Okay so Im watching the news yesterday while at the gym, Well reading the captions anyway. And it comes up that a new study shows that people who are successful with weight loss surgery, aside from having health concerns lessened etc, also have a much lowr rate of depression and are much happier with a better outlook on life.

Well DUH!!!

I mean seriously someone actually studied this!, So let me get this straight, if i lose weight, can be active, dont have all the pains and hospitalizations etc, ill be happier? Holy Cow! Who would have thought that would be the case?

On a serious note, though it is good to see that maybe things will start to sway in the direction of doing what we all know, and that is WLS is not something to be shunned or kept outside of the norm, but that it can be embraced as a meaningful way for people to take charge of their life and gain the life we desperately need and want.

We have all earned the right to be Happy, Now we have the Proof!

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-bariatric-surgery-mental-health-20160112-story.html

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Well, I think the reason this is news is that some other studies mention increases in suicides, depression etc post WLS. I just think that people who have alot of emotional issues, big changes (massive weight loss is a huge change that takes a lot of adjusting) are more prone to having an uptick in problems /challenge dealing with it.

I am wayyy happier - no comparison, but I used to bury alot of my feelings in the fatsuit facade so at times, I have felt that stress of losing my armour.

Maybe it is related to the adage: what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

The whole process is a huge opportunity for personal growth and development outside of the physical benefits of losing weight. It is stressful but also rewarding.

My husband said losing weight/having surgery wouldn't make me happy.. and surgery wasn't the entire fix.. but being able to run 5 miles without stopping has made me HAPPY.

@@Stevehud

This is a great post! Thanks for sharing what you learned!

It's pretty much viewed as bottled happiness from my standpoint. Miracle is also fitting!

I think it depends on why the person had depression to begin with. If they were depressed because they were overweight and now they aren't then that makes sense. But if someone has a chemical imbalance in their brain, the problem is still there even when they reach a normal weight.

I think it depends on why the person had depression to begin with. If they were depressed because they were overweight and now they aren't then that makes sense. But if someone has a chemical imbalance in their brain, the problem is still there even when they reach a normal weight.

I have suffered from major depression and anxiety most of my life. I've been on quite a few different meds to help, but not one of them has ever helped. However, in the last 2 months since surgery I have been eating less and exercising much more…and guess what? My depression has been much better.

I think it depends on why the person had depression to begin with. If they were depressed because they were overweight and now they aren't then that makes sense. But if someone has a chemical imbalance in their brain, the problem is still there even when they reach a normal weight.

I have suffered from major depression and anxiety most of my life. I've been on quite a few different meds to help, but not one of them has ever helped. However, in the last 2 months since surgery I have been eating less and exercising much more…and guess what? My depression has been much better.

Exercise VERY much improves depression. My Husband suffers, and when he isn't running every day, I notice it.. when he stops for a week or more, the mood in our house is horrible.. Since he has been constantly at it, he is like a different person. We spent 10 years together, and him suffering from it, before I saw how much running helps him.

i know for me and many others, food was the drug of choice, I get depressed, I eat, then feel bad, etc and the depression gets worse. I have replaced food with thrift shopping..lol no seriously replacing those feelings in a more creative outlet, through exercise, and through other hobbies ( learning to play guitar) and thrift shopping has helped immensely.

So i think the substituting of exercise and things we couldnt do before our life change, is a necessary thing to keeping the weight off and helping us feel better about who we are and our "new" life.

While I agree exercise has helped lessen the depression it didn't go away and I still go through rough bouts, especially now in the winter. What I didn't expect was to develop anxiety problems after weight loss surgery. No amount of exercise helps it. I'm hesitant to go on any medication because any and all medications make me gain weight. I've tried different coping skills but still struggling.

While I agree exercise has helped lessen the depression it didn't go away and I still go through rough bouts, especially now in the winter. What I didn't expect was to develop anxiety problems after weight loss surgery. No amount of exercise helps it. I'm hesitant to go on any medication because any and all medications make me gain weight. I've tried different coping skills but still struggling.

I agree. My depression didn't go away and I fully expect that I'll deal with it the rest of my life unfortunately. But exercise has helped as well as this forum, weight loss support group, and my wife. Feel free to PM me anytime you need or want to talk or vent.

I also have had depression for many, many years. It had gotten so that my old wonderful med no longer worked alone and I had to go on a second med. I think being on those meds since surgery has helped even out the potential emotional roller coaster that seems to be a side effect/complication of WLS. I also wonder if my eight was part of why my meds weren't working quite as well. At one point I was worried that since malabsorbtion is a problem with RNY maybe my meds wouldn't absorb as well either, but I have felt great emotionally since the surgery (2 months). I don't think that is totally surgery related, although the weight loss had been a big boost.

Additionally leading up to surgery I had started to develop some brain fog/lost words (a symptom of my depression getting worse). I wasn't on the 2 weeks of liquids or anything so it wasn't from that. Almost immediately after surgery that is gone too.

I will probably never be off my meds for depression and I am okay with that because I never want to go back down that rabbit hole again. Its too hard to climb back out.

All I know for sure is that the last two months have been extremely happy and emotionally healthy and although I attribute some of that to the weight loss, I can't help believing now that 40 lbs less and my meds are working better. All in all, I hope the study is right and my good outlook since surgery is a sign of the good things to come including keeping it all off.

If anyone needs to vent or talk, I am in a good place now, but I remember. Just PM me.

pam

Anxiety was my hidden surprise too. I apparently smothered that with food and fat before, I am finally mastering it in healthy ways but been working on it for a few years.

While I agree exercise has helped lessen the depression it didn't go away and I still go through rough bouts, especially now in the winter. What I didn't expect was to develop anxiety problems after weight loss surgery. No amount of exercise helps it. I'm hesitant to go on any medication because any and all medications make me gain weight. I've tried different coping skills but still struggling.

Anxiety was my hidden surprise too. I apparently smothered that with food and fat before, I am finally mastering it in healthy ways but been working on it for a few years.

While I agree exercise has helped lessen the depression it didn't go away and I still go through rough bouts, especially now in the winter. What I didn't expect was to develop anxiety problems after weight loss surgery. No amount of exercise helps it. I'm hesitant to go on any medication because any and all medications make me gain weight. I've tried different coping skills but still struggling.

I agree. I had slight anxiety before but it seems to have gotten worse after WLS. Some days are better than others and I actually feel less stressed when I am out walking in nature.

Anxiety was my hidden surprise too. I apparently smothered that with food and fat before, I am finally mastering it in healthy ways but been working on it for a few years.

While I agree exercise has helped lessen the depression it didn't go away and I still go through rough bouts, especially now in the winter. What I didn't expect was to develop anxiety problems after weight loss surgery. No amount of exercise helps it. I'm hesitant to go on any medication because any and all medications make me gain weight. I've tried different coping skills but still struggling.

I was going through a particularly stressful time last year and my anxiety got so bad I was taking it out on my jaw at night. I developed excruciating nerve pains shooting across my face at random times and went to my doctor. He gave me a low dose of Xanax to relax more during sleep and break the grinding habit (in addition to a mouth guard). It took two months to get better.

I've noticed now when I'm stressed I seem to tighten my neck or clench my jaw. So I keep my tongue between my teeth and relax my jaw as often as I can.

When I reach a breaking/boiling point I immediately want food to cope with anxiety but I know I can't use that so then I try deep breathing, counting, walk away and go get something to drink, etc. but it's gotten to the point I'm going to extremes in my head like wanting to quit my job because I'm stressed. Or throat punch someone because they piss me off. Or burn my house down because it has gotten out of hand. Running to Linkin Park makes me feel better afterwards but I have a hard time dealing with things in the moment without jumping to extremes. Before surgery I would go get a cake/ice cream/French fries and stuff my face then sleep it off.