Your body is telling you

Psychosomatics of excess weight

You’ve tried diets and counted calories, and the weight keeps coming back. Excess weight is almost never about weak willpower: it has causes both in your body and in your life.

Aizhan LiAuthor of the Ladder method
Updated 20 October 2026

What psychosomatics says

In psychosomatics, excess weight is often linked to separation and a feeling of being abandoned. The body stockpiles, as if getting ready to survive a time when no one will be there. Sometimes weight starts going up when someone close leaves, or when a grown daughter moves out.

Another theme is protection. After an unpleasant or frightening experience with a man, the body can seem to build a wall so you’re less noticeable. It isn’t your fault. This is how your mind tries to keep you safe.

And a third theme: a lack of warmth and care. If you didn’t get enough of your mom as a child, food becomes the fastest way to comfort yourself. The harder you scold yourself about your body, the tighter this circle gets. Psychosomatics helps you understand what your weight is protecting you from, and find another kind of protection.

Quick check: what may be behind it

When did your weight start going up, and what was going on in your life then?
What or whom do you want to protect yourself from?
What are you really missing when you reach for food?

What it is

Doctors assess excess weight and obesity using body mass index: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. According to the clinical protocol of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan (2023), for people of Asian descent excess weight starts at a BMI of 23 and obesity at 27.5. For Europeans the thresholds are 25 and 30.

Your waist matters too. For women, a waist over 80 cm already raises the risk for the heart and metabolism, and over 88 cm raises it further.

According to the World Health Organization (2026), 45% of adults worldwide are overweight and 16% live with obesity. WHO calls obesity a chronic disease shaped not only by habits but also by the environment a person lives in.

Some medicines add weight, including hormonal pills and antidepressants, and so do conditions like hypothyroidism and hormonal disorders. That’s why you start with a checkup, not a new diet. Obesity raises the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems, infertility and cycle disorders.

How it shows up

Your weight keeps rising even though you eat as before
Your waist is over 80 cm
You get out of breath on the stairs
You snore and wake up exhausted
Your cycle gets irregular
You eat when you’re anxious, sad or lonely

If your weight rises quickly over one to three months for no clear reason, or you get swelling, shortness of breath or strong thirst, don’t put off seeing a doctor.

Start with a general practitioner or an endocrinologist: they’ll check your thyroid and blood sugar. If food has become your way of coping with feelings, a psychologist can help.

Frequently asked questions

Can stress make you gain weight?

Many people notice they eat more and move less during hard times. Some medicines and conditions like hypothyroidism also add weight, so it’s worth checking your health with a doctor first. Psychosomatics looks at what exactly you’re eating your way through.

What does excess weight mean in psychosomatics?

It’s linked to separation and abandonment, a need for protection and a lack of warmth. The body stockpiles or builds a wall. Once you see what your weight is protecting you from, it’s easier to let it go.

Can psychosomatics help me lose weight?

Psychosomatics doesn’t promise to take off kilos. It helps you understand why food became comfort or protection, and stop fighting yourself. Checkups and treatment with a doctor go alongside. One doesn’t get in the way of the other.

Sources

See what is holding you back.

In 10 minutes, the Ladder shows past events, other people’s words and your fears on one map.

Take the free diagnosticFree · 10 minutes · on your phone