A bariatric surgery which can have a few variants like the gastric sleeve surgery, the gastric bypass surgery or gastric banding , all enable weight loss in excessively obese individuals who are unable to lose weight.
Some of the individuals who go in for the surgery are obese not because of any endocrinal disorders but due to sheer uncontrolled, impulsive, obsessive, compulsive eating. This is usually called “ emotional eating” Here, an inability or difficulty to deal with or get beyond their emotional disturbances drives people to eat, and that gives them a sense of relief or comfort. Till what seemed a solution becomes a problem. This is addictive behavior- the addiction to substance -food.
Once the bariatric surgery is done- there is a sudden drastic change in body weight, self -image etc. Some people who were depressed earlier due to their eight slip out of it. The experience is that the outlook and attitude of loved ones around change with weight loss. To the person who loses weight, the sudden change in body image is too much to handle. Hence counseling is very essential pre and post-surgery for a substantial period of time.
Now, in a person who would indulge in obsessive eating as a solution to their emotional woes is left without that crutch thereby the dopamine reward pathway in the brain is left unfulfilled. This is because the root cause of that behavior was left untreated, the obesity was only a symptom of a deeper issue that needed to be tackled. Soon substitute addictions resort to either alcohol or drugs. In individuals who undergo the surgery the tolerance to large quantities of alcohol and drugs increases. The shift to addictive consumption of substances occurs in no time. The damage to the body is faster and worse.
Solution is the residential treatment of the addictive behavior in a voluntary, non- medical, compassionate atmosphere with counseling meditation yoga and other alternate therapies. The holistic treatment of the individual.