Ozempic is the latest “health” craze celebrities are NOT talking about. Originally intended to regulate blood pressure in type 2 diabetes patients, however, the drug is abused by perfectly healthy people in hopes of attaining their ideal, slim figure. It is no coincidence that your favorite celebrities and influencers are suddenly surfacing at awards shows looking stunningly thin (and slightly emaciated, might I add). From Arianna Grande, to Ice Spice to Lana del Rey, unrecognizable weight loss seems to be all the rage. Whether it’s a matter of hitting the gym, a resurfacing of the godforsaken Tumblr age, or rampant Ozempic use, there is no denying that slim is back in.Â
Beyond the potential risks associated with use of a relatively unknown drug among un-intended users, Ozempic has already made waves in mainstream culture, permanently altering society’s image of what a “perfect” body looks like (that is, until the next “it” body type starts trending).
If you are fortunate enough to be unfamiliar with this drug, let me break it down for you as someone who spends a questionable amount of time on social media. Ozempic has various known side effects including nausea and dizziness, with the most desirable being appetite suppression. By reducing cravings, it typically leads to rapid weight loss. Setting aside the potentially detrimental impacts this may have on a user’s organ functions, digestive system, and whatnot…let’s turn to its societal implications…
Considering how many celebrities already deny receiving cosmetic surgery, it makes sense that many would deny using diet pills to slim down. In omitting this from the public, they give the impression that their figure is “all-natural.” It goes without saying that this omission is problematic. In reality, weight loss of this kind requires drastic and even life-threatening measures. To fail to address Ozempic use, is to embrace false narratives about health and lead others to feel emaciated figures are attainable.Â
The Ozempic fad has begun to creep its way into mainstream society. While not everyone cares about celebrity culture, the average person cares about what their neighbors are doing. At some point in our lives, we all have become victims to the temptation to “keep up with the Joneses.”
As someone from a rural town in Connecticut (about as far as you can get from the New York’s and L.A. ‘s of the world), I know several non-diabetic people who have acquired prescriptions to Ozempic or to Ozempic-adjacents. I did not fully realize the consequences of this until my own perfectly healthy mother asked me whether she should consider going on a diet pill. This question shocked me. As someone who has idolized my mother throughout my entire life, it was deeply disheartening to see her feel the need to change herself.
We impact each other in a multitude of ways. Each person possesses a unique set of knowledge and life experiences yet we instead choose to influence each other in shallow ways. While society certainly plays a role in how we interact with our immediate environment, it is feasible for us to separate ourselves from the damaging narratives it perpetuates. As someone who has struggled with body image for years, I can attest to the fact that there are countless better ways to occupy your time than worrying about your physical appearance. Blindly following popular trends becomes a slippery slope to eternal dissatisfaction and low-self esteem. It requires conscious, consistent effort to remain impervious to fleeting fads.