Thank you for mentioning the pressures of women in midlife and how the idea of being thin at a time when we need to be nourishing ourselves even more is so important - and media is showing women in midlife thinner than ever. I remember in the early aughts when eating disorders for women in their 40s saw an uptick with shows like Desperate Housewives.
I truly think in ten years (or maybe five) we’ll look back and see what a mistake this all was for many people’s wellbeing and health. I know some do benefit from these as medicine, as is true for all drugs, but as usual the overuse and thought that there won’t be consequences down the line is misguided.
This is such a complex and nuanced conversation. When I was doing research for my book about 2 years ago, my editor asked about including the topic of GLP1s and I said that I was certain so much would change between then and when my book came out so i decided to only mention them and boy was I right. I’m doing a deep dive into this topic too and I think we will be navigating this terrain for the foreseeable future. Thanks for all that you do!
Yes!! The conversation is changing so fast around this. It's really fascinating to watch this evolution from a cultural perspective and to hear what's happening from the therapeutic side, but it's also so scary. I worry for my people and others who are in recovery.
I have so much to say about this! We are in such unregulated waters between disturbingly manipulative ads and the availability of these drugs with little to no support offered from an health care provider or an RD to address the potential for malnutrition and of course the huge risk of developing an eating disorder or relapsing. Your worries are warranted. At the same time, I have clients who are benefiting from these drugs while remaining committed to their recovery, but they are receiving support from a multi-disciplinary team so now we are talking about accessibility. What a mess and I have far more questions than answers.
Thank you for your excellent article. As a recovering restrictive eater, these drugs scream danger to me. I understand the benefits for some, but there are real triggers for others. I was eating with someone recently who’s using GLP-1’s, and her plate of food was so small. I looked at my regular portion and felt shame. Ugh, it’s so complicated, especially as a midlife woman who’s trying hard to accept my changing body.
Thank you for covering this topic (and for sharing my newsletter!).
We definitely need a very thoughtful, nuanced discussion about the use of GLP-1s for binge eating disorder. I know some people have felt like it ended their suffering, and I don't discount that. But there is not enough awareness about the fact that the biggest driver of bingeing is restriction. So as you point out, someone who can't stay on these medications (and most people don't/can't stay on them), is likely going to have even more intense BED symptoms than ever before.
I think the other big piece is that these drugs can reduce an individual's experience of weight stigma, but their widespread use and the relentless marketing are increasing weight stigma at a societal level. So I agree we're going to see even more eating disorders. Sigh.
Thank you for mentioning the pressures of women in midlife and how the idea of being thin at a time when we need to be nourishing ourselves even more is so important - and media is showing women in midlife thinner than ever. I remember in the early aughts when eating disorders for women in their 40s saw an uptick with shows like Desperate Housewives.
I truly think in ten years (or maybe five) we’ll look back and see what a mistake this all was for many people’s wellbeing and health. I know some do benefit from these as medicine, as is true for all drugs, but as usual the overuse and thought that there won’t be consequences down the line is misguided.
I keep wondering these same things. Are they going to be more "last resort" options when people fully understand the risks.
This is such a complex and nuanced conversation. When I was doing research for my book about 2 years ago, my editor asked about including the topic of GLP1s and I said that I was certain so much would change between then and when my book came out so i decided to only mention them and boy was I right. I’m doing a deep dive into this topic too and I think we will be navigating this terrain for the foreseeable future. Thanks for all that you do!
Yes!! The conversation is changing so fast around this. It's really fascinating to watch this evolution from a cultural perspective and to hear what's happening from the therapeutic side, but it's also so scary. I worry for my people and others who are in recovery.
I have so much to say about this! We are in such unregulated waters between disturbingly manipulative ads and the availability of these drugs with little to no support offered from an health care provider or an RD to address the potential for malnutrition and of course the huge risk of developing an eating disorder or relapsing. Your worries are warranted. At the same time, I have clients who are benefiting from these drugs while remaining committed to their recovery, but they are receiving support from a multi-disciplinary team so now we are talking about accessibility. What a mess and I have far more questions than answers.
I'm looking forward to reading this piece!
Thank you for your excellent article. As a recovering restrictive eater, these drugs scream danger to me. I understand the benefits for some, but there are real triggers for others. I was eating with someone recently who’s using GLP-1’s, and her plate of food was so small. I looked at my regular portion and felt shame. Ugh, it’s so complicated, especially as a midlife woman who’s trying hard to accept my changing body.
Thank you for covering this topic (and for sharing my newsletter!).
We definitely need a very thoughtful, nuanced discussion about the use of GLP-1s for binge eating disorder. I know some people have felt like it ended their suffering, and I don't discount that. But there is not enough awareness about the fact that the biggest driver of bingeing is restriction. So as you point out, someone who can't stay on these medications (and most people don't/can't stay on them), is likely going to have even more intense BED symptoms than ever before.
I think the other big piece is that these drugs can reduce an individual's experience of weight stigma, but their widespread use and the relentless marketing are increasing weight stigma at a societal level. So I agree we're going to see even more eating disorders. Sigh.