Diet Pill Abuse, Addiction, And Treatment

What Are Diet Pills?

​​Diet pills encompass several prescription drugs and over-the-counter supplements designed to help a person lose weight. To achieve a certain body image and desired look, many people may engage in unhealthy habits and behaviors, such as disordered eating and diet pill abuse.

People struggling with eating disorders may abuse diet pills as a way to purge or restrict calories, and for many, diet pill misuse can aid in the development of eating disorders.

Most people who develop eating disorders feel they have no control in their lives and will use restrictive eating patterns, diet pills, or excessive exercise to gain a false sense of control over their caloric intake.

Diet pills interfere with the body’s normal metabolic process to reduce weight by the following mechanisms of action:

• Suppressing appetite
• Increasing metabolism
• Preventing fat absorption
• Increasing satiety (the feeling of being full)

Diet pills, even those approved by the FDA and prescribed by a healthcare provider, can have long-term health effects on both the mind and the body. Many prescription diet pills are designated Schedule III or IV substances under the Controlled Substances Act because they carry the potential for abuse.

The FDA does not regulate over-the-counter diet pills, and they can have many harmful ingredients that can damage the body. Because diet pills interfere with the body’s normal metabolic process, it could become harder to lose weight naturally in the future, creating an even unhealthier cycle of weight loss.

Other names for diet pills include:

• Anorectic or anorexiant drugs
• Appetite suppressants
• Anti-obesity medication
• Centrally acting anti-obesity preparations

Laxatives are not considered diet pills but are often misused for weight loss. Laxatives decrease water weight but do not affect reducing body fat, caloric intake, or long-term weight loss. Other medications that are commonly misused as “diet pills” are diuretics such as caffeine pills, which are misused as weight loss pills but only decrease water weight and therefore are not effective at reducing body fat.

Common Types Of Diet Pills And Weight Loss Medication

Diet pills and weight loss medications generally fall into two main categories: traditional appetite or fat-blocking pills, and newer prescription medications that work on metabolic and hormonal pathways.

Diet pills typically focus on suppressing appetite, reducing cravings, or limiting fat absorption and are often intended for short-term use. Common diet pills include:

• Benzphetamine: An anorectic closely related to amphetamines, benzphetamine is prescribed as an oral weight loss pill that is known to reduce appetite. It is a Schedule III controlled substance.
• Phendimetrazine: Phendimetrazine acts as an appetite suppressant and is considered a Schedule III controlled substance
• Diethylpropion: Diethylpropion is prescribed on a short-term basis to suppress appetite.
• Phentermine: Phentermine reduces appetite and is used in the short term to reduce weight in overweight individuals.
• Qsymia (Phentermine-Topiramate): Qsymia suppresses appetite and reduces cravings.
• Contrave (Naltrexone-Bupropion): Contrave works on brain addiction pathways to control hunger/cravings.
• Xenical (Orlistat): Xenical blocks some dietary fat from being absorbed.

Weight loss medications work differently by mimicking hormones involved in blood sugar regulation, digestion, and feelings of fullness, making them more suitable for long-term weight management under medical supervision.

GLP-1 receptor agonists are the most common weight-loss drugs, primarily FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes but used off-label for weight loss. However, the FDA recently approved some GLP-1 agonists for weight loss.

GLP-1 agonists mimic the incretin hormone GLP-1, which stimulates insulin secretion to lower blood sugar levels. Physiologically, insulin is secreted after a meal when blood sugars spike, but in people with type 2 diabetes, they need a bit more help with insulin release. Because insulin is naturally released after a meal, signaling that the body is full, GLP-1 agonists also reduce appetite and slow digestion, making people feel full longer and contributing to weight loss.

Semaglutides are a class of GLP-1 agonists and include the following:

• Ozempic (semaglutide): Available in injectable form, used off-label for weight loss
• Wegovy (semaglutide): The only FDA-approved semaglutide for weight loss. Available in injectable form, though Oral Wegovy, a non-injection option, was FDA approved in December 2025.
• Rybelsus (semaglutide): An oral semaglutide that is used off-label for weight loss.

There are other GLP-1 agonists that are not semaglutides and are FDA-approved for weight loss. These include:

• Zepbound (Tirzepatide): Dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist, a very effective once-weekly injection that is FDA approved for weight loss.
• Saxenda (Liraglutide): A GLP-1 agonist that is a once-daily injection that is FDA approved for weight loss.

How Are Diet Pills Abused?

If a person desires to quickly lose weight, there is a risk that they may abuse diet pills. Using diet pills any other way than they are prescribed is considered abuse. The following are ways that diet pills are abused:

• Doctor shopping for prescriptions for diet pills
• Taking multiple diet pills at once
• Buying diet pills off the street or using a friend’s prescription diet pills
• Mixing diet pills with illegal stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine
• Taking more than the recommended daily dose of a dietary supplement
• Combining diet pills with diuretics or laxatives

Why Do People Abuse Weight Loss Medications?

People abuse weight loss medications not only because they want to lose weight, but also because there is an underlying psychological trigger that is driving this desire. The following are some reasons why people abuse weight loss medications:

• They may see them as a quick fix to lose weight without taking the time to change eating habits or adopt a healthy exercise routine
• They may have a desire to obtain a certain appearance, often triggered by what society views as “beautiful”
• They may use them as an unhealthy coping mechanism to regain a false sense of control or to cope with stress or negative emotions
• They may use them to soothe feelings of depression or anxiety
• They may abuse them as part of a separate eating disorder

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The Dangers Of Abusing Diet And Weight Loss Medications

Misuse and abuse of diet pills can worsen an existing eating disorder or increase the risk of developing a new one. It can also lead to:

• Dehydration
• Malabsorption issues
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Loose stools
• Rectal and abdominal pain
• Anal fissures and tears
• Acute kidney injury

Diet pills not only disrupt normal digestive and bodily functions but can also foster unhealthy coping skills as people become hyperfixated on their body image, which can lead to disordered thoughts, behaviors, and eating patterns. Binging, purging, restricting food, excessively counting calories, and excessive exercise can all go hand in hand with diet pill abuse, and these can lead to eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder, which can be life-threatening.

Other dangers of abusing diet pills include the following:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety and nervousness
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Rash
• Confusion and disorientation (from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance)
• Changes in blood pressure
• Agitation
• Heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat
• Fatigue
• Hepatitis and liver damage

Signs Someone Is Abusing Diet Pills

If a person is losing weight at a rapid pace or is becoming obsessed with their weight, they may be abusing diet pills. Other signs someone may be abusing diet pills include:

• Weighing themselves every day or multiple times a day
• Hiding prescription diet pills
• Excessively talking about losing weight
• Restricting calories or excessively exercising
• Rapid change in weight loss
• Buying new clothes in different sizes

Can You Become Addicted To Diet Pills?

Certain diet pills, such as phentermine, benzphetamine, phendimetrazine, and Qsymia, have potential for addiction because they contain phentermine or active ingredients that are similar to phentermine and mimic amphetamines.

Amphetamines are stimulants that increase energy, alertness, and euphoria, and have high addiction potential, which is why diet pills with amphetamine-like active ingredients can become addictive. There is no research proving that GLP-1 agonists have an increased likelihood of dependence or addiction; however, people can become obsessed with weight loss and body image.

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Weight Loss Medication And Mental Health Disorders

Weight loss medications, when taken exactly as prescribed in people who are overweight or obese and are used for the correct reasons, can actually improve mood and mental health, especially in populations who have struggled with weight and self-esteem their entire lives.

Conversely, weight loss medications have a high potential to lead to eating disorders, especially when these medications are misused or abused. Eating disorders are categorized as severe mental health disorders that cannot only lead to physical health complications but can also increase the risk for depression, anxiety, and self-harm behaviors.

A person’s weight is often intricately tied to their body image, self-esteem, and mental health, and therefore, weight loss pills can affect all of these; hence, it is extremely important to have open and honest conversations with a healthcare provider before starting any weight loss medications.

Find Support Today

If you are struggling with diet pill misuse and abuse, it is important to seek professional help to identify the underlying reasons. Inpatient and outpatient treatment programs can help you work through your struggles and find lasting success. Contact a treatment provider or visit our rehab directory to learn more about your treatment options.