The weight loss surgery is increasingly becoming a popular medical solution for obesity. However, before a patient goes under the knife, a lot of processes (measurement of blood pressure, blood tests, evaluation for pre-existing nutritional deficiencies) are carried out to prepare him for the procedure. One of these major preparations is a psychological evaluation.
A patient will not be allowed to have a weight loss surgery if he or she is not mentally stable. The American Association of Psychiatry has put in place regulations to ensure that all obese patients who are to undergo surgery for weight loss are psychologically evaluated and will not be allowed for the operation if there are not mentally stable.
You may wonder why it is crucial that obese patients pass all psychological evaluations before there are allowed for surgery. In this informative article, you will learn the importance of a psychiatric pre-surgical assessment to bariatric surgery.
A research report published in the American Journal of Psychiatry shows that psychiatric anomalies are some of the significant disorders found in bariatric surgery patients.
This makes it very important that a professional carry out a full psychiatric evaluation to find out if there is any disorder that will hinder the success of the weight loss procedure. If any confusion is discovered, the patient is subjected to full treatment to get them ready for the surgery. The surgery will be a failure if after everything the patient is unable to control his body weight. A patient that passes the evaluation would then be able to seek more info about the possible surgical options available and discuss the process in more detail with their surgeon before moving forward.
The psychological evaluation is also done to make sure that a Bariatric surgery candidate is ready to face the risks of the surgery. The candidate is also prepared to meet life after the surgery which requires changes in activity and diet.
Life after surgery can be difficult for most patients. It is important they know what to expect before they go in for the surgery. Psychological screening is therefore necessary for preparing the candidate mentally to face the upcoming lifestyle changes.
Also, a psychological evaluation is carried out to find out the expectations of the patients towards the bariatric surgery. Most patients are known to have unrealistic expectations and end up disappointed after the whole process. This disappointment affects the psychological set of such patient and will cause the post-surgical practices to fail.
A psychological evaluation will help find out if a candidate has such misconception and help correct them before the surgery. The patient is allowed to bare his thoughts about the surgery, and the doctor will make sure the patient understands the requirements and risks associated with the surgery.
Finally, pre-surgical psychological evaluation is an essential tool for educating bariatric candidates about the procedure and what to expect after the surgery.
Most times, the candidates are referred to a psychologist in their home location if there are having the surgery abroad.
The psychiatric evaluation can also be a part of the preparatory classes offered by most bariatric specialists. So, before you sign up for a weight loss surgery, make sure you go through all necessary psychiatric evaluation to get you prepared.
