What is Weight Loss?
There is hope, even if your brain tells you otherwise. Our mission is to offer Kansas and Missouri residents the best psychiatric care possible. Interpersonal Psychiatry helps you address and overcome mental health, relationship, and other concerns so you can live fuller lives. It is our mission to help you through the most difficult times in your life by giving you the therapy and tools you need. Our knowledgeable staff has years of experience providing treatment that has helped many on their path to a better life. We are confident that our care and guidance will give you the motivation to move forward to living the life you deserve.
What are the Symptoms of Weight Loss?
If you find yourself suddenly losing an excessive amount of weight- especially in a short period- then you are likely experiencing a wide variety of physical symptoms that may be impeding the quality of your daily life. Such symptoms may potentially include (but are not limited to):
- Muscle and hair loss
- Fatigue and insomnia
- Headaches
- Dizzyness and irritability
- Menstrual irregularities in women
- Dehydration (if you’re also not drinking enough fluids)
- Malnutrition
- Electrolyte imbalances (which can potentially be life-threatening in extreme situations)
- Gallstones
- Drops in metabolism
All of these symptoms and more can negatively affect people’s quality of life to significant degrees. For those currently trying to diet to lose large amounts of weight in a short period, please know that these symptoms are clear signs that your taking things too far and may actually be doing significant harm to your body unintentionally.
What Causes Weight Loss?
Many different factors can contribute to weight loss across time, but it’s the factors that can cause massive amounts of weight loss over shorter periods that people should watch out for. Extreme weight loss can be caused by internal factors like mental illness, genetic conditions, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), or the development of various cancers. Excessive weight loss can also occur due to significant levels of extreme stress and anxiety, poor eating habits, and substance abuse. Substance abuse, in particular, is a significant cause of weight loss among those addicted to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, ecstasy, and a selection of other illicit drugs. Weight loss in these cases also tends to come with a lack of nutrition, resulting in even more physical and psychological problems in the long run.
How Is Weight Loss Treated?
Because a vast range of factors can trigger excessive weight loss, treatment is typically dependent on how someone is losing excessive amounts of weight and why. For example, suppose someone has an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia. In that case, they may need assistance from trained psychological or psychiatric professionals in the form of cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, or interpersonal psychotherapy. However, if someone’s sudden and excessive weight loss is caused by a genetic condition, a thyroid problem, or cancer, they will require very different forms of medical treatment.
Medical professionals may choose to combine psychological therapy and medication as short and long-term solutions for those requiring psychiatric management to overcome their excess weight loss issues. Interpersonal Psychiatry offers effective Ketamine infusions to treat anxiety and depression, which may be able to also help you get back on the right track with managing your weight loss.