Most people think liver disease is only caused by alcohol. It isn’t. In this episode of Psychology, Actually, we explore fatty liver disease (now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), a common but often silent condition affecting 1 in 5 people in the UK.

I’m joined by NHS health coach Sharan Verma, who shares both professional insight and her personal experience of losing her father to the disease. We discuss symptoms, diagnosis, reversibility, and why so many people are unaware they have it until it’s progressed.This episode also explores the psychological impact of illness, caregiving, and grief including how difficult it can be to witness physical decline in someone you love.If you’re interested in health psychology, prevention, or understanding how physical and emotional wellbeing connect, this episode offers an important and eye-opening perspective.

Highlights

00:00 Why liver disease isn’t just about alcohol
01:22 What fatty liver disease actually is
02:15 Early symptoms and why it’s often missed
03:04 Stages of liver disease and reversibility
04:47 Why awareness needs to change
06:48 Sharan’s father’s diagnosis and missed opportunities
08:59 Rapid deterioration and hospitalisation
09:49 Losing a parent to liver disease
10:30 Guilt, hindsight and what we didn’t know
11:29 Stigma and misunderstanding around liver disease
12:44 Genetics and family patterns
14:01 Living with increased health risk
15:12 The emotional impact of watching someone decline
15:39 Physical changes at end of life
16:18 Trauma, memory and grief
17:36 Where the liver is and what it does
18:46 Diet, lifestyle and prevention
21:47 Barriers to healthy eating
22:03 Risk factors and population differences
22:42 Where to learn more

Links:

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