Shame Can’t be Vitamised
So you lose 60 kilos, which is a fantastic achievement! You have worked so hard, only to find yourself in the same cycle of consuming non-nutritious food, in liquid form.
You receive the temporary joy food brings you, but an overwhelming shadow of shame lurks — fat shame. A cruel self-deprecating habit that is often reinforced by miseducation and the ignorance of others. It’s time for change and understanding. Your thoughts form beliefs, validated by the presumptions or perceptions of either ourselves or others.
This is not an uncommon story, and we would like to paint you a picture. We want to talk about Jennifer. This is not her real name, it has been changed for privacy reasons. However, her pain, her trauma and her victory are very real.
Jennifer is 44 years old, and is a sensational sister, partner friend and mother of three. Jennifer is going through perimenopause in this current stage of her life but still maintains her busy lifestyle and career with enthusiasm. What Jennifer doesn’t realise is that on a subconscious level, she has an emotional attachment to food because of a variety of reasons. Jennifer has in desperation, tried every diet, pill, exercise there is, but nothing seems to work, and the mental cycle of shame and negative self-talk ensues and grows. So, she saves up and books in for bariatric surgery. The problem is, however, regardless of the fat removed, or the stomach surgery, the neuro pathways in her brain that formed many years ago, are still there. She has no mental scaffolding for what comes next. After surgery, the weight starts to go off, but the emotional attachments, beliefs and perceptions still exist.
She starts vitamising the food she finds to nurturing, along with an array of habitual processes and actions steeped deeply within. Chocolate, even pizza turned to liquid to fill a need. However, Shame can’t be vitamised.
She is at a very great risk here of physical harm post surgery, emotional trauma and a failed surgery. Jennifer comes to us. The program she begins starts to educate Jennifer, understand herself, unlocking the deeply held triggers and reasons. Then begins the process of creating new thoughts, patterns and beliefs. Then comes empowerment, understanding, self belief and success.
Bariatric Surgery, a broad term used to identify weight loss procedures such as sleeve gastrectomy, is becoming more accessible for people trying to lose weight in Australia.
According to the AIHW, From 2014-2015, there were 9.7 weight loss surgery separations per 10,000 of the population, with Western Australia with the highest rate at 17.3. Furthermore, around 18,000 (79%) weight loss separations were for female patients and 4,800 for male patients.
This growth in weight loss surgery can be linked-to ABS statistics (2017-18), which state nearly two-thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese, over 12.5million people!
There are physical and mental problems that can derail the success of weight loss before and after bariatric surgery. What is most alarming, however, is the unsuccessful rate of these weight-loss surgeries due to the lack of mental health.
A lack of postoperative therapeutic follow up by a professional can lead to failure, heartache and even life-threatening physical side effects just like Jennifer.
This is extremely unfortunate given the postsurgical psychological challenges the procedure elicits because of an inadequate psychological support system. Which may result in body image concerns, mood changes, stress, substance use, and weight regain.
“There is nothing worse for a patient than to go through the trauma of a physical surgery on their stomach, lose 60 kilograms and then gain it all again. Why does this happen? Because they put a patch on the hole in the dingy without finding out why the dingy keeps smashing into the rocks. We are the lighthouse. We shine a light on why the mind is triggering behaviours. Then we retrain it, reform it and revitalise the patient,” says Julia.
According to a report from James Cook University psychological support for the mental health needs of obese patients, post-surgery requires more attention.
The psychological impact of having bariatric surgery has received less attention. This study investigated whether patients who receive psychological counselling have better physical and mental well-being post-bariatric surgery. Patients who attended between one and four counselling sessions had significantly higher mental well-being.
Weight regain could be reduced with the right mental help before and after surgery, equalling a better quality of life. There is also the new you waiting. How will you feel with a different body and changing attitudes? Get the scaffolding ready to be successful. We are all only human, and you don’t have to walk the path alone. We are here to help you feel empowered, confident and reassured.
Please reach out today and choose success, choose to make a change, because you deserve your very best life.
Phone me on: 0412 810 078 or Click Here
References:
- https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/hospitals/ahs-2014-15-weight-loss-surgery/report-editions
- https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4364.0.55.001
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/gastric-bypass-surgery/in-depth/gastric-bypass-diet/art-20048472
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5359375/
www.savvybariatrics.com
