Mental Health Care needed before, after Bariatric Surgery

I REALLY LIKED THIS ARTICLE...a piece of advise I give anyone thinking about WLS, consider seeking out someone to talk to before and after you make the decision. WLS has a funny way of making most people (including myself), feel that when we wake up we are somehow a different person. The reality is that, we only look different in the mirror. Surgery makes us feel different because we learn how to love ourselves again and if this is still a difficult thing for you, make an appointment with a Therapist to try to change some of the feelings that possibly was the reason we allowed our bodies to get so out of control.   HUGS, Sherri


Mental health care needed before, after bariatric surgery


Bariatric surgery is the most effective weight-loss option for people who are severely obese. However, the surgery involves substantial risks and requires a lifelong commitment to behavioral change. People eligible for the surgery often have a history of mental health problems or eating disorders. Therefore, patients must be prepared mentally as well as physically before surgery, reports the January 2008 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter.

The psychological aspects of bariatric surgery are less well understood than the physical risks and benefits. Although the surgery is generally associated with improved mental health and quality of life, post-surgical psychological and behavioral changes are less predictable than physical changes.

The Harvard Mental Health Letter notes that mood disorders such as depression and anxiety affect many people who are eligible for bariatric surgery. The weight loss following surgery generally improves mood, at least initially. In studies, depression and anxiety scores were reduced significantly one year after surgery, but tended to be higher two and four years later. And some research has found higher-than-expected rates of suicide among surgery patients.

Eating disorders, such as binge eating, also affect many people considering bariatric surgery. And a highly controversial theory—as yet unproven—is that bariatric surgery may cause some people to lose weight but then “transfer” their food addiction to some other harmful addiction. Surgery may change the rate at which alcohol is absorbed, which may increase the risk of dependence in people who are vulnerable to becoming addicted. All of these factors underscore the need for mental health treatment before and after surgery, says the Harvard Mental Health Letter.