Not to mention the fact that mental health issues are not handled well by the general public at all. I have seen so much vitriol, dismissal, and skepticism towards anyone who talks about their mental health journey. And in my experience those who will shame me for being overweight will often insinuate that I made up my diagnoses or doctor shopped until I got what I wanted. You really can’t win for losing.

I think anyone addicted to the dopamine rush of food to the point they are an unhealthy weight has a mental issue, same as someone addicted to tobacco, alcohol, or any drug where overuse is unhealthy. It’s incredibly common, it’s just that obesity seems to be the most outwardly visible of those addictions and therefore gets shamed more. I don’t think shaming people into quitting an addiction is an effective strategy, but I also don’t believe affirming their choices with misinformation is favorable either. I think promoting awareness and giving compassionate support are the only real effective strategies, and while I think that’s commonly understood and used by most caring people, that doesn’t seem to be a viewpoint that gets attention on the Internet.