Dear Miriam, 
I am sick and tired of being tired, of constant dieting, of being always hungry. It seems to me that there should be a better way to live!
Lora M., 42

Dear Lora,

We need to understand what it means to be in good health, before we can regain (or maintain) wellness. The new approach to health and wellness has been evolving in our society for the last 20 years. To summarize it: our biography has become our biology. In other words, we need to realize that our state of being, our degree of wellness (or illness) is a result of our being and doing in the world. There is a direct correlation between who we are and our state of health. Let me share with you what I consider to be one of the most accurate and effective ways to explain the dynamics of illness (be it eating, shopping, sex, smoking, drinking, or any other form of addictive behavior).

From ancient mythology comes an image, an archetype of the Three-Headed Dragon, who could not be slain by cutting off just one head. All three heads must fall. Similarly to slaying the Three Headed Dragon, the battle from habitual (or addictive) behavior also consists of a three-fold approach: the first head of the dragon is the behavior (e.g. overeating), the second is the feelings we experience (our emotions on the subject), and the third is our thought process. These represent the three fold system that must be dealt with, in order to journey from illness to wellness; to slay our dragon!

Every therapist who is involved in weight control is well aware that dieting and taking pills to reduce one’s appetite is not the answer. Appetite is a psychological inclination to eat (it makes us feel like eating), but eating is a behavior – an outer manifestation of our mental and emotional state. This is why dieting is not an answer to permanent weight management. The main causes of unhealthy eating habits are stress, anxiety, frustration, anger, family and sexual problems, feelings of guilt, and self-punishment. These negative emotions are mostly unconscious. That is why I believe that the treatment for the emotional roots having to do with poor eating habits could be hypnosis and/or therapy.

The problem of overeating is mainly psychological (emotional and mental) and when the emotional causes of unhealthy eating habits are corrected through hypnotherapy and mental attitudes are changed through a combination of hypnosis and cognitive – the necessary foundation for change will be built. When we change all three aspects of our being and doing: emotional, cognitive (thinking), and behavioral (our habits), the result will be permanent: The Three Headed Dragon will never live within us, ever again!

Love,
Miriam