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Fast Food Addiction - Can Anyone Else Relate?
Replies
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Speaking of fast foods ... I quit my daily visit to McDonalds at the beginning of this mfp experience in 2016. Back then, my lunch was a McChicken sandwich and a side salad. That's not bad, really, from a total calorie perspective. Last night I deliberately went and had a chicken sandwich and waffle fries, and then very deliberately bought and ate some nacho fries.
I don't get it. How can people claim to be addicted to that stuff?
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paperpudding wrote: »Behavioural addiction - comparable to other harmful behavioural addictions like gambling addictions or compulsion to cut oneself - yes I can see that
like most eating disorders, in fact.
But physical addiction -No.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasing_the_Scream
I just order three used hardback copies of Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Hari, Johann.
I did read the first chapter on Amazon (lot of 5 reviews posted) and he seems to think physical addictions may only be mental and I can see that possibility because it was a shocker to learn human vision is not a physical thing at all but is psychological only. While I had negative physical and behavioral changes coming off of carbs cold turkey I am going to keep an open mind about what 'physical' addiction really is at this point in time.8 -
paperpudding wrote: »Behavioural addiction - comparable to other harmful behavioural addictions like gambling addictions or compulsion to cut oneself - yes I can see that
like most eating disorders, in fact.
But physical addiction -No.
This is really what it all comes down to. It’s a “behavioral addiction”. Change your attitude and behaviors, not the substances, to fight this “addiction”.4 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »Speaking of fast foods ... I quit my daily visit to McDonalds at the beginning of this mfp experience in 2016. Back then, my lunch was a McChicken sandwich and a side salad. That's not bad, really, from a total calorie perspective. Last night I deliberately went and had a chicken sandwich and waffle fries, and then very deliberately bought and ate some nacho fries.
I don't get it. How can people claim to be addicted to that stuff?
It just all may be in the head but as noted I am drilling down on what I know about addictions because of a board that I serve on locally.6 -
Or get counselling or pyschiatric help if neccesary.
I am not saying gambling addictions, cutting addictions, eating disorders, are not real or in any way trying to trivialise their seriousness - - but they need different help to physical addictions.1 -
paperpudding wrote: »Or get counselling or pyschiatric help if neccesary.
I am not saying gambling addictions, cutting addictions, eating disorders, are not real or in any way trying to trivialise their seriousness - - but they need different help to physical addictions.
If addiction to cocaine may not a physical addiction then I expect my carb addiction was not a physical addiction based on this source below.
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/cocaine-treatment/is-it-physically-addictive/8 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Or get counselling or pyschiatric help if neccesary.
I am not saying gambling addictions, cutting addictions, eating disorders, are not real or in any way trying to trivialise their seriousness - - but they need different help to physical addictions.
If addiction to cocaine may not a physical addiction then I expect my carb addiction was not a physical addiction based on this source below.
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/cocaine-treatment/is-it-physically-addictive/
Your physical addiction to carbs is not real. Cocaine addiction is real and gruesome.10 -
Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Or get counselling or pyschiatric help if neccesary.
I am not saying gambling addictions, cutting addictions, eating disorders, are not real or in any way trying to trivialise their seriousness - - but they need different help to physical addictions.
If addiction to cocaine may not a physical addiction then I expect my carb addiction was not a physical addiction based on this source below.
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/cocaine-treatment/is-it-physically-addictive/
Your physical addiction to carbs is not real. Cocaine addiction is real and gruesome.
I will try to let you know how this subject shakes out since I just saw the question raised questioning if it is even possible to have a true physical addiction or not this week. Either way any kind of addiction can be very bad for all parties involved.4 -
You counted Canola twice.
And what "triggers something" in you is your brain going "hey this tastes good and has high calories, this will be great for sustaining you".
It's food. Not a drug. As food it is so different from drugs in just about every way that anyone who compares the two tends to come over as really rude to people who are addicted to actual drugs, something you should be aware of as someone who works with addicts.
How do you treat drug addiction? Usually by not taking in the drug. You can't just "not eat".
Are drug addicts only addicted to one particular instance of the thing they're addicted to? An alcoholic who only is addicted to a specific brand of whiskey but who can drink other alcoholic beverages like a normal person? A nicotine addict who will smoke Malboros by the pack but won't touch anything else if those are not available? That doesn't happen.
Yet with the food addiction topics we have here, it's always "I'm addicted to this particular thing!" but nothing else containing the same ingredients. It's always "sugar!" but not fruit. Or "Processed foods!" (whatever that is in the person's mind) but not processed foods that the person didn't realize are processed. Now it's "fast food", when there's fast foods for just about everything and the only difference between those foods and the same foods made at home is more (and usually cheaper) fat used, and some preservatives that make it look better which are likely in half the things you buy at the supermarket that you don't think you're addicted to.
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paperpudding wrote: »Behavioural addiction - comparable to other harmful behavioural addictions like gambling addictions or compulsion to cut oneself - yes I can see that
like most eating disorders, in fact.
But physical addiction -No.
Agreed.1 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »Speaking of fast foods ... I quit my daily visit to McDonalds at the beginning of this mfp experience in 2016. Back then, my lunch was a McChicken sandwich and a side salad. That's not bad, really, from a total calorie perspective. Last night I deliberately went and had a chicken sandwich and waffle fries, and then very deliberately bought and ate some nacho fries.
I don't get it. How can people claim to be addicted to that stuff?
Well, for OP, she's on a restrictive diet where she's treating food only as fuel (and not able to have much she considers tasty, I expect) after a period of time where she likely was using food for self comfort and eating in a really unrestrained way. So she has a bit of something for pleasure (in this case it happened to be fast food, but I'd bet it could have been tasty homemade food too), and all of a sudden all those old overwhelming desires for the foods she was missing came back.
I get it, but I don't think it has anything to do with a fast food addiction, and it's why I think especially a restrictive diet strategy for someone morbidly obese or with food issues MUST include some kind of counseling and strategies about how to deal with tasty food when you start adding it back.3 -
If you are saying food is not addiction you must not have an addiction to food, thus you don't understand. I can relate to things even if it isn't me. Just like alcohol, that first drink can and will make you drink again if you are a true alcoholic. Same with certain foods with food addicts. She isn't saying everyone is addicted to food anymore than everyone who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic. i'm not sure if I am or am not a food addict. I'm going to guess i'm not, but I can relate.20
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I should have mentioned in the above post that I am a nurse and worked for 1.5 years in a hospital with food addicts, anorexics and bulimics. So I speak out of experience.15
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CharlieAnn31 wrote: »I should have mentioned in the above post that I am a nurse and worked for 1.5 years in a hospital with food addicts, anorexics and bulimics. So I speak out of experience.
Which specific foods have the addicts you have been working with been struggling with and what was the treatment?9 -
CharlieAnn31 wrote: »I should have mentioned in the above post that I am a nurse and worked for 1.5 years in a hospital with food addicts, anorexics and bulimics. So I speak out of experience.
What specific food were the patients you worked with addicted to?5 -
That appeal to authority holds absolutely no water with me. A friend's wife is a nurse, has been one for nearly 30 years, and every time she says anything about diet or nutrition it's like I'm watching the Dr. Oz show. I don't hold a formal credential in any medical discipline, but I've forgotten far more about nutrition and physiology than she'll ever know. I'd trust her to treat my wounds if I was injured, but I sure won't take one word of her advice regarding diet/nutrition because it's all garbage.CharlieAnn31 wrote: »I should have mentioned in the above post that I am a nurse and worked for 1.5 years in a hospital with food addicts, anorexics and bulimics. So I speak out of experience.
We're not "addicted" to food. Unlike heroin, cocaine, alcohol, nicotine, etc., food is an absolute necessity for our survival. We don't have to smoke or take drugs, but we do have to eat. There are certainly behavioral issues surrounding food/eating, but physical addiction to fast food, junk food, etc. is a myth. It simply doesn't exist.
And I'll echo the questions asked above - what specific food were the patients you worked with "addicted" to, and what was the treatment?13 -
CharlieAnn31 wrote: »If you are saying food is not addiction you must not have an addiction to food, thus you don't understand.
Who is "you" in this sentence? It's hard to follow if you don't quote or otherwise be more specific about what you are responding to.4 -
Ooh, I am a nurse too - and I said food addiction is not a physical addiction.
And I have been a. Nurse since 1985, so I win !!!!
And, no, I haven't been addicted to cocaine, alcohol or anything else ( except probably caffeine)
But that doesn't mean I can't understand difference between physical addiction and behavioural disorders.
That would be like saying you don't understand difference between diabetes and asthma because you haven't had either of them
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I definitely relate to the "addiction," but for me it is all related to hormones, stress, and the feeling of feeling better. It is a mental health issue, at the base of it. The original post said the bloated feeling after felt bad, which is exactly how I feel after giving in to a fast food craving. I don't think some people understand what addiction is, or only relate the word to their own personal bias, not its definition. I definitely do not understand drug addiction, to me it is a choice, so that is how I see food addictions. It is always a choice, and getting help to build willpower will be the solution. There is no magical answer, though there is research about fast food being an addiction, even if just mentally. Hormones are a powerful thing, and the key to overcoming them is to identify the reason behind why you want that fast food. I have incorporated the child meals into my eating plan and succeeded in the past, but to want it the next day? Not so much. Again, that is my personal experience, not the person posting.
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/04/27/fast-food-consumption-increases-phthalate-levels.aspx
http://time.com/4289704/fast-food-hormones
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201108/7-reasons-we-cant-turn-down-fast-food
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I think the whole issue is that the word "addiction" has a specific medical meaning. You aren't "addicted" to fast food. You might have a very unhealthy relationship with fast food but not an actual addiction. That doesn't mean you don't have a real problem, you're just not using the right words.
To me it is like people saying they are starving. No, you feel some hunger signs but you aren't starving.21 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »So... ummm... I had Taco Bell for lunch yesterday. Still not addicted. Of course OP clarified that neither is she. But some folks are still gonna stake their claim of the "It's not our fault! They made us fat!" argument, whether it's sugar or fast food or processed food or diet food or carbs or dairy or grains or whatever, so... carry on.
P.S. The Nacho Fries are good, but not really worth the hype in my opinion. But they did allow me to tell my friend she couldn't try one because "These are Nacho Fries, get your own!" (Not Your = Nacho, get it?) So, that was fun.
Do you agree most addicts will tell others they not addicts for some unknown reason?
Are you suggesting @kimny72 needs an intervention? *raised eyebrow*
This makes me realize what this thread is missing... a good, comprehensive definition of what "fast food addiction" is. I have fast food cravings sometimes (KFC commercials drive me *insane*), but since we live in a rural area and it would be a decent drive to get it, I shrug my shoulders & go "oh well". If I were an addict, would I get in the car and go? If the car was broken down, would I walk?
Great point. At 2am when I realized I was thinking about driving 10 miles in one direct to a drink machine for a Royal Crown cola yet there was no way to get a Moon Pie to go with it I realized I was a carb addict. I guess I thought if something was legal then it should not be addictive.
Shortly after that (Oct 2014) I cut out foods with added sugars and/or any form of grains on a hunch that it might help me dodge the Enbrel that I was to start in 30 days. It worked for the pain management then month by month I was able to start walking death backwards.
So at this point when you were wanting to drive to get some, you had absolutely no carbohydrates in your home? Not even anything like beans or vegetables or flour?10 -
positivepowers wrote: »Oh, and just for your information, McDonald's fries have many ingredients you would never put in homemade fries . . .
“[McDONALD'S] FRENCH FRIES:
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid [Preservative]), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Salt.
Prepared in Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil) with TBHQ and Citric Acid to preserve freshness of the oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane to reduce oil splatter when cooking.
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK.
*Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.”
https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/why-do-mcdonald-s-fries-have-nearly-20-ingredients
Do you think it's the wheat and milk ingredients that are driving the addiction?
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janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »So... ummm... I had Taco Bell for lunch yesterday. Still not addicted. Of course OP clarified that neither is she. But some folks are still gonna stake their claim of the "It's not our fault! They made us fat!" argument, whether it's sugar or fast food or processed food or diet food or carbs or dairy or grains or whatever, so... carry on.
P.S. The Nacho Fries are good, but not really worth the hype in my opinion. But they did allow me to tell my friend she couldn't try one because "These are Nacho Fries, get your own!" (Not Your = Nacho, get it?) So, that was fun.
Do you agree most addicts will tell others they not addicts for some unknown reason?
Are you suggesting @kimny72 needs an intervention? *raised eyebrow*
This makes me realize what this thread is missing... a good, comprehensive definition of what "fast food addiction" is. I have fast food cravings sometimes (KFC commercials drive me *insane*), but since we live in a rural area and it would be a decent drive to get it, I shrug my shoulders & go "oh well". If I were an addict, would I get in the car and go? If the car was broken down, would I walk?
Great point. At 2am when I realized I was thinking about driving 10 miles in one direct to a drink machine for a Royal Crown cola yet there was no way to get a Moon Pie to go with it I realized I was a carb addict. I guess I thought if something was legal then it should not be addictive.
Shortly after that (Oct 2014) I cut out foods with added sugars and/or any form of grains on a hunch that it might help me dodge the Enbrel that I was to start in 30 days. It worked for the pain management then month by month I was able to start walking death backwards.
So at this point when you were wanting to drive to get some, you had absolutely no carbohydrates in your home? Not even anything like beans or vegetables or flour?
I get your point that the addiction is to sugar not carbs in general. Perhaps you are correct.
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GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »So... ummm... I had Taco Bell for lunch yesterday. Still not addicted. Of course OP clarified that neither is she. But some folks are still gonna stake their claim of the "It's not our fault! They made us fat!" argument, whether it's sugar or fast food or processed food or diet food or carbs or dairy or grains or whatever, so... carry on.
P.S. The Nacho Fries are good, but not really worth the hype in my opinion. But they did allow me to tell my friend she couldn't try one because "These are Nacho Fries, get your own!" (Not Your = Nacho, get it?) So, that was fun.
Do you agree most addicts will tell others they not addicts for some unknown reason?
Are you suggesting @kimny72 needs an intervention? *raised eyebrow*
This makes me realize what this thread is missing... a good, comprehensive definition of what "fast food addiction" is. I have fast food cravings sometimes (KFC commercials drive me *insane*), but since we live in a rural area and it would be a decent drive to get it, I shrug my shoulders & go "oh well". If I were an addict, would I get in the car and go? If the car was broken down, would I walk?
Great point. At 2am when I realized I was thinking about driving 10 miles in one direct to a drink machine for a Royal Crown cola yet there was no way to get a Moon Pie to go with it I realized I was a carb addict. I guess I thought if something was legal then it should not be addictive.
Shortly after that (Oct 2014) I cut out foods with added sugars and/or any form of grains on a hunch that it might help me dodge the Enbrel that I was to start in 30 days. It worked for the pain management then month by month I was able to start walking death backwards.
So at this point when you were wanting to drive to get some, you had absolutely no carbohydrates in your home? Not even anything like beans or vegetables or flour?
I get your point that the addiction is to sugar not carbs in general. Perhaps you are correct.
Um no, you don’t get the point at all... but let’s keep going. So you had nothing with sugar in the house? No table sugar, no brown sugar, no honey, no packaged sweets, no fruit?
What did you do that night when you decided not to get in the car for the RC cola and moon pie? And why do I suddenly feel this entire story stems from a hokey country music song?11 -
mburgess458 wrote: »I think the whole issue is that the word "addiction" has a specific medical meaning. You aren't "addicted" to fast food. You might have a very unhealthy relationship with fast food but not an actual addiction. That doesn't mean you don't have a real problem, you're just not using the right words.
To me it is like people saying they are starving. No, you feel some hunger signs but you aren't starving.
Yes... I think the majority of people are using it as hyperbole. My concern would be that, by repeatedly telling themselves they are "addicted", they make it harder on themselves to exercise self-control. They might drive by a McDonald's & think, "I really can't help myself- I'm addicted to fast food" instead of challenging their thinking and empowering themselves by saying, "I am the one in control here and I will just keep driving". (I think I stole that from The Beck Diet Solution cognitive behavioral therapy book
)
That thought made me dig out the Beck book & see if it had a section that applied to this discussion. For those that aren't familiar with it, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) involves identifying negative thinking and challenging it to help make better choices. This book applies it to weight loss. (I'm not selling anything here, BTW, I just happen to think it's a good tool.) It has sections on overcoming cravings, sabotaging thoughts, and eating out. An interesting thought that jumps out at me in overcoming cravings:
"The emotionally painful part about a craving is the struggle you feel. Once you can say to yourself with total conviction, NO CHOICE, the craving will diminish."
Personally, I find that to be very true (not just in regards to food). I may want something really badly and know it's not a good choice for me and the *indecision* makes me miserable. But once I make a firm decision, the desired thing usually loses it's pull.11 -
positivepowers wrote: »Oh, and just for your information, McDonald's fries have many ingredients you would never put in homemade fries . . .
“[McDONALD'S] FRENCH FRIES:
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid [Preservative]), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Salt.
Prepared in Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil) with TBHQ and Citric Acid to preserve freshness of the oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane to reduce oil splatter when cooking.
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK.
*Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.”
https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/why-do-mcdonald-s-fries-have-nearly-20-ingredients
TIL: Two (three, in a way) = many. The only things I don't put in my homemade fries from that list is citric acid and sodium acid pyroposphate. Potatoes? Duh. Vegetable oil? Well, yeah. Salt? Another duh. And I don't use dextrose - I use table sugar, aka sucrose. Additionally, I sometimes add beef bouillon.
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mburgess458 wrote: »I think the whole issue is that the word "addiction" has a specific medical meaning. You aren't "addicted" to fast food. You might have a very unhealthy relationship with fast food but not an actual addiction. That doesn't mean you don't have a real problem, you're just not using the right words.
To me it is like people saying they are starving. No, you feel some hunger signs but you aren't starving.
Yes... I think the majority of people are using it as hyperbole. My concern would be that, by repeatedly telling themselves they are "addicted", they make it harder on themselves to exercise self-control. They might drive by a McDonald's & think, "I really can't help myself- I'm addicted to fast food" instead of challenging their thinking and empowering themselves by saying, "I am the one in control here and I will just keep driving". (I think I stole that from The Beck Diet Solution cognitive behavioral therapy book )
That thought made me dig out the Beck book & see if it had a section that applied to this discussion. For those that aren't familiar with it, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) involves identifying negative thinking and challenging it to help make better choices. This book applies it to weight loss. (I'm not selling anything here, BTW, I just happen to think it's a good tool.) It has sections on overcoming cravings, sabotaging thoughts, and eating out. An interesting thought that jumps out at me in overcoming cravings:
"The emotionally painful part about a craving is the struggle you feel. Once you can say to yourself with total conviction, NO CHOICE, the craving will diminish."
Personally, I find that to be very true (not just in regards to food). You may want something really badly and know it's not a good choice for you and the *indecision* makes you miserable. But once you make a firm decision, the desired thing usually loses it's pull.
I do have some personal experience/anecdata to corroborate this. I grew up 'fairly' kosher. Inside the house, my parents kept separate dishes for milk and meat. All meat and fish coming into the house was strictly kosher. I went vegetarian at 19, but before that, I wouldn't have mixed meat with dairy or had pork or shellfish. But outside the house, I eased up. I'd go into non-kosher restaurants with friends and have a vegetarian dish. If I didn't 'know' a food product contained lard or gelatin (or some other blatantly non-kosher ingredient), I didn't ask... And I had a hard time passing up cakes and cookies at work, samosa sales, potlucks, etc.
In my 20s, I became strictly kosher. And suddenly, I could pass up all the goodies I thought I had no willpower to resist. Stick a kosher-certification label on it and my willpower took a nose dive. But those mouthwatering samosa and homemade chocolate chip cookies and brownies? Overnight, it seemed I developed the ability to turn away from them.
(I did try to think of all 'bad' food as nonkosher. Yes, I know now that there are no true 'bad' foods, but it took time for me to get there. Didn't work. I couldn't lie to myself that blatantly. But for non-kosher foods, knowing that I couldn't have them did kill the cravings. I would guess that it would be similar for a person who develops a peanut allergy late in life who had previously felt unable to resist PB&J sandwiches.)7 -
Oh, really?Fizzypopization wrote: »I'm going to blow apparently everyone's mind here, but all addictions are mental. The idea of physical addiction is a myth. That doesn't mean addiction isn't real it means we thought the cause was different. Gambling can cause brain rushes same way drugs, caffeine, and fast food does. Y'all need some actual science on this board yeesh.
Obviously you've never once ever in your life seen a heroin addict going through withdrawals. That ain't mental. In no way does it compare to somebody throwing a hissy fit because they can't have a freaking cookie or a Whopper burger.
My mind is indeed blown, but not for the reason you think.
Second this. Speaking from experience have battled alcohol and cocaine addiction. It is not nice. Don't tell me it in my F&*king head....get the F out.7 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »So... ummm... I had Taco Bell for lunch yesterday. Still not addicted. Of course OP clarified that neither is she. But some folks are still gonna stake their claim of the "It's not our fault! They made us fat!" argument, whether it's sugar or fast food or processed food or diet food or carbs or dairy or grains or whatever, so... carry on.
P.S. The Nacho Fries are good, but not really worth the hype in my opinion. But they did allow me to tell my friend she couldn't try one because "These are Nacho Fries, get your own!" (Not Your = Nacho, get it?) So, that was fun.
Do you agree most addicts will tell others they not addicts for some unknown reason?
Are you suggesting @kimny72 needs an intervention? *raised eyebrow*
This makes me realize what this thread is missing... a good, comprehensive definition of what "fast food addiction" is. I have fast food cravings sometimes (KFC commercials drive me *insane*), but since we live in a rural area and it would be a decent drive to get it, I shrug my shoulders & go "oh well". If I were an addict, would I get in the car and go? If the car was broken down, would I walk?
Great point. At 2am when I realized I was thinking about driving 10 miles in one direct to a drink machine for a Royal Crown cola yet there was no way to get a Moon Pie to go with it I realized I was a carb addict. I guess I thought if something was legal then it should not be addictive.
Shortly after that (Oct 2014) I cut out foods with added sugars and/or any form of grains on a hunch that it might help me dodge the Enbrel that I was to start in 30 days. It worked for the pain management then month by month I was able to start walking death backwards.
So at this point when you were wanting to drive to get some, you had absolutely no carbohydrates in your home? Not even anything like beans or vegetables or flour?
I get your point that the addiction is to sugar not carbs in general. Perhaps you are correct.
"Perhaps"? Do you think that addicts typically leave their home in the middle of the night to get more of the substance they're addicted to if they have some in the cabinets of their house? Anyone who wants to convince me that people are addicted to carbohydrates is going to have to account for the fact that so called carbohydrate addicts are constantly bypassing and ignoring reliable sources of carbohydrates (including some very high carbohydrate foods like flour) in favor of foods that are typically considered super-palatable. You weren't thinking about driving 10 miles to get some beets, spelt flour, or even oranges (which would be suitable for a sugar addict).10 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »mburgess458 wrote: »I think the whole issue is that the word "addiction" has a specific medical meaning. You aren't "addicted" to fast food. You might have a very unhealthy relationship with fast food but not an actual addiction. That doesn't mean you don't have a real problem, you're just not using the right words.
To me it is like people saying they are starving. No, you feel some hunger signs but you aren't starving.
Yes... I think the majority of people are using it as hyperbole. My concern would be that, by repeatedly telling themselves they are "addicted", they make it harder on themselves to exercise self-control. They might drive by a McDonald's & think, "I really can't help myself- I'm addicted to fast food" instead of challenging their thinking and empowering themselves by saying, "I am the one in control here and I will just keep driving". (I think I stole that from The Beck Diet Solution cognitive behavioral therapy book )
That thought made me dig out the Beck book & see if it had a section that applied to this discussion. For those that aren't familiar with it, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) involves identifying negative thinking and challenging it to help make better choices. This book applies it to weight loss. (I'm not selling anything here, BTW, I just happen to think it's a good tool.) It has sections on overcoming cravings, sabotaging thoughts, and eating out. An interesting thought that jumps out at me in overcoming cravings:
"The emotionally painful part about a craving is the struggle you feel. Once you can say to yourself with total conviction, NO CHOICE, the craving will diminish."
Personally, I find that to be very true (not just in regards to food). You may want something really badly and know it's not a good choice for you and the *indecision* makes you miserable. But once you make a firm decision, the desired thing usually loses it's pull.
I do have some personal experience/anecdata to corroborate this. I grew up 'fairly' kosher. Inside the house, my parents kept separate dishes for milk and meat. All meat and fish coming into the house was strictly kosher. I went vegetarian at 19, but before that, I wouldn't have mixed meat with dairy or had pork or shellfish. But outside the house, I eased up. I'd go into non-kosher restaurants with friends and have a vegetarian dish. If I didn't 'know' a food product contained lard or gelatin (or some other blatantly non-kosher ingredient), I didn't ask... And I had a hard time passing up cakes and cookies at work, samosa sales, potlucks, etc.
In my 20s, I became strictly kosher. And suddenly, I could pass up all the goodies I thought I had no willpower to resist. Stick a kosher-certification label on it and my willpower took a nose dive. But those mouthwatering samosa and homemade chocolate chip cookies and brownies? Overnight, it seemed I developed the ability to turn away from them.
(I did try to think of all 'bad' food as nonkosher. Yes, I know now that there are no true 'bad' foods, but it took time for me to get there. Didn't work. I couldn't lie to myself that blatantly. But for non-kosher foods, knowing that I couldn't have them did kill the cravings. I would guess that it would be similar for a person who develops a peanut allergy late in life who had previously felt unable to resist PB&J sandwiches.)
I had a very similar experience when I went vegan. I've been vegan for about ten years now and have the exact same response to non-vegan foods as you have with non-kosher foods. It isn't a struggle for me to resist them, I recognize they can be delicious for others but it's almost like mentally they don't register as food for me. But if I find out something is vegan or I see a vegan label . . . that's a whole different story.6
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