Issue # 14

The word they reach for when they don't understand

Hi Reader,

Somebody's going to call your GLP-1 journey "the easy way out." Maybe they already have.

Here's what I want you to know before it happens again: the sting you feel afterward isn't a sign you're too sensitive. It's a sign that the thing you used to use to absorb comments like that, food, isn't functioning the way it used to. You're being asked to build a new way of handling judgment at the exact moment your oldest tool for handling it went silent.

That's not a personal failing. That's coping under new conditions, and it's harder than anyone warns you it will be.

A Path Forward

The next time a comment lands, don't argue it out loud and don't swallow it whole either. Ask yourself privately: what do I actually believe about this? Then remind yourself, their belief belongs to them, and mine belongs to me.

You don't need to win the conversation. You need your own beliefs solid enough that theirs can pass through your mind without moving in.

If you want the fuller version of this, including what it's like when the person judging you is someone you actually love, I wrote about it this week on Substack.

With you in this,

Dr. Jen

Want to go deeper?

This newsletter gives you something to do. My Substack gives you the why behind it — the psychology, the research, the reason what you're experiencing makes complete sense even when it doesn't feel that way.

If you want the fuller picture, you can find me at After the Noise on Substack.

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This newsletter is for educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes medical or psychological advice, and reading it does not establish a professional relationship between us. If you're finding that you'd benefit from more personalized support, I encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional. You deserve personalized care from someone who can truly know your situation.