Thursday, March 2, 2023

The harmful consequences of all that Ozempic talk

Plus more health news |

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The buzz about Ozempic is a nightmare for people with eating disorders
By Jamie Ducharme
Health Correspondent

Ozempic is dominating headlines these days. There's no shortage of stories in the media about the diabetes drug, which people who don't have the disease are using to lose weight.

Scrolling Twitter a couple days ago, I saw the same message again and again: People who struggle with eating issues, now or in the past, are having a tough time with the steady stream of Ozempic articles. Some are muting the word on social media. Others are urging people with a history of disordered eating not to click on stories that could be triggering. This is a serious issue, as studies suggest media can contribute to disordered eating behaviors.

I asked experts what people should do if they’re struggling with this weight-centric news cycle. They said muting certain words on social media and avoiding the discussion, to whatever extent is possible, is a good place to start. But you can't filter out every potentially damaging post, comment, or article. So the key, experts told me, is recognizing when problematic thoughts arise, and developing coping strategies that can help the trigger lose its power.

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AN EXPERT VOICE

"[People are seeking new kinds of medical care] for the same reason that when I need to buy something, I get on Amazon.com on my phone. It's not that the regular grocery store didn't meet my needs; it's just such a hassle, and they've made it so much more convenient."

—Pearl McElfish, who researches health services at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, on the rise of urgent-care and primary-care startups

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Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and edited by Angela Haupt.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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