Anonymous wrote:I don't know if this was discussed, but how on earth do they afford all that food? Government assistance? And even their homes/ cars? I know sometimes family pays for apartments and such, and maybe the show pays for the temp. housing in houston? But their food costs must be through the roof.

Anonymous wrote:Some of the episodes this season have been so strange. Many of the people who have become morbidly obese suffered traumatic child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, and other horrific traumas.

But a few of them this season have literally said "my parents divorced and they fought which made me sad and so I ate." I... don't understand that. There wasn't any abuse, anything really traumatic or horrific. They also still grew up to have relationships with their parents, just... separate! This seems so light on the "trauma" scale, like saying "I ate myself to 600+lb pounds because my parents made me do chores I didn't want to do."

There's having an imperfect life (which we all have), and then there's real trauma. Some of them have actually had such an easy life.

Anonymous wrote:Some of the episodes this season have been so strange. Many of the people who have become morbidly obese suffered traumatic child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, and other horrific traumas.

But a few of them this season have literally said "my parents divorced and they fought which made me sad and so I ate." I... don't understand that. There wasn't any abuse, anything really traumatic or horrific. They also still grew up to have relationships with their parents, just... separate! This seems so light on the "trauma" scale, like saying "I ate myself to 600+lb pounds because my parents made me do chores I didn't want to do."

There's having an imperfect life (which we all have), and then there's real trauma. Some of them have actually had such an easy life.

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Anonymous wrote:^^11:09 here and I'm just here to say I'm also obsessed with the show. Although I think I'm still on last season maybe? I got to the second episode of the Assanti brothers, but haven't finished it yet.

Have you seen Schenee? YOU MUST.

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Anonymous wrote:Why are we heartbroken when someone weighing almost 700 lbs dies?

why wouldn't you be? I find it sad when drug addicts die too. There has to be a lot going on for someone to do that to themselves. I watch a lot of intervention and the most fascinating part in when they tell their story and what let them to drugs/addiction. it is heartbreaking. So many have had major tragedies in their lives or been sexually abused. You have to really hate yourself to eat your way to 700lbs and that is sad.

This.

I think what you see on this show is really that most of these people have some pretty serious problems besides their weight -- unhealthy family relationships, emotional/psychological problems. The weight is usually just a symptom of some underlying issue for peple to get to this size. FOr me the most heartbreaking one was the girl who still lived at home in her twenties and who helped to take care of her disabled brother, as well as the one where the girl had a really unhealthy relationship with her mother who babied her and did everything for her. These people are kind of trapped in their bodies but also kind of trapped in their lives. They perhaps eat because there is no way forward, no scenario in which they're going to move out some day, get a great apartment and education and job, and get married, etc.
It lets you really see the relationship between poverty and poor education and dead end jobs and eating and weight. I know that it has made me much more sympathetic to these people.
I have struggled with my own weight and I have all kinds of resources and things to look forward to -- I'm losing weight and I have the money to buy awesome clothes and travel, etc. etc. Imagine if you were in a situation where even if you lost the weight, it's not like that was the only thing holding you back from fulfilling your dreams. It's not like these people are magically going to be able to take expensive hiking and camping vacations once they get thin, etc.

I'm struck by how many of them were sexually abused and/or neglected. Some people have their souls murdered and their bodies show it.

I was abused as a child and grew into morbid obesity. Not sure what the connection is but it does seem to be very common. Ashamed to say in my case the food was a source of comfort.

You have nothing to feel any shame for. Nothing.

Anonymous wrote:^^11:09 here and I'm just here to say I'm also obsessed with the show. Although I think I'm still on last season maybe? I got to the second episode of the Assanti brothers, but haven't finished it yet.

Anonymous wrote:^^11:09 here and I'm just here to say I'm also obsessed with the show. Although I think I'm still on last season maybe? I got to the second episode of the Assanti brothers, but haven't finished it yet.

Anonymous wrote:This past weeks episode was good. it was like Tiffany had never seen the show. Why did she think she would get approved for surgery so easily? Her boyfriend was cute though.