Drug use in Hollywood is nothing unusual, in fact, multiple celebrities have admitted to struggling with past addictions. Making the issue worse is the normalization of using drugs in order to achieve a certain look. Recently, celebrities have admitted to taking Ozempic in order to obtain their preferred thin look.

Ozempic is a drug that serves as a guide to manage insulin levels for those who have type two diabetes. A common side effect of Ozempic is loss of appetite, which then leads to weight loss. The FDA has only approved this drug to treat type two diabetes, but many celebrities don’t have diabetes and are obtaining this drug through anti-aging doctors.

Elon Musk, Chelsea Handler and Kyle Richards have all openly admitted to using Ozempic. Handler and Richards were both prescribed this drug from their anti-aging doctor without full transparency of what the drug was, so although their goal isn’t to lose weight it was prescribed as a way to remain younger looking. Musk knowingly used it as part of his weight loss regime along with Wegovy, which is a drug similar to Ozempic.

Just recently, Handler was hosting the Critics Choice Awards and made a nonchalant joke about the drug.

“The word ‘gaslighting’ was actually Merriam-Webster’s word of the year,” Handler said. “And for those of you who don’t know, gaslighting is when someone tries to convince you that your own perceptions of reality are wrong. Like when celebrities say they lost weight by drinking water, but really it’s because everyone’s on Ozempic.”

Following this joke was a room full of laughter as the drug is well known in Hollywood.

Taking Ozempic can lead to a multitude of different health issues. When prescribed the medication, users get a list of possible side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain.

Other side effects for someone that is not prescribed Ozempic is something called Ozempic face, which occurs when someone has rapid weight loss causing the skin to sag, causing the user to appear older. It is an ironic consequence of this drug, as most patients of the drug are taking it in hopes to appear younger and more fit.

Celebrities’ constant battle to look and be seen a certain way has led to some peculiar methods. Imagine taking a drug that could lead to multiple health issues just because of the immense fear of gaining weight and aging. It really reflects on society as a whole and shows the societal standards that celebrities feel like they have to follow to be deemed as attractive or socially acceptable. Celebrities’ influence is extremely apparent especially in today’s society with social media, so it creates an unrealistic view for fans.

Aging and potentially gaining weight is just a part of life, and when people are so hyper-fixated on their appearance, they can lose sight of what is really important.

So instead of living in fear of natural occurrences some celebrities have embraced aging, for example, actress Drew Barrymore said she was determined to show her daughters that aging is a luxury.

“If we’re lucky, we’re all going to age,” Barrymore said. “I just want them to be at peace with who they are and not what they look like.”

Aging is a luxury and although many view aging as unhealthy and feel they need to change, it is in fact the opposite. Aging is a healthy normal path in life and is something to be welcomed with open arms.