More and more people do not accept their appearance and are struggling with eating problems. In many cases, it is not enough just to change bad eating habits, because the problem is much more complex. It turns out that psychological factors can be behind everything. Help in the field of weight loss and proper nutrition can be provided by a psycho-dietician. Who is a psycho-dietician and when is it worth visiting?
Psychodietician - who is it?
A psychodietician is a person who is competent in both psychology and dietetics. To obtain them, it is necessary to complete postgraduate studies in psychodietetics. Thus, psychodietetics are primarily nutritionists and psychologists, but also representatives of other medical professions, such as doctors, nurses or physiotherapists.
In short, psychodietetics combines knowledge in the field of psychology with a medical approach to the subject of food and diets. Approaching these two aspects helps to change the mindset of a person struggling with eating problems, to work through abnormal eating mechanisms, eliminate bad habits, and implement a new diet plan. Therefore, the psychodietetic helps to go through the whole process of changing the current lifestyle to a new, better one.
What does a psychodietician do?
The psychodietician provides the patient with comprehensive help in the field of nutrition and related problems. Some people think that the specialist is only preparing a menu, but nothing could be more wrong. First it diagnoses the problem and then helps to solve it effectively.
The psycho-dietician helps to overcome difficulties that prevent the development of good eating habits. Works in the area of social relations, emotions and beliefs. It teaches assertiveness, helps to better understand your own needs and emotions, build self-esteem, learn to better perceive your own body and get rid of negative thoughts.
The support of the psychodietician in the entire process of change is invaluable. It is also necessary after success to maintain a new lifestyle.
Psychodietician - how does he work?
There are no legal regulations regarding the profession of psycho-dietician, and no top-down rules about how a psycho-dietician is supposed to work with a patient. Therefore, each specialist approaches patients individually, using the methods that, in their opinion, will work best in a specific case.
When the psychodietician determines the cause of the problems, he takes steps to eliminate it, including:
- prepares a menu tailored to the needs and expectations of the patient,
- helps to eliminate bad eating habits and develop new ones,
- helps to cope with eating under the influence of emotions,
- creates long-term strategies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Some patients only need a few sessions with a psycho-dietician, while for others, the therapy may last several months or even longer.
Whom the psychodietician may help?
The psychodietician gives the necessary support to anyone who really needs it. Specialist help is not limited to people struggling with eating disorders. Patients who have been trying to lose weight for years, but for some reason their actions always end up in a fiasco, can also make an appointment. After many failures in losing weight, using many different diets and methods, it is worth using the help of a psycho-dietician to find out what the problem is and how to effectively solve it.
The help of a psycho-dietician is also invaluable in the case of pursuing specific dietary and body-related goals. Contrary to appearances, composing a menu that takes into account the organism’s needs and appearance expectations is not so easy. Therefore, people who do not know how to change their diet should also consult a specialist. Just like those who lack motivation or just support in achieving the desired goal.
Psychodietician - who should apply to him?
An indication for a visit to a psycho-dietician may be such problems as:
- not accepting your appearance,
- inability to eliminate bad eating habits,
- lack of a sense of control over nutrition,
- eating under the influence of emotions,
- underweight or overweight,
- anorexia,
- bulimia.
The course of a visit to a psychodietician
A visit to a psycho-dietician looks very similar to a visit to a psychologist. The specialist conducts a dialogue with the patient, trying to learn as much as possible about him in order to find the source of his problems and find a solution to them.
You don’t need to prepare yourself for the first meeting with a psychodietician. If you have the results of e.g. blood tests, it is a good idea to take them with you. Otherwise, when necessary, the specialist will refer you to appropriate tests.
Read more: Dietician Warsaw
