Psychology Today | 02.04.2026 23:15
Due to months of pain before and after knee surgery, Sam gained 50 pounds. His ice cream habit didn’t help. Sam’s wife, Sheryl, told him she was no longer physically attracted to him because he had gotten so large. Sheryl’s goal was for her message to motivate Sam to get healthy through exercise and eating less. But Sam took Sheryl’s statement as a threat to their marriage, believing she was thinking of leaving him and finding someone who could do more than five sit-ups. Although Sheryl repeatedly reassured Sam of her love and commitment, he was not convinced. He wondered how soon their marriage would end and what he would do afterward.
