Could treating obesity, and other habitual diseases such as smoking/ alcoholism, as mental illness be effective?

Obesity is a chronic condition of overeating and lack of physical activity leading to other conditions such as inflammation, anxiey, tiredness, chronic pain, lack of mobility and dependency on others. An obese person lives in a constant state of awareness of their condition, it defines itself by being an illness which cannot be hidden. It effects social relationships and becomes part of a person's identity. Its the first thing people notice when they see you, it becomes more prevelant than the actual person behind the disease. It consumes every gasp for breath, every welling of emotion, every muddled thought. It leads itself to a state of defiance and denial that a problem even exists. But it is there, always, a contradiction of mind and self. A cycle of self destructive behaviour (eating) and emotional breakdown. It is a delusion of one's own mind and therefore should be treated as a mental illness.

The solution is simple. Stop eating, fast until the weight is normal. This could take months but it is easy to do. As the weight comes down physical activity becomes easier, social cohesion becomes more normalised. The person is treated with more respect and well being, gains freedom and the identity which was lost.

But the mind wants to feel despair, loss of control, helplessness, pain and sorrow. It wants to be dependent on others, it wants attention, to feel loved. It is the mind which self harms the body so that others will take pity. So others can see the desperation of this person's state. It is a cry for help, a breakdown of self.

Treating the mind can be acheived through meditation, yoga, focused attention, music and other forms of art, physical exercise and purpose (through work, family or other goals). Still the western world lives with this endemic.