Weight-loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound appear to help people battle alcoholism and opioid addiction, a new study finds.

Both Wegovy and Mounjaro are given as weekly injections via pre-filled pens that can be self-administered into the upper arm, thigh or stomach. They work as an appetite suppressant by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).

A review of the medical records of thousands of adolescents treated for obesity found that kids who received the GLP-1 medications semaglutide or liraglutide were less likely to have suicidal thoughts or attempts than those treated with behavioral interventions.

It may not sound surprising that treating obesity in adolescents and teens may have positive mental health impacts, but researchers this week reported reassuring findings about whether popular new injectable weight loss medicines carry mental health risks.

For adolescents with obesity, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) treatment is associated with a reduced risk for suicidal ideation or attempts, according to a study published online Oct.