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Psychological Issues After Bariatric Surgery

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Management of Nutritional and Metabolic Complications of Bariatric Surgery

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Abstract

This chapter focuses on the psychological issues that may arise after bariatric surgery and their impact on weight loss and psychosocial outcomes. Individuals seeking bariatric surgery have higher rates of premorbid psychological difficulties and this is an independent risk factor for future psychological difficulties. This chapter provides a brief overview of the types of premorbid psychological difficulties that individuals commonly experience prior to surgery in order to provide context for the issues that may recur or develop following bariatric surgery. The empirical literature regarding post-operative difficulties will be reviewed and can be broken down into four themes—(1) mental health/mood problems (2) problematic eating (including disordered eating) (3) addictions and (4) suicidality. Finally, it is important to recognise that psychosocial adjustment difficulties are both common, and to be expected, following surgery. Bariatric surgery is a challenging procedure requiring long-term behaviour change and resulting in changes to multiple life domains (e.g. weight, eating, body image, relationships, etc). Many of these changes are positive but they can also create tensions and challenges to negotiate. The final part of the chapter will highlight some of these common adjustment issues which have received less attention in the empirical literature (as they do not map onto diagnostic categories) but which are commonly seen in clinical practice.

There is a reciprocal association over time between depression and obesity.

—Dr. Floriana S. Luppino

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Phoenix Health, Chester, UK

    Denise Ratcliffe

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  1. Denise Ratcliffe
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Correspondence to Denise Ratcliffe .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Bariatric and Laparoscopic Surgery, Global Hospital, Mumbai, India

    Aparna Govil Bhasker

  2. Bhatia Hospital, Mumbai, India

    Nimisha Kantharia

  3. Belle Vue Clinic, Kolkata, India

    Sarfaraz Baig

  4. Belle Vue Clinic, Kolkata, India

    Pallawi Priya

  5. Dr. Aparna’s - Laparoscopy & Bariatric Surgery Centre, Currae Specialty Hospital, Mumbai, India

    Mariam Lakdawala

  6. Dr. Aparna’s - Laparoscopy & Bariatric Surgery Centre, Sterling hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

    Miloni Shah Sancheti

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Ratcliffe, D. (2021). Psychological Issues After Bariatric Surgery. In: Bhasker, A.G., Kantharia, N., Baig, S., Priya, P., Lakdawala, M., Sancheti, M.S. (eds) Management of Nutritional and Metabolic Complications of Bariatric Surgery. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4702-1_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4702-1_19

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-33-4701-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-33-4702-1

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