a life partner,
become “normal” eaters, lose weight, land the perfect job, can slow down, or
retire. But will these occurrences really bring happiness? And, if not, what
will?
According to Sonja Lyubomirsky,
psychology professor at the University of California-Riverside and author of
THE MYTHS OF HAPPINESS, “These things—marriage, family, wealth—do make people
happy, but the effect is often not as long-lasting as people expect. And when
the ‘thrill’ wears off and life gets back to everyday experiences, we think
there’s something wrong.” (“What makes you happy isn’t what you might think,” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 2/26/13) This
sentiment reminds me of what happens when people lose weight. They’re on cloud
nine for a while feeling triumphant, checking out their slimmer bodies in every
mirror, buying new clothes, basking in the glow of compliments—until the
newness of it all wears off and they face the same old life they had before
their weight loss. They’re still in the same job, with the same friends, and
still facing the same problems, whatever they are.
Lyubomirsky notes that “…happiness
to a large extent resides inside us”…it’s our responses to life’s challenges
that “govern their repercussions.” The article explains that “New research in
the growing field of positive psychology—empirical studies of positi...
Source: Normal Eating - Category: Eating Disorders Authors: eatnormalnow Source Type: blogs
More News: Blogging | Girls | National Institute for Health and Clinical Excelle | Psychology | Study | Weight Loss