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>>> but how terrible could "having a doctor tell you that you're overweight" be? How terrible would it be to have a doctor tell you to stop smoking? Or to stop

>>> but how terrible could "having a doctor tell you that you're overweight" be? How terrible would it be to have a doctor tell you to stop smoking? Or to stop drinking? Or stop abusing drugs? Or to stop cutting yourself? It's all self destructive behavior just like overeating. Has our culture really become so sensitive that it's now no longer acceptable for a doctor to tell you when you're being unhealthy and contributing to your own demise????

DanBC 10y ago
> How terrible would it be to have a doctor tell you to stop smoking? Or to stop drinking? Or stop abusing drugs? Or to stop cutting yourself? It's all self destructive behavior just like overeating. It's not terrible, it's just pointless. Fat people know they're fat; people who self harm know they self harm and they know it's not ideal. Merely saying "stop doing that" does nothing ot help them stop.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- jimmywanger 10y ago
  > Fat people know they're fat. Many don't. Or they don't blame overeating. It's always "genetics" or "metabolism". Not just plain old overeating.
  - DanBC 10y ago
    Sure, but even for those people merely telling them they're fat, and that they're fat because they eat the wrong food will do nothing to stop them from being fat.
    - jimmywanger 10y ago
      > will do nothing to stop them from being fat. I disagree with one point. It puts things into their control, rather than out of their control. If the doctor says you're fat because your metabolism is low, or you're big boned, you can shrug it off and say "Well, there's nothing I can do about it, might as well not try." If the doctor says you're fat because you eat too much food, you can do the same thing, but then at least the ball is in your court. You are fat because of your actions, and it's theoretically possible to change your actions, but it's definitely not possible to change your genetics or metabolism.
- edejong 10y ago
  This is why a doctor won't tell his patient: "stop FOO". Instead, they might nudge him with information. Respecting the patients knowledge and struggle, a doctor is understanding, supporting and able to connect with others who have successfully "stopped FOO". A good doctor understands that an eating disorder is part of a complex, intertwined and difficult to understand network of causes and effects. Helping the patient understand the complexity of the situation is often the first step towards a permanent solution.
  - DanBC 10y ago
    Yes, I agree. Some people in this thread don't, and are saying that merely telling someone that smoking is harmful is enough to make that person stop smoking.
Gargoyle 10y ago
Or have a doctor tell you to stop engaging in risky sexual activity? It's self-destructive behavior just like overeating.
pluma 10y ago
TIL mental health problems go away if you tell sufferers to just get better.
facetube 10y ago
This isn't House, M.D. The doctor's job is to assist to a great degree in fixing the problem, not just figuring out what the problem was.

DanBC 10y ago

> How terrible would it be to have a doctor tell you to stop smoking? Or to stop drinking? Or stop abusing drugs? Or to stop cutting yourself? It's all self destructive behavior just like overeating. It's not terrible, it's just pointless. Fat people know they're fat; people who self harm know they self harm and they know it's not ideal. Merely saying "stop doing that" does nothing ot help them stop.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
jimmywanger 10y ago
> Fat people know they're fat. Many don't. Or they don't blame overeating. It's always "genetics" or "metabolism". Not just plain old overeating.
- DanBC 10y ago
  Sure, but even for those people merely telling them they're fat, and that they're fat because they eat the wrong food will do nothing to stop them from being fat.
  - jimmywanger 10y ago
    > will do nothing to stop them from being fat. I disagree with one point. It puts things into their control, rather than out of their control. If the doctor says you're fat because your metabolism is low, or you're big boned, you can shrug it off and say "Well, there's nothing I can do about it, might as well not try." If the doctor says you're fat because you eat too much food, you can do the same thing, but then at least the ball is in your court. You are fat because of your actions, and it's theoretically possible to change your actions, but it's definitely not possible to change your genetics or metabolism.
edejong 10y ago
This is why a doctor won't tell his patient: "stop FOO". Instead, they might nudge him with information. Respecting the patients knowledge and struggle, a doctor is understanding, supporting and able to connect with others who have successfully "stopped FOO". A good doctor understands that an eating disorder is part of a complex, intertwined and difficult to understand network of causes and effects. Helping the patient understand the complexity of the situation is often the first step towards a permanent solution.
- DanBC 10y ago
  Yes, I agree. Some people in this thread don't, and are saying that merely telling someone that smoking is harmful is enough to make that person stop smoking.

Gargoyle 10y ago

Or have a doctor tell you to stop engaging in risky sexual activity? It's self-destructive behavior just like overeating.

pluma 10y ago

TIL mental health problems go away if you tell sufferers to just get better.

facetube 10y ago

This isn't House, M.D. The doctor's job is to assist to a great degree in fixing the problem, not just figuring out what the problem was.