Grief over lost years — looking for input

carl_compliance said:

Body image adjustment with mental health: I've lost 60 lbs but when I look in the mirror, I still see my old self sometimes.

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.

quinn_sf 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…

Thank you — that is the clearest version of this I have read, and I have read a lot of them.

carl_compliance said:

Body image adjustment with mental health: I've lost 60 lbs but when I look in the mirror, I still see my old self sometimes.

Anxiety increase on mental health: counterintuitive, but losing weight rapidly triggered anxiety for me. Change — even positive change — is stressful. I was anxious about whether I deserved to feel good.

This is more common than people admit. A therapist who specializes in weight management has been invaluable. Don't neglect the mental health side of this journey.

pam_columbus 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…

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. ✨

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