Posts

Showing posts with the label Voluntary Isolation

Thought for the Day--April 12, 2011: Social Isolation

Image
If isolation tempers the strong, it is the stumbling-block of the uncertain. --Paul Cezanne Yesterday, in "Dear Abby," a former boyfriend was concerned about his ex-girlfriend who has gone into voluntary isolation because of her weight. He wanted to see her (as a friend), but she refused, citing her weight. Abby advised that he should call one of her relatives to get her help. Abby's right: this lady does need help because social isolation--all too common when people, especially women, gain a lot of weight and become morbidly obese and even just slightly obese--is not good for humans who need some kind of social interaction. But it's not all that simple to solve. Fear of being ridiculed is very real; unfortunately, there are some very cruel people out there who apparently lack empathy for fat people (and probably for other people who don't fit social norms). I know that when my weight has been at its highest, I just didn't want to go out in public--and for goo...

Memoir Madness: Driven to Involuntary Commitment