"GLP-1 "weight loss" drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound are revolutionary medical treatments. In a study published this week in PLOS Global Public Health, my co-authors and I present the current evidence on how this new class of pharmaceuticals is also a powerful social and psychological intervention, reshaping everyday life far beyond the clinic. Bringing together teams of social scientists working in places as diverse as Japan, Denmark, Brazil, and the United States, we were able to pool our data to identify important trends."
"Those who lose a lot of weight often describe an intense sense of relief and happiness at finally "feeling normal" in their bodies. They also report being treated better at work and in social settings. At the same time, this improved treatment can sharpen awareness of how devalued they were before they lost significant weight-often a psychologically painful and harmful realization. This highlights the importance of psychological support when people undergo rapid and substantial weight loss."
GLP-1 'weight loss' drugs produce significant physical weight loss and also function as powerful social and psychological interventions that reshape daily life beyond clinical settings. Social science data from Japan, Denmark, Brazil, and the United States reveal parallel shifts in relationships with doctors, social treatment, and self-perception. Rapid weight loss often brings relief and improved social treatment while also intensifying painful awareness of prior devaluation. Many users pursue these drugs out of weight anxiety despite being medically healthy. Users commonly experience severe side effects, high costs, and deviations from medical guidance, creating safety and support concerns.
Read at Psychology Today
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