Many people take medicines to help manage mental health conditions like psychosis.
While these drugs can be life-changing, they often come with a catch: rapid weight gain. A new study shows that this isn’t just a physical issue—it also takes a heavy emotional toll.
In this study from the University of Oxford, researchers talked to 10 people who were taking these medicines. At first, the people were more worried about their mental health than putting on a few pounds.
But as the months passed, they couldn’t ignore the extra weight anymore. It started affecting how they felt about themselves, making them feel down and hopeless.
Emotional Roller Coaster: From Hope to Despair
Weight gain may seem like a small issue when you’re already dealing with serious mental health problems. However, this study shows that the emotional impact is big.
Gaining weight made people feel even more vulnerable. They started pulling away from friends and family and avoiding social events. In some cases, their mental health symptoms even got worse.
The researchers behind the study say it’s important to look at this emotional side of weight gain.
Felicity Waite, the main researcher, says that understanding how weight gain affects a person’s emotional well-being might help doctors come up with better treatments in the future.
A Fresh Look at Treatment: It’s More Than Just Pounds and Pills
Weight gain from mental health medicines is not just about what the scale says. According to the study, it affects how people think and feel about themselves.
This emotional impact, in turn, can make their mental health problems worse. That’s why researchers believe that a good treatment plan should tackle both the emotional and physical aspects of weight gain.
“We need to think about the whole person,” says Felicity Waite. “People with mental health conditions explained how weight gain impacts their confidence and mood.
It even made some of them more paranoid and hear critical voices. So, maybe the first step in helping people lose weight is to help them rebuild their self-esteem.”
Additional Resources for Health Concerns
If you’re worried about the risk of stroke, studies suggest that a diet high in certain natural substances called flavonoids can help.
And if you’re concerned about losing your mental sharpness as you age, there’s a special diet called the MIND diet that could help keep your brain young.
For those who are dealing with depression, recent studies show that a new drug could start to relieve symptoms in just 2 hours.
This study opens up a new avenue for thinking about how we treat mental health. It’s not just about managing symptoms with medicine; it’s also about understanding and addressing the emotional challenges that come with treatment.
If you care about health, please read studies that scientists find a core feature of depression and this metal in the brain is strongly linked to depression.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about drug for mental health that may harm the brain, and results showing this therapy more effective than ketamine in treating severe depression.
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