The world's former fattest man has revealed he refused to sign a form while in hospital which stated his body would be disposed of in an abattoir if he died.
Paul Mason, 60, used to weigh 70 stone before making an incredible turnaround thanks to surgery, dropping to 19st.
But after a failed attempt to start a new life in America, Paul moved back to Plymouth and piled on the pounds over lockdown.
He currently weighs 38 stone.
He told This Morning that he was having to live in hospital in 2001, at his heaviest weight, when he was given the form.
Read more:Woman never had boyfriend at age 26 but sheds 8 stone to change her life
He said: "The hospital was in a very unique situation.
"They never dealt with anybody my size and they brought me a form to sign, to say that if I died while I was in hospital at that size, they'd have to dispose of my body in an abattoir."
Paul said his family had 'no say' in the matter, and he refused to sign the form.
He added: "It's part of my journey, that you feet like you're not a human - you're just a name on a piece of paper."
"It was, you could say, one of the side effects of being as big as I was."
When Paul first set out to lose weight, he found it 'tough' to get help.
He couldn't find any males documenting their weight loss stories, either.
"The internet was awash with ladies who'd been on weight loss journeys.
"So I thought, right, this is the time for me to make sure my journey is documented," he told This Morning.
In 2013, things were looking up for Paul.
After losing weight, he had found a girlfriend, Rebecca, and was wanting to move to America.
He was also planning to have his excess skin removed.
The following year, he'd relocated to the US for a fresh start and had two excess skin surgeries over two years.
The first surgery removed 80 pounds of loose skin - and he had eight stone removed in total.
"I was right thin," he said, "but it just shows, the surgeons can quickly fix your body, but they can't fix your mind as quick."
He added: "Therapy is the main thing for me and I think it will help other people as well."
Paul said he realised in 2008 that he would need to invest in therapy himself.
He had initially received six sessions on the NHS.
He said: "I think the NHS do not put enough resources into the therapy side.
"You can have 6 sessions on the NHS and that isn't even going to touch the surface.
"I realised that in 2008... and until 2014 I invested in therapy myself."
Paul thought he no longer needed therapy as he was moving to a new country, to start a new life - with his girlfriend, who 'could understand.'
But sadly, it didn't work out.
He still felt like the same man he was before his weight loss.
Paul said he couldn't really tell Rebecca how he felt as he was 'too embarrassed.'
His relationship broke down, and feelings of loneliness - as well as compulsions to binge eat - crept back in.
He said: "The support Rebecca gave me was very good but it just got to the stage where she couldn't give anymore.
"And I can see that; it's very hard, I think, living with someone with an addiction and depression and not understanding it."
Paul revealed he is now suffering from 'severe' arthritis, which is limiting mobility and making life harder.
His latest documentary, ‘The World’s Fattest Man: 10 Years On’ is set to air on ITV on tonight (Wednesday) at 9pm.
