While maintaining a healthy weight can promote emotional well-being, diets pose numerous psychological risks. Americans spend more than $40 billion annually on diets and diet-related products, most of which are unsuccessful, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. Rather than diet, consider a balanced, nutrient-rich dietary lifestyle that promotes consumption of a wide variety of foods, allows for occasional indulgences and provides emotional satisfaction. For specific guidance, discuss your weight and wellness concerns with a qualified professional.
Foggy Thinking and Frustration
Diets may reduce cognitive function and lead to foggy thought patterns and frustration. According to research conducted by Michael W. Greena and Peter J. Rogers and published in Psychological Medicine in 1995, normal weight women who partake in short-term diets tend to exhibit delayed reaction times, poor memory and concentration and heightened frustration. While dieting you may experience difficulty when tending to normal tasks, such as driving, following instructions, reading, paying attention to movies and tending to work and school activities. Reduced cognitive abilities can lead to frustration and poor performance. In severe cases, foggy thinking and delayed reaction times lead to increased risk for injuries and accidents.
Depression and Low Self-Esteem
Diets can cause disruption in the production of feel-good hormones, such as serotonin. As a result, you may develop depression--low emotions such as sadness, loneliness and despair that detract from your ability to function normally. Diets can also make dining with friends, co-workers or family members challenging and trigger feelings of deprivation when your favorite foods and caloric intake are restricted. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, dieting is also associated with poor self-esteem and body image, increased stress and increased risk of other psychological disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia. If you have or have had depression, anxiety or an eating disorder, diets may cause your symptoms to reoccur or exacerbate.
Anger and Tension
Diets can also cause emotional tenseness and anger. According to a study by E. Filaire and colleagues and published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine in 2001, judo athletes who partook in food-restricted diets for enhanced athletic performance exhibited marked increases in anger, tension and other adverse effects, such as confusion and physical fatigue. Anger can dampen your interpersonal relationships and increase or trigger emotional stress. Diets that involve stimulants, such as caffeine, ginseng, energy drinks and various appetite suppressants, may further increase these risks.
References
- "Psychological Medicine"; Impaired Cognitive Functioning During Spontaneous Dieting; Michael W. Green, Peter J. Rogers; July 2009
- National Eating Disorders Association: Risks and Reasons to Stop Dieting
- "International Journal of Sports Medicine"; Food Restriction, Performance, Psychological State and Lipid Values in Judo Athletes; E. Felaire et al.; 2001
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