Why is a Psychological Evaluation for Bariatric Surgery Needed?
Bariatric surgery can be an effective tool for significant, lasting weight loss. However, surgery is only one part of the process.
Long-term success also depends on changes in eating habits, lifestyle, and other behaviors. That's where the psychological evaluation comes in. Your surgical team wants to know that you understand the changes you'll need to make and that you're prepared to maintain them.
The evaluation also helps identify mental health concerns, life circumstances, or behavioral patterns that could make the adjustment more challenging.
The goal isn't to find reasons to disqualify you from surgery. It's to help make sure you're prepared for the procedure and the lifestyle changes that follow.
Psychological Evaluations
For Bariatric Surgery in Maryalnd
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Getting ready for bariatric surgery?
If your surgeon has told you that you need a psychological evaluation before your procedure, we can help. At the Baltimore Therapy Center, we offer affordable, convenient online psychological evaluations for bariatric surgery patients throughout Maryland.
Bariatric Psychological Evaluations: Quick Facts
Location
Available throughout Maryland.
Online appointments
Complete your evaluation virtually with a licensed mental health professional.
Duration
The evaluation takes one hour or less.
Cost
$100 self-pay. Insurance is not accepted.
Scheduling
Contact us through our website or call 443-598-2821 to schedule your evaluation.
Turnaround time
You'll usually receive your completed psychological evaluation report within 24–48 hours of your appointment.
What’s the Process for Getting a Bariatric Surgery Psych Evaluation?
Fortunately, this part is pretty straightforward. You can give us a call at 443-598-2821 and let us know you need to set up an evaluation.
That’s all it takes! We frequently are able to get patients within 24-48 hours. The evaluation lasts about an hour or less, depending on what we hear over the course of the interview, and costs $100. (We do not take insurance for this procedure.)
Our evaluations are conducted online, so you can complete yours from anywhere in Maryland without having to travel to our office. If we believe you are psychologically ready to go ahead with the surgery, we will provide you with a formal written report clearing you to move forward, usually within 24-48 hours.
If we have any concerns about your readiness we will discuss these with you before preparing a report. Sometimes we recommend ongoing counseling to help a person manage the stresses that come with this lifestyle change. Rarely, we will recommend against doing the surgery if any major red flags have been raised. All of this will be discussed between you and your counselor; we do not go over your head to your doctor without your knowledge.
Ready to schedule your bariatric psychological evaluation?
Call 443-598-2821 or contact us online to get started.
What Questions Are Asked During a Bariatric Psychological Assessment?
The changes you’ll need to make include a potentially radical modification of your diet, exercise habits, drug usage (including prescription medications, tobacco, and alcohol), and more.
Making sure you have a realistic understanding of these changes is critical to the success of the operation in the long term. The specifics of these changes will be covered extensively by your doctor; we won’t be teaching you about these requirements, but we will be assessing your ability to comply with them.
Some red flags we will inquire about include the use of food as a coping mechanism; addictions; minimization of the lifestyle changes needed; and others. During your bariatric psychological assessment, we'll ask questions about your eating habits, mental health, lifestyle, and support system. For example, if you suffer from depression or an anxiety disorder, that may have a significant impact on your ability to follow through with your postoperative requirements.
The goal is to verify that you are prepared for the changes that come with weight loss surgery. Similarly, if you are experiencing a major life stressor – a recent divorce or death of a family member – this too might affect your mental stability for a time, and it may be important to consider this as a factor in the timing of your decision to move forward.
Your home and work environments and the state of your relationships will be important subjects for us to explore as well. (See https://asmbs.org/patients/life-after-bariatric-surgery to read more about these issues).
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