Food funeral grief — need advice

Dr.GutHealth said:

Body image adjustment with mental health: I've lost 75 lbs but when I look in the mirror, I still see my old self sometimes.

One year anniversary on mental health — reflections:

What I wish I'd known: the side effects are temporary, the benefits compound over time, protein is more important than I thought, and the mental health aspect needs as much attention as the physical.

What surprised me: how much my relationship with food changed, the cascade of health improvements beyond weight, and how supportive this community is.

What I'd do differently: start therapy earlier, prioritize resistance training from day 1, and stop comparing my progress to others. Everyone's journey is unique.

HealthEcon_DC said:

Anxiety increase on mental health: counterintuitive, but losing weight rapidly triggered anxiety for me.

This is exactly what I could not find anywhere else.

Dr.GutHealth said:

Body image adjustment with mental health: I've lost 75 lbs but when I look in the mirror, I still see my old self sometimes.

Mood changes on mental health: I want to be transparent — I went through a rough patch emotionally around month 2. Not depression exactly, but a weird flatness. Food was my main coping mechanism and without that, I had to develop new ones.

Therapy has been essential. I'd strongly recommend anyone starting GLP-1 therapy also invest in mental health support. The physical transformation is only half the journey.

MariaRD said:

The weight came off and the harder part started, which is not what any of the material I read had prepared me for.

MariaRD said:

...mental health should only be used alongside therapy...

I'd say therapy should be AVAILABLE to all GLP-1 patients, but requiring it as a precondition for treatment would create an access barrier.

Not everyone can afford therapy. Not everyone needs it. Some people do just fine with medication + lifestyle changes. But for those with emotional eating, body image issues, or disordered eating history, therapy is extremely valuable.

My recommendation: make mental health screening part of the initial assessment, offer therapy as a recommended adjunct, but don't gatekeep medication access behind it.

Moderator note: the sourcing question belongs in the vendor section and has been split out. Carry on.