Fascinating. So glad to hear your perspective on this subject. I’m curious how the long-term effects will play out. But it’s clear there is self-judgment and pain within us all and we have a lot of work to do.
The point at which I wince at this is all the celebrities who regard these drugs as a necessity in their lives, in contrast to people who really do need treatment for obesity (and diabetics for that matter.) Even then it's still complicated, since women whose beauty allows them to make a good living and practice creativity as actresses (or maybe also as White House staff /s) are ensnared by extreme cultural expectations for waif-ity.
It's painful for me to watch some of these size-two actresses. I guess I should be comforted by the fact that they may be avoiding the suffering and obsessiveness that comes with maintaining an unnatural weight.
My experience, as one who has in her life a very large, lovely, intelligent, high-achieving, 15 year old child, who has little time for social media, plays sport and swims and has friends, but embodies genetics (and maybe an inner voice too, like memory this is biological) that pre-disposes food-addiction and obesity (research shows that very fat pregnant women down one or more generations tend to inscribe some portion of the metabolic implications of this epigenetically) AND who is also blessed to have a well-provided-for happy life (unlike so many), BUT who decided some months ago that being such a 'fat turd' meant that life was maybe not worth it ... was very, very grateful for the option to suggest, through a sensible doctor, that these drugs (with not unpleasant side effects) might be a more immediately useful intervention than hard-to-access-1 hour weekly-therapy in the short-term panic of this scary prospect. At least to try!
Since then, losing 20kgs on Wegovy, (Ozempic prescribed less for kids?) with more to go, we have seen evolve a quietly delighted and content individual. Needless to say we are very pleased with the existence of these drugs.
Yeah, genetics. To my ongoing regret, I once insulted my poor niece by saying she got the short fat peasant genes. (Those genes are indeed part of the reason the whole family is here on earth.)
Now she's got a serious and complicated cluster of health conditions that includes obesity. These drugs could finally give her a leg up (literally) on recovery, maybe even be the magic bullet, who knows.
If only the moral outrage could be applied to people harming other people rather than people making decisions about their own body, decisions that don't affect anyone else. Jeffrey Epstein is in the news again and the latest reporting is that he had a thousand victims.
It’s slightly tangential I realise, but it’s what popped into my head when I listened to you read tour essay and comment on its context.
This description, insofar as it touches on the impact and potential along with the hopes for the drugs mentioned, reminds me of nothing more than the first year or so of the discussions around Prozac when it was licensed.
If it’s in any way analogous, apart from trivially so, then I hope these drugs benefit as many people as the SSRIs did and do. I also hope that we’ve learned from the SSRI story that panaceas don’t exist without a considerable downside and that the marketers, prescribers and consumers are aware of these lessons from the recent past.
I have struggled with my weight since childhood. Finally in my mid sixties these drugs have come along which have transformed my life in so far as food is concerned. They are not a quick fix as they do require one to exercise to maintain muscle mass and one must eat well to avoid malnutrition , however for those of us at their wits end trying to maintain a healthy weight they are a game changer. Having been brought up to be ashamed of my size self denial through food reduction using willpower was portrayed as the way to lose weight and to atone morally for my failings which of course is utter rubbish. The reduction of food noise is such a relief. I’m no fool , I refuse to discuss my current weight loss “ journey” I acknowledge that it is the product of medical science and I’m aware that I am one of the lucky ones that can afford the medication, and have no side effects but for me I will happily stay on it for life.
Sometimes people use food (and drink, drugs, shopping, or sex) as an alternative to dealing with emotional discomfort. I'm interested to see how things play out in terms of weight loss drugs and their intersection with that.
My brother doesn't like pasta. He says spaghetti makes him think he's eating worms. I suggested Orecchiette, but he said they were too much like ears.
Fascinating. So glad to hear your perspective on this subject. I’m curious how the long-term effects will play out. But it’s clear there is self-judgment and pain within us all and we have a lot of work to do.
The point at which I wince at this is all the celebrities who regard these drugs as a necessity in their lives, in contrast to people who really do need treatment for obesity (and diabetics for that matter.) Even then it's still complicated, since women whose beauty allows them to make a good living and practice creativity as actresses (or maybe also as White House staff /s) are ensnared by extreme cultural expectations for waif-ity.
It's painful for me to watch some of these size-two actresses. I guess I should be comforted by the fact that they may be avoiding the suffering and obsessiveness that comes with maintaining an unnatural weight.
Brilliant article! Thank you!
My experience, as one who has in her life a very large, lovely, intelligent, high-achieving, 15 year old child, who has little time for social media, plays sport and swims and has friends, but embodies genetics (and maybe an inner voice too, like memory this is biological) that pre-disposes food-addiction and obesity (research shows that very fat pregnant women down one or more generations tend to inscribe some portion of the metabolic implications of this epigenetically) AND who is also blessed to have a well-provided-for happy life (unlike so many), BUT who decided some months ago that being such a 'fat turd' meant that life was maybe not worth it ... was very, very grateful for the option to suggest, through a sensible doctor, that these drugs (with not unpleasant side effects) might be a more immediately useful intervention than hard-to-access-1 hour weekly-therapy in the short-term panic of this scary prospect. At least to try!
Since then, losing 20kgs on Wegovy, (Ozempic prescribed less for kids?) with more to go, we have seen evolve a quietly delighted and content individual. Needless to say we are very pleased with the existence of these drugs.
Yeah, genetics. To my ongoing regret, I once insulted my poor niece by saying she got the short fat peasant genes. (Those genes are indeed part of the reason the whole family is here on earth.)
Now she's got a serious and complicated cluster of health conditions that includes obesity. These drugs could finally give her a leg up (literally) on recovery, maybe even be the magic bullet, who knows.
If only the moral outrage could be applied to people harming other people rather than people making decisions about their own body, decisions that don't affect anyone else. Jeffrey Epstein is in the news again and the latest reporting is that he had a thousand victims.
It’s slightly tangential I realise, but it’s what popped into my head when I listened to you read tour essay and comment on its context.
This description, insofar as it touches on the impact and potential along with the hopes for the drugs mentioned, reminds me of nothing more than the first year or so of the discussions around Prozac when it was licensed.
If it’s in any way analogous, apart from trivially so, then I hope these drugs benefit as many people as the SSRIs did and do. I also hope that we’ve learned from the SSRI story that panaceas don’t exist without a considerable downside and that the marketers, prescribers and consumers are aware of these lessons from the recent past.
I have struggled with my weight since childhood. Finally in my mid sixties these drugs have come along which have transformed my life in so far as food is concerned. They are not a quick fix as they do require one to exercise to maintain muscle mass and one must eat well to avoid malnutrition , however for those of us at their wits end trying to maintain a healthy weight they are a game changer. Having been brought up to be ashamed of my size self denial through food reduction using willpower was portrayed as the way to lose weight and to atone morally for my failings which of course is utter rubbish. The reduction of food noise is such a relief. I’m no fool , I refuse to discuss my current weight loss “ journey” I acknowledge that it is the product of medical science and I’m aware that I am one of the lucky ones that can afford the medication, and have no side effects but for me I will happily stay on it for life.
Sometimes people use food (and drink, drugs, shopping, or sex) as an alternative to dealing with emotional discomfort. I'm interested to see how things play out in terms of weight loss drugs and their intersection with that.
My brother doesn't like pasta. He says spaghetti makes him think he's eating worms. I suggested Orecchiette, but he said they were too much like ears.