Dating Reveal: How to Talk About Your GLP-1 Medication

When two people start dating, they develop a (somewhat) surface-level understanding of one another—where someone grew up and whether they prefer pineapple on pizza, for example. But with each subsequent date, they often start revealing the more vulnerable parts of themselves that turn casual chemistry into a real connection.

For some, that vulnerability includes deciding whether to tell a new partner they take a GLP-1. In a society that’s both fanatically obsessed with and highly critical of people’s bodies, revealing that kind of personal information can feel particularly fraught, says Jody Thomas, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in treating people with chronic conditions.

“There’s a vulnerability of revealing ourselves that’s always a part of relationships,” she says. “But it feels a lot different to reveal that someone is taking high blood pressure medication than it is to talk about GLP-1 use. It’s become more loaded. We feel as though we need to explain ourselves and our choices.”

If you’re planning on being with a partner long-term, a disclosure may be inevitable.

Thomas attributes much of that discomfort to the way GLP-1s are talked about in popular culture: “It’s always, ‘X celebrity admits to using a GLP-1.’ It’s never ‘X celebrity takes a GLP-1 to treat their health condition,’” she says.

Though GLP-1 medications were originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes and blood glucose, evidence has shown that they can also help improve outcomes for people with cardiovascular, kidney, and liver issues, as well as those with arthritis and sleep apnea.

At some point, as you get to know someone better, you may decide it’s time to share more about your health—including use of these medications. How do you know when the time is right? And what should you say? Here, experts break it down.

Good Reasons to Tell Them

First things first: You’re under no obligation to disclose information about your health to anyone. Period. But if you’re thinking about bringing up your GLP-1 journey, be clear about what’s motivating the conversation. Also decide what you’re actually disclosing. Are you telling someone you take medication? Or are you opening up about living with a medical condition?

For people taking a GLP-1 to manage type 2 diabetes or heart disease (which accounts for roughly 61 percent of users, research in England suggests), those conversations often go beyond the medication itself.

“Generally speaking, chronic conditions—like obesity or type 2 diabetes in the case of a GLP-1—require an ongoing commitment to medical monitoring and lifestyle changes like a healthy diet, exercise, and stress management,” explains Ashley Matskevich, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist in Massachusetts who works with young adults. She notes that someone knowing about your type 2 diabetes may be important for safety reasons, as unexpected health issues or medication changes can arise even when everything seems to be going well. “If you’re planning on being with a partner long-term, a disclosure may be inevitable,” Dr. Matskevich says.

Thomas, who has a medical condition herself, says that even with proper treatment, there are times when her energy suddenly drops. By sharing that with her partner, they understand that leaving a social event early, for example, isn’t about disinterest—it’s about taking care of her health.

Ultimately, think about whether sharing your health condition, your GLP-1 use, or both would help a partner better understand or support you. If the answer is yes, that’s a good reason to open up.

One Reason to Hold Off

If the only thing pushing you to disclose your GLP-1 use is the feeling that you have to explain yourself, it may be worth waiting.

“There’s societal pressure surrounding disclosure of GLP-1 use, but people should focus more on their own feelings of internal pressure,” Dr. Matskevich says. Before deciding whether to disclose, she encourages asking yourself a couple of key questions: What emotion do I feel when I think about sharing this, and what does that tell me about my relationship? Am I seeking reassurance from my partner?

If you’re afraid a partner will see your GLP-1 use as ‘cheating’ and ‘lazy,’ that’s revealing about the person.

There’s no right or wrong answer to these questions—just give them some thought before voluntarily revealing information about your health. Also consider how your partner might react to learning you’re taking a GLP-1, which Thomas says can be “a good red flag detector.”

“If you’re afraid a partner will see your GLP-1 use as ‘cheating’ and ‘lazy,’ that’s revealing about the person,” she says. “There are a lot of people who worry that, I’m going to reveal this aspect of myself, and they’re going to hightail it and run. A subset of people will, but that subset is a lot smaller than you think—and it’s probably not the person you were going to want to end up with anyway.”

The Best Way to Bring It Up

When you’ve decided you want to tell a partner about your GLP-1 use, try not to make it a “whole thing,” says Thomas. It doesn’t have to be a nerve-racking, formal sit-down conversation. She recommends letting it come up naturally if possible. Maybe the two of you take a trip together, spend the night at each other’s place, or they notice your medication on the bathroom counter.

That can open the door to a casual explanation. “You can say, ‘Yeah, I started taking this six months ago. My doctor and I decided it would be really helpful, and I’m feeling healthier and better than ever before,’” Thomas says. “You get to set the tone for conversations about your health.”

If you want a more planned-out talk, Dr. Matskevich says to choose a time and place that feels comfortable. “If you’re anxious and want to have the conversation at the kitchen table at home, do that,” she says. “If it feels easy breezy to mention it while out on a walk, do it. Sometimes it can be easier to have tough conversations while driving and not looking directly at each other.”

Your Health Comes First

No matter how thoughtfully you approach the conversation, not everyone will be receptive to learning that you’re taking a GLP-1. Some people may be on their own health journey, and hearing about yours could bring up personal insecurities. There’s also evidence suggesting that some individuals feel resentment or jealousy toward partners who lose weight while taking a GLP-1.

Whatever the case, remember that another person’s feelings about your health should come second to your doctor’s recommendations—and the reasons you were prescribed the medication in the first place.

Thomas points out that people once felt the same stigma about taking antidepressants. Today, telling a partner—or anyone—that you take an antidepressant is commonplace.

“My guess is that we’ll arrive at a place where we can confidently tell others, ‘Yes, I take a GLP-1,’” Thomas says. “GLP-1 drugs are so new. In another 10 or 20 years, this is going to be so much more of a non-issue than it feels right now.”