Ozempic, GLP-1s, and Eating Disorders: What to Know Before Starting Weight-Loss Medications
Medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and other GLP-1 receptor agonists are increasingly visible in conversations about weight loss and health. For many people, they’re framed as a medical breakthrough, or an easier way to control appetite and reduce weight without extreme dieting.
But when it comes to Ozempic and eating disorders, the conversation becomes far more complex.
If you have a history of disordered eating, body image concerns, or an eating disorder (and whether it’s diagnosed or not), it’s important to understand how GLP-1 medications may interact with your relationship to food, control, and self-worth before starting them.
What Are GLP-1 Medications Like Ozempic and Wegovy?
You may have learned that GLP-1 medications (short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) were originally developed to help manage Type 2 diabetes. But more recently, they’ve been prescribed for weight loss due to their effects on appetite and digestion.
These medications work by:
Slowing gastric emptying (how quickly food leaves the stomach)
Increasing feelings of fullness
Reducing hunger cues and food-related thoughts
For some, this feels like relief. For others (especially those with a history of eating disorders or disordered eating), these effects can quietly reinforce patterns that were already harmful.
How GLP-1s Can Impact Appetite, Control, and Eating Behaviors
GLP-1s don’t just affect physical hunger; they can actually change how people think about food.
Common experiences include:
Feeling disconnected from hunger or fullness cues
Eating less without conscious effort
Reduced interest in food or pleasure from eating
Increased focus on “control” around intake
While this may be celebrated in diet culture, for individuals vulnerable to eating disorders, appetite suppression can blur the line between medical treatment and restriction.
For many people in recovery, rebuilding trust with hunger cues is a central part of healing. Medications that override those cues may unintentionally undermine that process.
Why Weight-Loss Medications Can Be Risky for People With Eating Disorders
Research and clinical experience increasingly suggest that weight-loss medications can pose risks for individuals with:
A current or past eating disorder
Chronic dieting or cycles of restriction and bingeing
Significant body image distress
Traits associated with perfectionism or control
Because eating disorders are not just about food or weight, but about coping, safety, and emotional regulation, any intervention that reinforces restriction can intensify symptoms, even when weight loss is framed as “medical” or “healthy.”
A bigger issue is that this risk isn’t always obvious at first. Many people don’t experience immediate distress, only to find old patterns resurfacing weeks or months later.
GLP-1s, Restriction, and the Thin Line Between Treatment and Harm
One of the most difficult aspects of GLP-1 medications is how socially validated they are.
When appetite suppression is praised and weight loss is medicalized, it becomes harder to recognize when something is no longer supportive. This is especially true for people navigating orthorexia vs healthy eating, where behaviors may look “wellness-focused” on the surface while becoming rigid, anxiety-driven, or compulsive underneath.
If food choices become increasingly rule-bound, fear-based, or tied to worth or success, that’s often a sign the medication may be interacting with deeper eating disorder dynamics beyond physiology.
Who Should Talk to an Eating Disorder Therapist Before Starting Ozempic?
It’s worth consulting an eating disorder therapist before starting Ozempic or similar medications if you:
Have ever been diagnosed with an eating disorder
Identify with disordered eating patterns
Feel anxious about weight, food, or losing control
Are in recovery or considering recovery
Notice food and body thoughts dominating your mental space
An eating disorder therapist can help assess not just whether a medication is appropriate, but how it might affect your mental health, coping strategies, and long-term relationship with food.
Finding Eating Disorder Therapy Support in New York and Online
If concerns about Ozempic, GLP-1s, or weight loss are bringing up anxiety, shame, or old patterns, support is available.
Eating disorder therapy can help you:
Understand the emotional role food and control play in your life
Navigate medical decisions without reinforcing harm
Build a more stable relationship with food and your body
Develop coping strategies that don’t rely on restriction
For individuals across New York, including NYC and Long Island, online eating disorder therapy offers accessible, specialized care without the pressure of in-person appointments.
You don’t need to be “sick enough” to ask these questions. Thoughtful, preventative support can make a meaningful difference, especially when medical trends and diet culture collide. Get in touch today.