Why Jodie Sweetin Lost 37 Lbs. During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In an episode of the “Allison Interviews” podcast, Sweetin revealed that she “lost almost 37 pounds” during the COVID-19 pandemic due to anxiety and depression.

She shared, “I know I was a mess during the pandemic. I was not a fully functioning person.”

Sweetin described herself as a “stress starver,” adding, “I just stopped eating. I couldn’t keep food down.”

Jodie admitted, “I’ll be really honest about it; the pandemic was not good for me. I have severe anxiety and depression anyway, so it really didn’t do any favors for my mental health. I really struggled with it and, for me, it was a time of feeling really out of control.”

Jodie elaborated, “The thing about anxiety is, people think of panic attacks, but there can be a raging screaming voice in your head all the time that you just can’t get quiet. You just don’t want to listen to this voice, and especially when mental health wasn’t talked about, it’s worse.”

Referencing her past struggles with alcoholism, Jodie said, “Having that wiring in your brain, something switches on when you’re an alcoholic. It feels like there is never enough. I can’t ever fill this hole because there is a bottom missing in the cup, and I just keep trying to fill it. I think that is something I’m really grateful for now, is the de-stigmatization of talking about mental health. That was my whole journey through sobriety.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 5 million people worldwide, and Jodie noted, “The pain and the loss and the death was awful, but also the impact that it’s had on our kids, on our families, on our politics, on everything.”

According to Jodie, the pandemic has changed people’s lives “in a very, very complicated way.”

Jodie went on, “I think that sort of collective trauma and pain has really affected us, and I think it’s really going to affect people’s mental health in ways that we haven’t seen yet.”

Over the years, Sweetin has been honest about her struggles. Two years ago, she celebrated World Mental Health Day by sharing a photo of herself as a “mom who had a full panic attack in the bathroom.”

Along with the photo, Sweetin wrote, “When our outsides look good, our insides can still be shattered. Those of us with anxiety/depression/ptsd can walk through the world without anyone knowing just how broken they are. So, on this #worldsmentalhealthday, remember that mental illness and pain doesn’t always look like what it should. And that if someone reaches out for help, know that it has taken a world of pain to get them there. Be kind. Be a safe space. There’s far too much anger and sharpness in the world these days.”