Have you been considering bariatric surgery? You might be wondering about the effects of such a drastic weight loss on your mental health. In this post, we’ll explore how bariatric surgery can affect your mental health. Let’s get started!
What is Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery is a weight-loss method that decreases the stomach’s capacity, making one feel full with less food. The two most common procedures are gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. Sleeve gastrectomy reduces the size of your stomach while leaving your intestines mostly intact. Gastric bypass divides your digestive system into two parts so that food bypasses some of your stomach and the first section of the small intestine. Although these surgeries are considered successful, they will not work unless you make healthier choices and exercise on a regular basis to keep the weight off long term.
How does it affect mental health?
Excess weight is very difficult for many obese people to lose or maintain. It can lead to serious health problems that impact your mental health. When your weight becomes too much for you to handle, it is time to take action and reduce the number of pounds on your body.
Bariatric surgery has been shown to relieve depressive symptoms in patients with severe obesity. There are several other advantages bariatric surgery has on mental health other than making you feel happier.
It also reduces the risk of cancer, type II diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis, to name a few. In fact, bariatric surgery has been shown to have a strong positive effect on depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
Who should consider bariatric surgery?
Bariatric surgery may be an option for you if:
You have a BMI (body mass index) over 40 or a BMI over 35 and experiencing obesity-related health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or sleep apnea. You can check out obesity guidelines.
You cannot lose weight by dieting and exercising for six months despite making healthy choices and exercising at least 3 times a week.
You may also like: 7 Ways to Stay Hydrated After Bariatric Surgery
Why is bariatric surgery important for mental health?
Many people who suffer from obesity battle constant depression and discouragement because they cannot lose the weight and keep it off. As a result, mental health problems develop, such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, and other mental disorders.
They are more likely to commit suicide, develop heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and many types of cancer. Their quality of life is also very low because they are made to feel less important by their family members or peers.
Over time this can make them extremely depressed, and they may become suicidal. Best Bariatric Surgeons in Mexico have found that people who have bariatric surgery are less likely to commit suicide, experienced a spiritual awakening, and gain better control of their mental disorders.
The main takeaway here? There are various ways in which bariatric surgery has been shown to benefit people. Your body will change after this type of treatment – both internally and externally – so please take time to consider all factors before deciding on this route!
