Body image changing more slowly than the body

For anyone arriving from a search: the marked solution above is the direct answer, and the replies underneath it add the caveats that make it safe to use.

Substance use: if someone has a history of substance use, appetite suppression and weight loss can shift thinking about body and substance use. This is a risk factor worth acknowledging.

Support and community: some people process weight change through community (online or in-person). Others prefer privacy. Knowing what you need and seeking it proactively helps.

On post #14 — agreed on the reasoning, with one qualification.

Mood and anxiety: mood changes and anxiety are reported by some people. Baseline mental health status matters for risk. Someone with a history of depression should plan closer monitoring.

Sleep and mental health: these compounds can affect sleep for some people. Sleep deprivation worsens mood and anxiety. Addressing sleep separately from mood matters.

Disordered eating history: a history of anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders changes the risk-benefit calculation. Appetite suppression might trigger relapse. Specialist input is prudent.

When to involve a professional: if mood changes are persistent, deepen over weeks, or interfere with function, involving a mental health professional is appropriate. These are not trivialities to ignore.

Worth separating two things that post #19 runs together.

Two things before anyone answers the substance.

First, the context in the first post is clear and specific. Second, the question is framed so that an answer can actually address it. Both are the norm here and both matter more than they sound.

post #23 is right about the mechanism and I think understates the practical bit.

Body image and weight loss: large weight loss changes a person's relationship with their body in ways that can be psychologically complex. Some of that is positive; some might involve adjustment or processing.

Coming back to post #23, because the follow-up matters more than the original answer.

Social and relationship impacts: weight change affects how others perceive and interact with a person. Those impacts are real and can be psychologically significant.

Body image and weight loss: large weight loss changes a person's relationship with their body in ways that can be psychologically complex. Some of that is positive; some might involve adjustment or processing.

Motivation and expectation: starting with clear motivation and realistic expectations about what will happen and when helps with psychological adjustment.

post #27 answers the question as asked. The question underneath it is different.

Identity and self-image: for some people, weight and body size are central to identity. Large change to body size can affect identity. This is not pathological; it is human.

I read post #27 twice before replying, because I had assumed the opposite.

Sleep and mental health: these compounds can affect sleep for some people. Sleep deprivation worsens mood and anxiety. Addressing sleep separately from mood matters.

This follows post #27 rather than contradicting it.

Thank you for the correction. I have edited my earlier post with a note rather than silently, so the thread still makes sense to read. The error was mine and it was the kind that comes from remembering a figure instead of looking it up.