ROCHA, Lívia Janine L. F.; VILHENA, Junia de    VILHENA NOVAES, Joana de. Morbid obesity: when eating goes way beyond food. Psicol. rev. (Belo Horizonte) []. 2009, 15, 2, pp.77-96. ISSN 1677-1168.

Considering the psychoanalytic premise that the subject constitutes himself through the Other, in a society based on performance and pleasure, we discuss the bond between morbid obesity and food. As we intend to invite questions instead of providing conclusive answers, we also discuss issues such as: How does this individual relate himself with his desire and with the subject’s intrinsic lack? How is the juissance that characterizes him articulated? How does he deal with his body? Is it necessary to change this kind of juissance? We also discuss the increasing search for bariatric surgery nowadays. It is important, however, not to search for answers outside the subject, putting aside subjective questions involved in morbid obesity and the option for surgery. Obesity is paradigmatic in a society where one of the multiple ways of suffering is compulsion, while technology allows previously impossible body interventions.

: morbid obesity; psychoanalysis; culture; bariatric surgery; body.

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