November 2016

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group

Weight Loss Surgery Support Groups

The ultimate purpose of support group attendance is to help you achieve and maintain your goal weight in a way that is as physically and mentally healthy as possible.

But what’s the point? Can’t you get all of the support you need from friends and family?

To answer these questions, consider the interactions in other areas of your life. For example, when discussing child care, would you rather talk with another parent or one of your single friends? When venting about something that really frustrates you at work, would you rather the listener be a work colleague or your next door neighbor?

While many patients have partners and family who offer unending support, talking with someone who is intimately familiar with your struggles is essential. Despite its many advantages, weight loss surgery will bring about one of the most challenging times in your life and there will be times when you need encouragement and advice from people who have been in your shoes.

Common areas that bariatric surgery patients choose help from their weight loss surgery support group over help from friends and family include…

  • Fear before surgery
  • Questions about the future
  • Temptations and how to overcome them
  • Impatience or frustration regarding how quickly the weight is coming off
  • Learning how to interact with the world in your new body
  • Diet and recipe tips
  • Relationship advice for at-home and work relationships

In addition to working with others who are sharing your experience, good weight loss support groups are often moderated by a bariatric professional who can provide medically accurate advice to questions that come up. Guest speakers ranging from other patients to medical professionals are also common.