Do you want to feel more confident after bariatric surgery? Is this an area you struggled with before your surgery? I am going to guess that the answer is yes (not that I couldn’t be wrong). I was used to feeling invisible. I am a post-op patient, nearly eight years
Ah. Social Media. Like most things, there are positives and negatives associated with this 21st-century reality of daily life. One of the things I often hear from people is how they sometimes feel uneasy about themselves and their lives as they observe what appears to be the “perfect life” portrayed
How To Manage Food Choices After weight loss surgery you may have become very confident in managing your daily eating habits and routines. At special celebrations, your normal routine is interrupted and it can be difficult to manage food choices. The challenge comes when your routine is disrupted, such as
Years have gone by, diets have come and gone, maybe disease states have exacerbated and the decision for treatment via weight loss surgery has become more present. Now it’s time to prepare and gain insight into any emotional vulnerability you may have. Questions to Consider for the Mental & Emotional
Escape Emotional Eating After WLS: Patients who pursue weight loss surgery are motivated by common factors such as eliminating medications, remission of comorbidities such as high blood pressure or diabetes, and reduction in pain. The process of preparing for weight loss surgery can feel overwhelming with the number of doctor
How Trauma Past and Present Can Sabotage Your WLS Success: Trauma describes a person’s emotional reaction to a significantly threatening or devastating event. Although trauma reactions can be different for every person, they often involve feelings of shock, unpredictable or rapidly changing emotions, intrusive memories, difficulties with personal relationships, anxiety,
Almost a decade ago I did a series of interviews with weight loss surgery patients who were between one and two years post-op. It was one of the most rewarding, and educational experiences of my life. During the interviews, I asked people about their incentive for having surgery. Unequivocally, every
As I am sitting here writing this article, my first thought is WOW, how do your thoughts and emotions lead to eating? As a mental health professional, nearly 8 years post-op, this subject is hitting me hard. It is so all-encompassing. Just the words "thoughts" and "emotions" are huge. The
The social scene can be very different pre and post WLS. I didn’t think too much about the social impact of WLS prior to having surgery. I thought I might make more friends or people may like me more, but I didn’t think about how I would navigate social events.
Social support following weight loss surgery (WLS) is essential to ensure long-term success by helping patients maintain behavioral changes. Research indicates that individuals who attend in-person support groups even tend to lose more weight. Nowadays, many patients are looking for convenient access to online support groups. Easy, quick access is
