How to Safeguard Your Mental Health After Weight Loss Surgery
There’s plenty of information about the physical transitions you have to undergo after weight loss surgery—eating smaller portions, specialized nutrition, exercise regimens—but how much do you know about the effect bariatric surgery has on your mental health?
There are several important points to consider with your mental health after weight loss surgery. We’ll review them as well as provide useful advice on how to take care of your mental health.
Mental Health After Weight Loss Surgery: What You Need to Know
Did you know that those facing the challenges of obesity may also have a predisposition to mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression? This is one reason that we require weight loss surgery candidates to meet with a variety of specialists to help ensure the best recovery and results from the procedure. This may include putting a mental health treatment plan in place.
Weight loss surgery also involves an extensive transformation that requires discipline and consistency. Others may see you in a different light after your surgery, and this can also have a deeply personal impact—even if the experience is positive. All of these can present challenges to maintaining a healthy psychological perspective.
5 Tips to Safeguard Your Mental Health After Weight Loss Surgery
1. Work With Your Health Care Team
We are here for you! Reach out to our mental health professionals and members of your care team before you become overwhelmed with emotions. This is particularly important if you experience a setback or new physical challenges. By being proactive, we can help ensure your success.
2. Be Sure to Follow Your Nutritional Plan
Sometimes, after weight loss surgery, patients may develop “food fear.” This means they are so worried about regaining weight that they are reluctant to eat. This can pave the way for more extensive physical problems such as vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition.
We can work with you to help track any of these concerns and support you during every step of your journey.
3. Be Honest About Any Psychiatric History
Have you experienced extensive depression? Have you ever had a panic attack or extreme anxiety? While you may have discussed these conditions before your surgery, it continues to be important to keep your healthcare team abreast of your latest mental health challenges so we can work closely with your specialist. Doing so will not only pave the way for success but will improve your outlook.
4. Recognize Your Food “Triggers”
During times of stress, food is often comforting. That’s why so many reach for unhealthy carbs and sugar when they’ve had a bad day. By understanding these triggers, you can develop healthy habits to replace “comfort eating.” We’ll provide nutritional counseling to equip you with information and psychological help to find more effective ways of coping with stress.
5. Be Prepared for Mood Swings
After surgery, hormonal changes can prompt mood swings, which may be alarming. Our doctors will help you understand and maneuver through this emotional change. Often, these mood swings will pass. If they do not, please let us know so we can develop a care plan to help address them.
Weight Loss Surgery Can Help Improve Your Mental Health
While there are a lot of challenges you may face following surgery, the procedure positively affects your mental health in the long run. In addition to a boost in your mood, being able to exercise more often will prompt “feel good” endorphins that will help your overall well-being. It can even reduce your risk of developing clinical depression.
Conway Medical Center Provides a Compassionate Team of Specialists for Your Weight Loss Journey
Surgical weight loss has been vital in helping so many overcome the risks that come with being very obese, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. While this change brings about positive results, it can also cause psychological challenges. Moodiness, stress, and revisiting your relationship with food are all instrumental to safeguard your mental health after weight loss surgery.
In addition to the expertise of leading physicians, our surgical weight loss program at Conway Medical Center has also earned the following recognitions:
- Accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Quality Improvement Program
- Being named a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery
- Being named a quality institute by Aetna Institutes of Quality Bariatric Program
Learn more about our weight loss program and how we can help you. Watch the weight loss seminar here and complete a questionnaire and we will contact you.
