The concept of health support groups in the country is still in its nascent stage but some hospitals are toying with the idea of forming support groups to provide counselling to patients by way of patient-patient interaction and patient-doctor counselling.

City’s lone support group — ‘Obesity Support Group’ (OSG) comprising over two dozen patients — is fighting extreme or morbid obesity by way of learning about the experiences of others, thus, allaying their fears and helping them to fight the disease strongly.

The group was formed with the initiative of SPS Apollo Hospitallast year along with patients, doctors, dieticians, physiotherapists and psychologists.

Today, as some other hospitals are also mulling the options of starting support groups for various other diseases in the near future, the patients of the Obesity Support Group encourage people with different conditions or ailments saying they need to come together to fight diseases with the required mental strength.

“I thought I would never be able to lose weight in my life. Extreme obesity sounded like an irreversible process to me. But I regained hope after I got inspiration from the experiences of the others who had been able to lose weight to a great extent and were living a healthy life,” said an obese patient, who is part of the Obesity Support Group which is also called the Weight Loss Support Group.

“There are other diseases too which require patients to share their feelings and experiences with one another to boost the morale of the others. For example, the patients of diabetes, breast cancer and other diseases can come together to help one another. It is of great help when you know that you are not alone fighting a particular condition and that there are ways to deal with it.” 

Dr Arindham Ghosh, a bariatrics (weight loss) surgeon, who is the core member of the OSG said the meetings of the group are aimed at counselling the obese with low confidence and shrinking self-esteem. “We ask the old members to narrate their experiences and answer the queries of the patients so as to help them regain their lost self-confidence.”

Another patient and member of the support group, said on the condition of anonymity, “I weighed 147 kg before the bariatric surgery and was in a very difficult situation in life. But I have lost one third of weight in a short span of time. I feel active and much more confident. Initially it was hard for me to even decide on undergoing the bariatric surgery since I was not aware of how to deal with the problem. It took me almost two years to make up my mind. Thanks to the people of the support group who made it possible. Today, I tell my experience to others and it feels nice to dispel the fears and doubts of others.”