Suicide, Self-Harm Risk Increases After Weight-Loss Surgery: Study

Canadian researchers have found obese people who have undergone weight-loss operation have higher risk of self-harm injuries and suicides.

Details of it are published in the JAMA Surgery journal titled Self-harm Emergencies After Bariatric Surgery. It writes those who have undergone the bariatric surgery to reduce weight are 50 percent more likely to self-harm compared to situation before the operation.

Researchers from the University of Toronto analyzed more than 8,000 people from three months before the surgery and till three months after the bariatric surgery, which includes several procedures such as sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass surgery.

Lead researcher Junaid Bhatti, PhD, said intentional overdose is the most common form of self-harm and it has been seen in more than 90 percent of the events after operation.

The study calls for the need of screening for suicide risk after the weight loss surgery.

During the five years time before the operation patients are diagnosed with mental health disorder too.

Metabolism and obesity services director from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Tania Markovic, said the patients usually harm themselves due to setting up unrealistic expectations.

Talking to ABC he added the bariatric surgery is good in controlling diseases and offers improved quality of life and wellbeing. If patients expect the life will change after the operation, it can be problematic.

He said patients need to be assessed very carefully before the operation and thereafter to be given psychological support after the surgery.