Before getting Bariatric Surgery, you need to get a psychological evaluation. This is one of the services the Center for Effective Living provides, and we are often asked why it is required. We found a great article on ObesityAction.org that breaks down why this evaluation is necessary, and we thought we’d share and excerpt and link here. If you’re in the greater Cleveland area and pursuing or considering this procedure, please keep us in mind as an option for this pre-surgery step.
If you become a candidate for bariatric surgery, you will likely be referred for evaluation and consultation with a psychologist. Although this may seem surprising to you, it has become a routine part of your preparation for surgery. Your follow-up care will be provided by a team of professionals and each of them, including a dietitian, exercise therapist and psychologist, will need to become more familiar with you and your individual situation and needs.
People sometimes say, “Why do I have to see a psychologist?”
There are two very good reasons for this evaluation. First, many insurance companies realize its importance and require a psychological evaluation before they will approve bariatric surgery. More importantly, your entire surgery team of physicians, nurses and dietitians want you to maximize your success – to lose excess body weight, become a healthier person and improve the quality your life to the greatest possible extent.
The psychological evaluation can help identify your strengths, such as a strong motivation to exercise as your weight is coming off, a complete understanding of the effects of surgery or a supportive marital relationship. It can also help find areas where you might need support after surgery, such as depression or mood swings, lack of family support or triggers for past emotional eating.
The thought enters some people’s minds, “Do they think I’m crazy?”
It is important for you to understand that people with obesity are usually psychologically normal and do not fit any specific psychological profile. The psychologist’s main purpose is not to find underlying problems and conflicts that might have caused you to become obese. Most psychologists who perform these evaluations specialize in health psychology, and as such, are looking for ways to help you prevent disease and promote health in the future. The psychologist’s purpose is never to “fail” people and exclude them from surgery. In fact, studies have shown that a very small number (perhaps four percent) of individuals are found to be poor candidates based on their psychological evaluation results.