Ep 4: My Second Education

I lost 150 lbs in 9 months, and then I kept it off. Ever since I've been asked, over and over, for my secret. Well, there are some questions you ask, but might not want the answer to. And the truth is, I do have a secret, but it isn't what you think it is. This video has been a long time coming; it's been literally decades in the making. It's long, it's dense, and it isn't (at all) for the faint of heart, but it's important. Extremely important. In fact it's almost certainly the single most important thing I'll ever say out loud. I hope my secret outlives me. Thank you for your time, your understanding, and your attention. Please share with anyone, and everyone, you think it might benefit... it just might save a life. It would certainly have saved a lot of mine if I'd ever heard it from someone with similar secrets.

Mental Health Resources and Charities Worth Supporting:(Note: These are UK-local and have helped me, please consider supporting others in your region)

Mind UK (https://www.mind.org.uk/): General Mental Health Information & Advocacy

Samaritans UK (https://www.samaritans.org/): Mental Health Support & Suicide Prevention

Beat (https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/): Information & Support for Eating Disorders

Safeline UK (https://safeline.org.uk/): Support for Anyone Affected By (or At Risk of) Sexual Abuse

Survivors UK (http://www.survivorsuk.org): Support for Male & Non-Binary Survivors of Sexual AbuseStop It Now UK (https://www.stopitnow.org.uk/): Prevention of Sexual Abuse

References Cited:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2020.110875 - Impact of calorie restriction on energy metabolism in humans

https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21653 - How Strongly Does Appetite Counter Weight Loss? Quantification of the Feedback Control of Human Energy Intake

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08165-7 - Adipose tissue retains an epigenetic memory of obesity after weight loss

https://archive.today/6ZoQp - You’ve Lost Weight Taking New Obesity Drugs. What Happens if You Stop?

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-023-01498-z - Weight Regain After Bariatric Surgery: Scope of the Problem, Causes, Prevention, and Treatment

http://archive.today/lbGR5 - PTSD and DSM-5 - PTSD: National Center for PTSD

https://archive.today/ShYqF - The Body Keeps The Score

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89818-z - Epigenetic signatures of intergenerational exposure to violence in three generations of Syrian refugees

https://archive.today/NCvL4 - 6B40 Post traumatic stress disorder - ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics

https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01026 - What is a “sense of foreshortened future?” A phenomenological study of trauma, trust, and time

https://archive.today/FpHt9 - Dissociative Subtype of PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD

https://archive.today/RTR9n - PTSD for Children 6 Years and Younger - PTSD: National Center for PTSD

https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2017.23 - Preventing intrusive memories after trauma via a brief intervention involving Tetris [...]

https://archive.today/yfycV - 6B41 Complex post traumatic stress disorder - ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1971-9 - Why do I have to suffer? Symptom management, views and experiences of persons with a CPTSD [,,,]

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01026 - What is a “sense of foreshortened future?” A phenomenological study of trauma, trust, and time

http://archive.today/baqgB - The 1 in 6 statistic - Sexual Abuse & Assault of Boys & Menhttp://archive.today/GtBj9 - 1 in 4: Supporting Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse & Trauma