Imposter syndrome after weight loss — my results so far

pat_auckland said:

When to call your doctor about mental health side effects — a reference I wish I'd had: Call immediately: Severe abdominal pain (could be…

Therapy insights from my mental health journey: my therapist introduced me to the concept of "identity updating" — the psychological work of becoming a new version of yourself.

Key realizations: I used food to manage emotions, I had internalized fatphobia that I'm still unpacking, my social identity was partly built around being "the big guy/girl," and learning to accept compliments is surprisingly hard when you've been invisible for years.

Physical transformation without emotional processing is unstable. Do both.

HPLC_Greg said:

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

Genuinely useful, thank you. I had the facts and not the framework. Taking it to my next appointment.

pat_auckland said:

When to call your doctor about mental health side effects — a reference I wish I'd had: Call immediately: Severe abdominal pain (could be…

Positive side effects of mental health that surprised me:

1. Clearer skin — inflammation reduction improved my rosacea
2. Better sleep — weight loss resolved mild sleep apnea
3. Improved libido — better body image + improved cardiovascular health
4. Less joint pain — obvious mechanical benefit
5. More energy — metabolic improvements across the board

Not everything about GLP-1 therapy is a struggle. There are genuinely wonderful changes too. ✨

mike_mod said:

My mood has been flatter since about month four and I genuinely cannot work out whether that is the drug, the deficit, or the fact that I no longer…

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.

Moderator note: a couple of off-topic posts removed. Thread quality here is what the rules are for. Keep it up.