Wegovy, Ozempic and Eating Disorders Recovery
Ah, summer. Sunshine and surf. Grillin’ in the backyard and chillin’ by the pool. Vacation.
Those things of dreams…or nightmares for those who struggle with disordered eating and body image.
Summer ushers in a season of challenges to our relationship with food and our bodies.
The not-so-highlights?
Less clothing to hide under for safety.
Bathing suits that bare all of our shame and pain.
Traveling in unforgiving conditions that constantly remind us of our body size and food fears – concern about seating options that fit us; fear of foreign foods; uncertainty of access to places of safety.
Fortunately, the work of recovery includes access to Recovery SPF – Shame Protection Factor – born of the work of healing.
Yet even those who swim in a sea of SPF know that too much exposure to diet culture can reduce SPF’s effectiveness.
The latest concern?
Weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
More and more we are living in an Ozempic and Wegovy world. One need not tread far to encounter it – at home, at work, and even at play.
Recently I encountered that world at a Fourth of July barbeque. The topic of conversation among the women of the party?
Weight loss drugs.
Specifically, Wegovy.
Every one of them was currently taking Wegovy or had taken it or a similar drug in the past. They spoke of side effects and efforts to combat them; freedom from hunger and eating; and weight loss.
Others expressed frustration about adverse reactions that required them to stop treatment and the eventual regain of weight that followed.
As I overheard this conversation, I felt strongly the physical response of shame: that deep pit in my belly and tension in my whole body; the loss of appetite; the sense of being different and wrong for choosing to embrace life in a larger body; the intense urge to leave.
An earlier version of myself would have left – heck, I may not have shown up in the first place!
Instead, I opted to turn to what I learned on the road of recovery.
I drew some deep breaths and got myself grounded. I sought support from my husband. I then stepped away to another space at the party and interacted in conversations around different topics.
I also continued to eat despite the shame-laden parts of me that vehemently protested.
Not only did I survive that unexpected plunge into the waters of this weight-loss driven world, but I realized I could find a way to support all the parts of me, even my shame, and learn to live and thrive there.
Each person’s relationship with their body is unique. Each person has a right to body autonomy. As more weight loss medications become available for consumer use, more people will consider this route. I encourage anyone considering the use of these medications to consult with various sources about the benefits and side effects. It’s also important to consider the possible lifetime commitment to taking these medications and the possible impacts of doing so.
I also invite you to shift your focus away from weight loss.
Instead, consider how the effects of such medications may positively impact your quality of life? Are these possibilities worth the risks associated with use?
If you opt to start treatment, how can you maintain the focus on health and well-being that is not solely predicated on weight loss?
As you wend your way through this Wegovy world, know that we at Reclaim Therapy are here to support you in your decision-making process, whatever that decision may be.
However you choose to proceed, we are also here to help you continue to heal your relationship with your body and food.
A world steeped in diet culture is a harsh place to live, yet those of us who’ve fought hard for and embraced recovery develop resilience over time.
Once caught up in the latest promise of finding the happiness we once believed resided in a thin body, through recovery we begin to reclaim our value and worth regardless of the size of our bodies or the food we eat.
After years of hiding in the shadows, we learn to claim our rightful place in the summer sun, coated in Recovery SPF born of the work of healing.
We must reapply often that which supports our recovery – therapy, dietitian, support groups, friends and family who get it – but we come to believe that we can, we are, and we will survive not only a Wegovy world, but any world in which we find ourselves.
🧡,
Laura
Reclaim Therapy provides online therapy for eating disorders in Pennsylvania and eating disorder therapy in Horsham, PA.
We believe that all people have a right to live peacefully in their bodies. Our hope is to support you to reclaim that peace by healing from diet-culture, body-shame and trauma.