Weight loss and your mental health

There are many factors in your life that can contribute to the state of your mental health.

Estimates suggest that 20 to 60% of people who are overweight or obese live with a mental health condition. Depression, anxiety, substance misuse and eating disorders are common among this group.¹

Being overweight can also affect your self-confidence, quality of life and body image. Your weight doesn’t define who you are. If you choose to start or continue with your weight loss journey, you may find that your mental health improves along with your general health and wellbeing.^{1, 2}

Losing weight isn’t just about calorie counting or exercise. It involves a change to your lifestyle and the way you think about food, physical activity and most importantly yourself.

For some people, being overweight can contribute to poor mental health. For others, an existing mental health problem can trigger weight gain.³

Regardless of which condition started first, it’s important to get support from a professional if your feelings are impacting your quality of life or stopping you from doing things. Your GP can refer you to a therapist who can provide you with advice and support to help you see a positive change.

Your GP should provide you with a judgement-free environment so that you can discuss your mental and physical health honestly and openly.

Before your appointment, you might want to:

If you can’t or aren’t ready to speak to a GP about your health, you can try:

• Speaking to your local pharmacist – they are trained to assess and address weight loss challenges. They may also be able to point you toward further support.
• Looking for a therapist – you can refer yourself to the NHS Talking Therapies service, but you might want to explore other options. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network and Pink Therapy all have therapy directories so you can find a therapist near you.
• Joining a support group – by connecting with other people with similar experiences, you may find that you can learn from them and connect with people who may be able to support you when you are ready to speak to a healthcare professional.^{2, 4}

Although you might find these approaches helpful, it’s important to recognise that by using them you may not be able to:

• Get a diagnosis
• Be prescribed medicines to treat your obesity or mental health symptoms
• Be referred to a specialist for treatment

If you are thinking of starting a weight loss journey or have already started to work towards your weight loss goals, you may notice that getting active has a positive impact on your mental health.

Although physical activity can help in managing the symptoms of your mental health condition, excessive exercise and being self-critical can be damaging. Exercise addiction can contribute to you neglecting your everyday responsibilities and socialising with those around you like your family and friends.⁵

It can also contribute to feelings of body dysmorphia (feeling as though your appearance is flawed even though the people around you don’t agree) or trigger eating disorders.⁵

If you’re struggling with negative feelings or use food as a tool to cope with your feelings about your body or personal situation, you can speak to your GP about it. There are also helplines that you can call if you want to talk now. Organisations and charities like Mind, Beat, and OCD Action are there to support you with a variety of mental health concerns. Their staff will listen to you and help you find the support you need.

Sometimes, you might lose weight without wanting to. This is called unintentional weight loss. It might be caused by stress, depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).⁶

If you’ve lost weight unexpectedly, speaking to your GP can help you identify the cause. Your GP might suggest ways that you can reduce stress or refer you to a specialist if your weight loss needs further investigation.⁶

Reviewed by: Connie Whewall

Review date: March 2024

Next review: March 2027