Dr.PainCLE said:

Anxiety increase on mental health: counterintuitive, but losing weight rapidly triggered anxiety for me.

Positive side effects of mental health that surprised me:

1. Clearer skin — inflammation reduction improved my rosacea
2. Better sleep — weight loss resolved mild sleep apnea
3. Improved libido — better body image + improved cardiovascular health
4. Less joint pain — obvious mechanical benefit
5. More energy — metabolic improvements across the board

Not everything about GLP-1 therapy is a struggle. There are genuinely wonderful changes too. ✨

hannah_MT said:

amsterdam_pete said: ...mental health should only be used alongside therapy...

Thank you — that is the clearest version of this I have read, and I have read a lot of them.

Dr.PainCLE said:

Anxiety increase on mental health: counterintuitive, but losing weight rapidly triggered anxiety for me.

Recovering from an eating disorder and using mental health: this is a complex situation and I want to be transparent about it.

I have a history of binge eating disorder. My psychiatrist, therapist, and prescribing doctor all collaborate on my care. The GLP-1 agonist has actually been therapeutic — it removes the biological urgency of binge impulses without relying on restriction.

This is NOT appropriate for all ED patients. Anorexia, bulimia, and restrictive EDs require different approaches. But for BED specifically, the evidence and my personal experience are positive. Always involve your mental health team.

WendyG_ATL said:

My mood has been flatter since about month four and I genuinely cannot work out whether that is the drug, the deficit, or the fact that I no longer…

One year anniversary on mental health — reflections:

What I wish I'd known: the side effects are temporary, the benefits compound over time, protein is more important than I thought, and the mental health aspect needs as much attention as the physical.

What surprised me: how much my relationship with food changed, the cascade of health improvements beyond weight, and how supportive this community is.

What I'd do differently: start therapy earlier, prioritize resistance training from day 1, and stop comparing my progress to others. Everyone's journey is unique.

Moderator note: good thread. Keeping it here rather than moving it, because the question is general enough to be useful. No action needed from anybody.