Why am I fat? Because my self-esteem is crushed.

[Aliantha]

I agree with Jim here. It is definitely possible to change the way you think (aside from chemical problems in the brain).

How else do people give up smoking for instance? Or decide and actually succeed at losing weight and getting fit?

It's a change of thinking.

eta: to define one's psychology, it's something like the 'internal monologue we have with ourselves', which is of course, the way we think, both consiously and subconsiously.

[jimhelm]

if it's possible to go crazy, it's possible to go un-crazy.

just sayin'

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I don't think it's all that possible for one to will ones' self to be psychologically different.

But I'm not suggesting you should will yourself to be psychologically different--quite the opposite. I'm suggesting that if you force your behavior to change, even if your psychology totally doesn't agree with it, then the psychology will change on its own after the behavior is in place. I think this is why a lot of people do well on diets that have unnecessarily strict rules, because it means that they don't have to work to make the "right" decision every time an opportunity presents itself. Mr. Clod had a coworker who figured out a rather silly set of rules that worked best for him: he stocked a bunch of fruit in his house, and nothing else. There was a Wendy's near their office, and one near his house. The rule was, whenever he was hungry he could go eat a cup of Wendy's chili. That was it. He could have chili, or fruit at home, or nothing. He didn't actually like fruit, his plan was just to make himself sick of the chili so that he would simply eat less food. But of course shortly into this process, the fruit started tasting really fucking good. He started bringing it to work and having some at his desk too, though he still ate a lot of Wendy's chili. Over time he was inspired to add vegetables at home, then allowed himself to make chili at home, but vegetarian only, etc... Ultimately he dropped from about 350 pounds to under 200. Anyway, the point is he artificially forced his behavior to change so that he didn't have to change his psychology. By the end his self-esteem was through the roof without even trying to address it.

[Undertoad]

OK, awright, that could work.

[ZenGum]

A while back I read a book "Magic" by Butler, written early 1900s, part of the Golden Dawn movement.
It started out fishing around for a suitable definition of magic and settled on:

"The art and practise of causing changes in consciousness at will".

It develops this by explaining in terms along the lines of training yourself to make Pavlovian-type associations, and then goes further.

One example in my life is that I get sympathetic nausea. If I even hear someone vomiting the urge to vomit becomes strong. I have found that thinking about lemons fights this (I know, I'm a bit odd) and now whenever I feel sympathetic nausea I know all I have to do is think of lemons and it passes.

I don't know if or how this could help people fighting weight, but it is an example of willing a change in consciousness by a programmed tool.

Maybe every time you eat, you smash your hand with a hammer. Soon, whenever you feel hungry, think about hammers...

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

One example in my life is that I get sympathetic nausea. If I even hear someone vomiting the urge to vomit becomes strong. I have found that thinking about lemons fights this (I know, I'm a bit odd) and now whenever I feel sympathetic nausea I know all I have to do is think of lemons and it passes.

Oooh... I'm gonna try that. I can't handle the sound of someone retching, my gag reflex kicks in hard.

[jimhelm]

mint

[Clodfobble]

You're saying you think of mint to avoid a gag-reflex, or you actually use mint?

[jimhelm]

when I feel queasy, I want mint. It helps... I'm not sure when that starts... might be that just thinking about it begins the settling. I totally buy this kind of thing, so it might just.

[Pico and ME]

Peppermint is an old time remedy for stomach problems.

[jimhelm]

yes, this is known. But is visualizing mint helpful?

next time I feel queasy, I'm going to try it without the tea or cough drop.

quick. someone gross me out

[HungLikeJesus]

We need a lemon smiley and a mint smiley.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by jimhelm

next time I feel queasy, I'm going to try it without the tea or cough drop.

quick. someone gross me out

go to the flesh eating bacteria link I put on the neat links thread the other day.

[Pico and ME]

Originally Posted by jimhelm

yes, this is known. But is visualizing mint helpful?

next time I feel queasy, I'm going to try it without the tea or cough drop.

quick. someone gross me out

I was just thinking that maybe you were conditioned for it from a young age when your granny would make you chew Doublemint when you complained of a tummy ache.

Maybe.

[jimhelm]

that could very well be. Ginger ale too...