Personality Change
Users on Reddit report a variety of experiences regarding personality and mood changes while on GLP-1 medications. These changes range from positive, such as reduced anxiety and addictive behaviors, to negative, including increased depression, anxiety, and apathy.
Experiences with Personality and Mood Changes:
Another user's husband, also with bipolar disorder, experienced a "huge increase in his over all mood, as well as his desire to drink or binge eat which I believe are related to his bipolar. "[3]
A user on Mounjaro described, "Pehle din bhar bas khane ka sochta rehta tha — ab woh ‘food noise’ khatam ho gayi hai. Na overthinking, na binge cravings... sabse bada fayda — mental peace. " (Translation: Before, I used to think about food all day - now that 'food noise' is gone. No overthinking, no binge cravings... biggest benefit - mental peace. )[5]
One user on Semaglutide shared, "I’ve struggled with mental health challenges that show up as overeating... The sense of peace this medication has brought is incredible. "[6]
Another user mentioned their wife "feels more \"herself\" as she envisions, or so it seems," and that the medication eliminated unnecessary cravings, not just for food but also reduced online shopping. [11]
A user with Bipolar 1 on Zepbound reported, "There have been no effects to my mood or sleep, and in fact I finally feel positive about my body after many, many years of not. Plus no more food noise, overeating or comfort eating. My mood stabilizer... and zep are helping me be mostly content which is a nice place to be. "[24]
Negative Changes:
Some users report worsening mood, including depression and anxiety. A psychologist taking a GLP-1 noted, "I had one day of pretty intense depression following my first two shots. " They also experienced physical symptoms of anxiety: "I feel ‘revved up’, a little shaky, but no cognitive/emotional anxiety symptoms. "[8]
Another user mentioned, "since my last titrate up, I've really noticed a little bit more of a depressed mood... it also feels like the medication suppresses emotions a bit. "[9]
One individual experienced "serious anxiety problems" on Liraglutide and "mild anxiety (not as bad as liraglutide, but still present)" on Semaglutide. [17]
A user on Tirzepatide reported, "my mood is very unstable, I'm in a bad mood, and it's very easy for my mood to crash. Feels like I'm overreacting to every little thing. "[4]
Another user described, "Constant state of anxiety and stress with intrusive thoughts, and lower energy... these things started (well got a lot worse - they’re always kinda there) right at the same time I started [Wegovy]. "[3]
A user mentioned feeling "'off' on occasions" and "a little sedated. " They also experienced a panic attack at a higher dose. [12]
Apathy and Lack of Motivation:
A medical professional noted seeing an "'apathy' syndrome at the highest doses where people complain of low motivation and difficulty concentrating that is likely due to effects on dopamine neurons. "[20]
One user felt their depression manifested as having "no personality" before Semaglutide, implying the medication helped, but another commented, "I felt this way on a lot of psych meds. Sometimes the lows and highs are better than a flat line life. "[26, 27]
Changes in Cravings and Addictive Behaviors:
Many users report a reduction in cravings for food, alcohol, and even other substances like weed. "Killed desire for alcohol, stopped all the food noise. "[7]
"My desire to drink was greatly reduced which was really nice too. "[15]
"Extra added benefit it has also greatly suppressed my appetite a for drinking alcohol and smoking weed. "[18]
"I’ve even cut back on weed cause the cravings aren’t there. "[22]
One user who experienced stomach paralysis still noted, "it completely got rid of my weed cravings and allowed me to live a normal life not addicted to smoking all the time. "[3]
It's noted that "The drug companies are studying GLP-1's broad impact on all kinds of addictive behaviors, from drugs and alcohol to things like gambling and shopping. "[14]
Impact on Others:
One user shared a negative impact on family life: "My wife has been on glp-1 for 6 months and it has been very hard for me and my young son since she is so used to not getting hungry, she often forgets there are other people living in the dame house... "[28]
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
One user suggested, "try micro dosing. It comes off slower, but steady, giving you a little more appetite to eat the protein and iron you need. "[25]
Switching Medications:
Some users and professionals note differences between GLP-1 types. One psychiatrist observed, "Patients who feel better are on tirzepatide/Mounjaro and those who feel worse are on semaglutide/Ozempic. "[29]
A user who had many side effects on a compound was told by their doctor that "the compound stuff was crap and to try Zepbound. Nervous to switch today, but supposedly less side effects with actual FDA approved stuff. "[22]
Another user switched from Semaglutide (due to sickness) to Tirzepatide and found it better. [21]
Nutritional Support:
One user believes mood issues could be related to "malnutrition... Specifically B vitamins and electrolytes. In my view gastric emptying and dehydration cause many of the side effects users mention. Daily supplementation with a good B Complex and electrolytes can do wonders. "[23]
Awareness and Monitoring:
A psychiatrist warns patients about potential mood effects: "I warn my patients ahead of time when they tell me they may be starting. I think in my practice , 20%isn had noticed some negative change in mood. "[30]
It's important to distinguish medication effects from other life stressors. One user experiencing anxiety on Wegovy also noted, "I have however had a few stressors in my life that perhaps are the root cause. "[3]
Understanding the Mechanism:
Some speculate that mood changes are linked to dopamine alteration. "I would guess GLP1 agonist-related mood disturbance in some people is somehow secondary to alteration of dopaminergic transmission. "[19]
Another user explained, "It has significant impact on dopamine and food interactions. So you can more clearly navigate your thoughts surrounding food... You will go back to having those cravings and thoughts, probably, the difference being you can now recognize the emotion or 'itch' attached to the behavior that was absent on the compound. "[31]
It's important to note that many users report overwhelmingly positive experiences with GLP-1s, including improved mental well-being due to weight loss and reduced food-related stress. [5, 6, 7, 24] However, a subset of users does experience negative personality or mood changes, which sometimes can be managed by adjusting dosage or medication type, or by ensuring proper nutrition.
Experiences with Personality and Mood Changes:
- Positive Changes:
- Some users report significant improvements in mood and a reduction in addictive behaviors.
Remedies and Preventions Recommended:
- Dosage Adjustment:
- A medical professional mentioned, "Anecdotally I notice mood changes at the higher dosages but if someone on Ozempic/Wegovy 1 mg starts getting depressed I drop them down to 0.
It's important to note that many users report overwhelmingly positive experiences with GLP-1s, including improved mental well-being due to weight loss and reduced food-related stress. [5, 6, 7, 24] However, a subset of users does experience negative personality or mood changes, which sometimes can be managed by adjusting dosage or medication type, or by ensuring proper nutrition.