Keeping Up with Your Mental Health After Weight Loss Surgery

How is your mental health after bariatric surgery? As life-changing as it can be, weight loss surgery is difficult for everyone – especially if you struggle with anxiety or depression. You may feel uncomfortable in your new body or be unsure of where to begin.

At ProCare Health, we want you to know there are options. From exercising daily to seeking professional help, there are several ways to keep up with your mental health after weight loss surgery.

How Does Bariatric Surgery Affect Your Mental Health?

While weight loss surgery has many benefits, it is not the ultimate cure. It can impact nearly every area of your life, including your mental health. It can result in a variety of emotions, such as:

• You may feel like you have “lost” part of your body or changed too much.
• You may have a difficult time adjusting to your diet after bariatric surgery.
• You may struggle to find new ways to deal with stress (especially if you previously used food to comfort yourself).
• You may feel disappointed or sad if you stop losing weight eventually.
• You may feel uncomfortable being the center of attention or others making comments about your new appearance.
• Your body may respond differently to alcohol and put you at risk when drinking.

Regardless of how you feel, you need to understand that your emotions are normal. Still, you need to learn how to take care of your emotions in a healthy, manageable way.

How to Deal with Depression After Weight Loss Surgery

After surgery, your lifestyle will change dramatically. Your body will be in recovery mode, and your eating habits will be restricted. You will not be able to eat solid foods for a couple of months, and when you can, there are certain foods you can’t eat.

If you struggled with anxiety or depression in the past, it could be difficult to stay focused and put in the effort it takes to keep your weight loss on track.

Following surgery, you might miss your favorite foods or going out to eat. You may feel anxious about your new body or lifestyle. You should always pay attention to your feelings or any early signs of depression.

If you experience any of these signs, you should consult your doctor immediately:

• Trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or hopelessness
• Insomnia or sleeping too much
• Loss of appetite
• Irritability
• Persistent sad or anxious feelings
• Suicidal thoughts or feelings

While you may not be able to prevent feelings of depression, there are certain things you can do to help yourself feel better after weight loss surgery:

• Follow your doctor’s recommendations and orders from pre-surgery planning through post-surgery care
• Practice healthy and positive self-talk
• Journal your feelings and track the food you eat to feel more in control
• Take pictures to document your weight loss surgery to keep you motivated
• Get plenty of rest
• Schedule regular visits with a therapist

Tips for Keeping Up with Your Mental Health After Weight Loss Surgery

Set Realistic Expectations

Before you undergo bariatric surgery, it is important to set realistic goals for yourself. Your doctor can help you understand your goals and what to expect if you have any questions or need information.

After surgery, it may take a while to recover, which can be discouraging. Instead, you need to give yourself time to heal, set small goals, and focus on slowly achieving your goal weight and a healthy lifestyle.

Confront Any Food Addictions

A lot of people use food to deal with stress, boredom, or any other emotions. After bariatric surgery, you cannot use food as a crutch. In fact, emotional eating or food addictions can pose significant problems when your stomach pouch is small.

To be successful in your weight loss journey, you have to learn how to manage your relationship with food. To do this, you should identify any cravings or addictions, and figure out what your emotional triggers are.

Find a Support System

You should never embark on your weight loss journey alone. A support system can provide you with the encouragement and motivation you need to accomplish your goals. While your doctor can help you navigate the weight loss journey, your family and friends can also help you stay on track.

Additionally, you may want to consider joining an online or in-person support group. By connecting with other patients who have undergone weight loss surgery and reached their goals, you may feel more confident to do the same.

Have Faith in Yourself

No matter who you are, life after bariatric surgery is challenging. When it comes to navigating your weight loss surgery, you may feel discouraged or nervous about the journey ahead.

To be successful in your weight loss journey, you must take care of yourself, seek help if necessary, and keep moving forward.