Junk food addiction...

2

Replies

  • feby28
    feby28 Posts: 3 Member
    Eat clean for the entirety of a week except for one cheat meal.

    I have an addiction to sweets, so this month im banning all sweet and savory unhealthy snacks like cake, chocolate, chips and alcohol.
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  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
    In before alarmism.


    Listen, if you deprive yourself of the things you like you're more than likely going to fail. Just incorporate a certain amount of the food you like every day, maybe towards the end of the day. This may help you stay within your goals and not feel deprived.

    This. And calling it an addiction is a way to absolve yourself of responsibility for your actions and offensive to people with real addictions.

    Actually, I am recovering from an addiction to marijuana. Almost as soon as I got sober, I began overeating and binging occasionally. I pretty much traded one addiction for another. Besides, you can't really speak for other people who do have drug addictions or alcoholism, myself being a good example. I honestly felt offended that you would think that a food addiction is not real. Food addiction is very real. Chemicals in processed food can cause our brain to react in similar ways that drugs do. It's the fake sugars and preservatives and MSG. Kind of like caffeine. Caffeine is a drug and if your body gets to used to having it every day, and then you stop drinking coffee, you will get headaches. If you cut out all bread, noodles, crackers, and other carbs, which I have done before, you actually get headaches. These are withdrawal symptoms and I have read on someone's myfitnesspal post, can't remember who, that they had headaches and stuff when they cut out their processed food. My aunt from my dad's side said she got headaches and stuff when she cuts out her carbs. An addiction can also be defined as something you can't stop. If I could stop overeating, I would have done it a long time ago. I do feel very responsible for my actions, and in no way do I blame my being addicted to food on the overeating. If I had to eat drink one drink every day, I would be considered alcoholic. If I have to have at least one peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day, I would probably be addicted to them. And that's pretty much what I do. As much as I love salad, vegetables, and fruit, my body for some reason craves the processed peanut butter, jelly and bread. It's kind of like a relapse if I try to control myself all day and then giving in and having two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, when I could have just allowed myself a half with a piece of fruit at lunch time.

    I find it offensive that you would be offended by that. You comparing your love of candy and cakes to drugs. It's funny because when I was away in my 28 day program or my 3 month intensive out patient program I don't remember hearing any stories on snickers withdrawals. Did you hear that in your programs?

    I was addicted to snickers once. true story. *unwraps snickers*
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  • My recommendation is not to cut all junk food out of your diet, but DO cut it out of your grocery trips. If it isn't there, you can't binge on it. Then work small amounts of your favorite things into your daily goals.

    Well, this is where I am limited on the choices I can make. I am barely going to be turning nineteen in december, and have been trying to get a job for a few months now. Once I get a job and can maybe afford a small apartment or at least move in with a roommate, I will be able to avoid having those things in my house that lead to overeating.

    I am so in love with crisps and chocolate it isnt even funny. I made it until 8.30pm after a 14 mile bike ride and massive dinner before i caved and had a kinda bueno that put me 80cals over my goal. I used to binge alot especially when I wasnt logging, I would get a pepparami and eat it on my way home from Asda then I would eat dinner and have a tub of pringles to myself as a snack. I think one night I ate 8 penguins in one go.

    The first thing I did was to not go cold turkey and to make deals with myself. In my food plan for the day I have a bag of ice gems as an afternoon snack, its only 99 calories but it is pure sugar and biscuit so I feel like I am being naughty and it helps me with my need for naughtiness. If I want to eat a chocolate bar then I put it in my diary and work out how far I need to run / cycle to allow me to have it and I make myself earn it.

    The second was I made an agreement with my BF that we are only allowed one takeaway a week, so we now have a take away on a Saturday if we want one and eat at home 6 days of the week. This helps me get through the week as I think only 3 more days and I can have chinese food

    Another thing that I try and do is to find healthy versions of the junk food that I love, so instead of KFC I make my own mash and gravey and do my own version of crispy chicken but I grill it rather than fry it, or I make my own burgers with cheese and low fat dressing and have them with home made chips and no bun etc

    When the junk food craving hits me in the evening I have stocked up on sugar free fruit ice lollies which are 38 calories each so I will have one or two of these for a sweet hit

    So basically I would summerise:

    1. dont go cold turkey, try and incorporate small amounts of the food you love into your daily plan
    2. if you need it, allow yourself a treat day once a week / fortnight / month where you can have a treat meal
    3. find alternative versions of the junk food you love so you can eat healthier versions
  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
    You would. A snickers ice cream bar sounds pretty awesome right about now in this 92 degree weather.

    oh I love those! :love:
  • BubonicTonic
    BubonicTonic Posts: 19 Member
    A lot of people who advocate allowing yourself a little bit of the sugary stuff so that you don't go crazy and fall into a binge. I totally understand that. But for me one bite is just the beginning. It's easier for me to go completely sugar-free, with some good substitutions for my "cheat treat" or whatever. If I allow even one cookie in, then it's too easy to allow another and another... "it's just one cookie, it fits in my macros, it's ok, I deserve it"... etc etc. Then I'm back to craving junk food 24/7. Once you get past the first few days of junk food withdrawal it's much easier. You have to work at it. You have to practice walking past the junk food. Don't even look at it. I allow some good stuff like diet coke, expensive coffee (black), low-sugar trail mix (no m&ms) in moderation. Good tip to wait until the end of the day to allow yourself to have this.

    I realize you feel helpless against your food addiction. But understand how awesome it will feel when you can finally get some control over what you eat! It's amazing! Focus on and work towards that! You are worth it!
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
    In before alarmism.


    Listen, if you deprive yourself of the things you like you're more than likely going to fail. Just incorporate a certain amount of the food you like every day, maybe towards the end of the day. This may help you stay within your goals and not feel deprived.

    This. And calling it an addiction is a way to absolve yourself of responsibility for your actions and offensive to people with real addictions.

    Actually, I am recovering from an addiction to marijuana. Almost as soon as I got sober, I began overeating and binging occasionally. I pretty much traded one addiction for another. Besides, you can't really speak for other people who do have drug addictions or alcoholism, myself being a good example. I honestly felt offended that you would think that a food addiction is not real. Food addiction is very real. Chemicals in processed food can cause our brain to react in similar ways that drugs do. It's the fake sugars and preservatives and MSG. Kind of like caffeine. Caffeine is a drug and if your body gets to used to having it every day, and then you stop drinking coffee, you will get headaches. If you cut out all bread, noodles, crackers, and other carbs, which I have done before, you actually get headaches. These are withdrawal symptoms and I have read on someone's myfitnesspal post, can't remember who, that they had headaches and stuff when they cut out their processed food. My aunt from my dad's side said she got headaches and stuff when she cuts out her carbs. An addiction can also be defined as something you can't stop. If I could stop overeating, I would have done it a long time ago. I do feel very responsible for my actions, and in no way do I blame my being addicted to food on the overeating. If I had to eat drink one drink every day, I would be considered alcoholic. If I have to have at least one peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day, I would probably be addicted to them. And that's pretty much what I do. As much as I love salad, vegetables, and fruit, my body for some reason craves the processed peanut butter, jelly and bread. It's kind of like a relapse if I try to control myself all day and then giving in and having two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, when I could have just allowed myself a half with a piece of fruit at lunch time.

    I find it offensive that you would be offended by that. You comparing your love of candy and cakes to drugs. It's funny because when I was away in my 28 day program or my 3 month intensive out patient program I don't remember hearing any stories on snickers withdrawals. Did you hear that in your programs?

    Food addiction is actually being researched as a legitimate addiction.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    oh, try to eat a apple
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  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,000 Member
    Have you tried pre logging what you anticipate eating. So if you are logging the day before, decide what you will eat and what fits for you (whether it's calories, macros, or whatever you do). Include treats and amounts in that logging so you already know you will get them and they fit. Perhaps space them throughout the day as well.

    See if that might work for you. If you already know you get the treats in a certain amount it might take away the guilt you are feeling which seems to be causing you to just give up and binge eat on certain items once you've started eating them.

    And know that treats are not something you should feel guilt over. Ideally, they should be fit into one's diet in proper proportion.

    Keep at this and don't give up! You're going to get there! :smile:
  • Breezy3
    Breezy3 Posts: 52 Member
    Hi I am Breezy! I am a recovering alcoholic, drug addict, codependent and food addict. It does not surprise me that you can't leave junk food alone. And for me the more I ate it the more I wanted it so I had to give up totally. Unfortunately I can not give up food because I have to eat.. which is why food addiction is such a big issue in society today. Bad day... big bowl of ice cream and cookies will help make it better. NOT!!!

    I am not suggesting that you give it up totally, but cutting back on the amount you eat is a start. Portion control helps tremendously. We can eat too much healthy food and gain weight if we don't use portion control. I know first hand because I did this.

    I do not have cravings for junk food anymore and I am so grateful for that. I have noticed that the more I don't do it, I really have no desire to go there. It seems the more we eat fattening, sugary, salty food, the more we want it.

    I wish you the very best with your junk food issue. Keep us posted as you can.
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member


    People are born with or without a predisposition to be addicted to something. Addiction runs in my family. People always say "blah blah blah, you can't get addicted to marijuana, THC isn't even addicting" but what they don't know is that an addictive personality can get easily addicted to it. The minute you become dependent on something and feel out of control, and like you have to have it, it is an addiction. Does everyone get addicted to weed? No. Do some people? Yes.

    ^^^THIS.

    ANYTHING can be an addiction. ANYTHING.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    In before alarmism.


    Listen, if you deprive yourself of the things you like you're more than likely going to fail. Just incorporate a certain amount of the food you like every day, maybe towards the end of the day. This may help you stay within your goals and not feel deprived.

    This. And calling it an addiction is a way to absolve yourself of responsibility for your actions and offensive to people with real addictions.

    Actually, I am recovering from an addiction to marijuana. Almost as soon as I got sober, I began overeating and binging occasionally. I pretty much traded one addiction for another. Besides, you can't really speak for other people who do have drug addictions or alcoholism, myself being a good example. I honestly felt offended that you would think that a food addiction is not real. Food addiction is very real. Chemicals in processed food can cause our brain to react in similar ways that drugs do. It's the fake sugars and preservatives and MSG. Kind of like caffeine. Caffeine is a drug and if your body gets to used to having it every day, and then you stop drinking coffee, you will get headaches. If you cut out all bread, noodles, crackers, and other carbs, which I have done before, you actually get headaches. These are withdrawal symptoms and I have read on someone's myfitnesspal post, can't remember who, that they had headaches and stuff when they cut out their processed food. My aunt from my dad's side said she got headaches and stuff when she cuts out her carbs. An addiction can also be defined as something you can't stop. If I could stop overeating, I would have done it a long time ago. I do feel very responsible for my actions, and in no way do I blame my being addicted to food on the overeating. If I had to eat drink one drink every day, I would be considered alcoholic. If I have to have at least one peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day, I would probably be addicted to them. And that's pretty much what I do. As much as I love salad, vegetables, and fruit, my body for some reason craves the processed peanut butter, jelly and bread. It's kind of like a relapse if I try to control myself all day and then giving in and having two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, when I could have just allowed myself a half with a piece of fruit at lunch time.

    If I can quit heroin cold turkey, surely you can stop eating PB&J every night if it doesn't fit your goals?

    Seriously, I'm no better than any other addict, just because I chose a really bad drug to get hooked on, but I take responsibility for my actions. It leaves me with little sympathy for people who are "addicted" to food.

    Yep, me too. Alcohol, not heroin. Having an addiction is no excuse for continuing self-destructive behavior.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Marijuana addiction? Seriously?



    Wow.


    Out.

    THIS Seriously. :noway:
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,000 Member
    Marijuana addiction? Seriously?



    Wow.


    Out.

    THIS Seriously. :noway:

    I assume you weren't referring to the part I bolded? :wink:
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    If I can quit heroin cold turkey, surely you can stop eating PB&J every night if it doesn't fit your goals?

    Seriously, I'm no better than any other addict, just because I chose a really bad drug to get hooked on, but I take responsibility for my actions. It leaves me with little sympathy for people who are "addicted" to food.

    yup^^^^^^^^
  • It takes up to three months to detox from hyperpalatable, over-processed foods. One of the things that happens when you don't eat them, is that your dopamine system is deprived of one of its primary charges. Substance abuse researchers say that brain adaptions that result from regularly eating junk food (proven to increase consumption) are likely to be more difficult to change than those from cocaine or alcohol because they involve many more neural pathways. Almost 90 percent of the dopamine receptors in the reward center of the brain are activated in response to food cues.

    The good news is that there is a lot you can do to retrain your brain and carve new neural pathways and create more dopamine receptors. The food you eat in the period of detox should emphasize pheylalnine and tyrosine because they will boost your dopamine system. Eat well and worry less about calorie consumption as you focus on getting off junk food. I've used Pam Peeke, MD's The Hunger Fix and found that following her holistic (listen to music -- meditate -- get enough sleep -- treat yourself to non-food rewards, etc.) plan has gotten me through the night cravings.

    I think, too, we are tired in the evening. Our defenses are down. Our emotional defenses are down -- I think we're wondering if we did a good enough job of our day, worrying about what we have to do the next day -- and we feel we need some kind of immediate reward. EBay, for instance, sells more in the evening than during daylight hours, partly in search, I think, of immediate gratification/affirmation. Being aware of what's fueling your evening cravings, maybe writing about them or checking in on these bulletin boards or joining a 12-step program can help. But the main thing is to not be hungry!
  • bahargaser
    bahargaser Posts: 13 Member
    Every time I feel the need of eating junk food, I eat bitter chocolate or something similar instead. I don't really crave them so I don't feel depressed because of cutting them out. I wasn't eating for the taste anyway, it was just som kind of habit for me. Some days I eat up to 30-40 grams of chocolate and I dont care at all. I find it very satisfying. It also helps that I only live with my mom and she's been very supportive. We almost never buy junk food anymore.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    While the brain does not know the difference between food, drugs, sex etc. (it only knows, hey, that feels good…do it again), addiction is more complicated and involves so many factors. (that are outside the scope of this thread and many others) Yes, the term "food addiction" is being studied at the moment. However, it is not included in any diagnostic material and there are other diagnosis that capture issues with food. It seems many times people confuse the word "addiction" with many other things, throw the term around and do not take into account personal responsibility or the other long list of factors that come into play when speaking in terms of addiction. Is addiction a real thing? Absolutely. Is the term thrown around too much? Absolutely.
  • I think your problem is that you are telling yourself you CANT have it. I like to think about 'minimizing' things like wheat, sugar, etc... It's not that I can't have it, it's that I am choosing not to have it today.

    One thing that has helped me is saying 'I will have this on friday'. So maybe just defer dessert to Friday. And then enjoy guilt free.

    Alternately, you might take the small indulgences daily, in which case I highly recommend a small piece of dark chocolate at the end of the day. It's quite satisfying as a treat.

    ETA one more little thing. Make sure you are eating enough protein and/or food in general and are confident that the problem is not simply that you hungry. Sometimes I think people eat too little during the day trying to be healthy and then binge because they are just plain hungry. If you find that's the case, you might want to reexamine what you're eating during the day to make sure you are full and have less need for the extra food.
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,000 Member
    While the brain does not know the difference between food, drugs, sex etc. (it only knows, hey, that feels good…do it again), addiction is more complicated and involves so many factors. (that are outside the scope of this thread and many others) Yes, the term "food addiction" is being studied at the moment. However, it is not included in any diagnostic material and there are other diagnosis that capture issues with food. It seems many times people confuse the word "addiction" with many other things, throw the term around and do not take into account personal responsibility or the other long list of factors that come into play when speaking in terms of addiction. Is addiction a real thing? Absolutely. Is the term thrown around too much? Absolutely.

    Actually, it is included in the current DSM.

    DSM-V Acknowledges Food Addiction

    This past May, The American Psychiatric Association unveiled its updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V). The inclusion of Binge Eating Disorder as a diagnostic category bodes well for the eventual recognition of food addiction as a substance use disorder in future editions of the manual.

    The following is an excerpt:

    “Binge Eating Disorder:

    A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:

    a. recurrent episodes of binge eating, in which binge eating is defined as eating in a discrete period of time, (e.g. within a 2-hour period) an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances, and

    b. a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating.).

    B. Three of the following:

    a. Eating much more than normal.

    b. Eating until feeling uncomfortably full.

    c. Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry.

    d. Eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much one is eating.

    e. Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed or very guilty afterwards.

    C. Marked distress regarding binge eating.

    D. The bingeing occurs as least once a week for 3 months.

    E. The binge eating is not associated with the recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behavior as in bulimia nervosa and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa…..

    Specify current severity:

    The minimum level of severity is based on the frequency of episodes of binge eating (see below). The level of severity may be increased to reflect other symptoms and the degree of functional disability.

    Mild: 1-3 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Moderate: 4-7 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Severe: 8-13 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Extreme: 14 or more binge-eating episodes per week.”1
    Health professionals familiar with food addiction, as well as self-assessed food addicts, will immediately notice that many, possibly a large majority, of cases of food addiction fulfill all the characteristics of Binge Eating Disorder and that most late- and final-stage food addicts display severity equivalent to “severe” or “extreme” Binge Eating Disorder. In the introduction to the Feeding and Eating Disorder section of the DSM-5, this is acknowledged:

    “Some individuals with disorders described in this chapter report eating-related symptoms resembling those typically endorsed by individuals with substance-use disorders, such as strong craving and patterns of compulsive use. The resemblance may reflect the involvement of the same neural systems, including those implicated in regulatory self-control and reward in both groups of disorders. However, the relative contributions of shared and distinct factors in the development and perpetuation of eating and substance use disorder remain insufficiently understood.” (DSM-5, p 329)

    This recognition of food as a substance-use disorder in the diagnostic manual is of extreme importance. It gives clinicians encouragement to look for a psycho-socially caused eating disorder, a biochemically caused food addiction, or both. It also means that in the treating of Binge Eating Disorder, both the traditional treatment for eating disorder (i.e. therapy, mindfulness training, and medication) and traditional addictive-,model treatments (i.e., abstinence, education about chemical dependency and preparation for 12-Step-type aftercare) should be covered by health insurance reimbursement as appropriate to the clinician’s diagnosis. This principle obviously applies equally where binge-eating co-occurs with anorexia and/or bulimia. Here too, the binge eating may have psychodynamic roots, be caused by biochemical addiction or both.

    These conclusions align completely with the observations of Dr. Charles O’Brien, chairman of the Substance Use Work Group of the DSM-5. As we reported earlier, in his letter to the Food Addiction Institute, Dr. O’Brien wrote:

    “We share your interest in understanding how eating behaviors can take on characteristics that strongly resemble the behavior of individuals who abuse substances such as cocaine. It is likely that this resemblance reflects the fact that neurobiological systems involved in processing of reward are disturbed in both disorders. The problem is that, at present, the precise nature of these disturbances and how the neurobiology of eating disorders resembles and differs from the neurobiology of substance-use disorders is unknown. We, and the members of our Work group, wholeheartedly endorse research to understand this important overlap.” (foodaddictioninstitute.org. July 2012)

    We replied that The Food Addiction Institute favors introducing food as a Substance Use Disorder on an experimental basis – as Binge Eating disorder was published in the DSM-IV-TR – to encourage clinical and scientific experimentation. Meanwhile, we encourage clinicians to look not only for psycho-social, trauma-based eating disorders but also for biochemical cravings that may be caused by consumption of a specific food or foods. Each needs to be treated differently, and the most complex cases often satisfy criteria for both psycho-social eating disorders and food addiction.

    http://foodaddictioninstitute.org/news-and-events/dsm-v-acknowledges-food-addiction/2013/08/
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    While the brain does not know the difference between food, drugs, sex etc. (it only knows, hey, that feels good…do it again), addiction is more complicated and involves so many factors. (that are outside the scope of this thread and many others) Yes, the term "food addiction" is being studied at the moment. However, it is not included in any diagnostic material and there are other diagnosis that capture issues with food. It seems many times people confuse the word "addiction" with many other things, throw the term around and do not take into account personal responsibility or the other long list of factors that come into play when speaking in terms of addiction. Is addiction a real thing? Absolutely. Is the term thrown around too much? Absolutely.

    Actually, it is included in the current DSM.

    DSM-V Acknowledges Food Addiction

    This past May, The American Psychiatric Association unveiled its updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V). The inclusion of Binge Eating Disorder as a diagnostic category bodes well for the eventual recognition of food addiction as a substance use disorder in future editions of the manual.

    The following is an excerpt:

    “Binge Eating Disorder:

    A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:

    a. recurrent episodes of binge eating, in which binge eating is defined as eating in a discrete period of time, (e.g. within a 2-hour period) an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances, and

    b. a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating.).

    B. Three of the following:

    a. Eating much more than normal.

    b. Eating until feeling uncomfortably full.

    c. Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry.

    d. Eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much one is eating.

    e. Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed or very guilty afterwards.

    C. Marked distress regarding binge eating.

    D. The bingeing occurs as least once a week for 3 months.

    E. The binge eating is not associated with the recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behavior as in bulimia nervosa and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa…..

    Specify current severity:

    The minimum level of severity is based on the frequency of episodes of binge eating (see below). The level of severity may be increased to reflect other symptoms and the degree of functional disability.

    Mild: 1-3 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Moderate: 4-7 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Severe: 8-13 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Extreme: 14 or more binge-eating episodes per week.”1
    Health professionals familiar with food addiction, as well as self-assessed food addicts, will immediately notice that many, possibly a large majority, of cases of food addiction fulfill all the characteristics of Binge Eating Disorder and that most late- and final-stage food addicts display severity equivalent to “severe” or “extreme” Binge Eating Disorder. In the introduction to the Feeding and Eating Disorder section of the DSM-5, this is acknowledged:

    “Some individuals with disorders described in this chapter report eating-related symptoms resembling those typically endorsed by individuals with substance-use disorders, such as strong craving and patterns of compulsive use. The resemblance may reflect the involvement of the same neural systems, including those implicated in regulatory self-control and reward in both groups of disorders. However, the relative contributions of shared and distinct factors in the development and perpetuation of eating and substance use disorder remain insufficiently understood.” (DSM-5, p 329)

    This recognition of food as a substance-use disorder in the diagnostic manual is of extreme importance. It gives clinicians encouragement to look for a psycho-socially caused eating disorder, a biochemically caused food addiction, or both. It also means that in the treating of Binge Eating Disorder, both the traditional treatment for eating disorder (i.e. therapy, mindfulness training, and medication) and traditional addictive-,model treatments (i.e., abstinence, education about chemical dependency and preparation for 12-Step-type aftercare) should be covered by health insurance reimbursement as appropriate to the clinician’s diagnosis. This principle obviously applies equally where binge-eating co-occurs with anorexia and/or bulimia. Here too, the binge eating may have psychodynamic roots, be caused by biochemical addiction or both.

    These conclusions align completely with the observations of Dr. Charles O’Brien, chairman of the Substance Use Work Group of the DSM-5. As we reported earlier, in his letter to the Food Addiction Institute, Dr. O’Brien wrote:

    “We share your interest in understanding how eating behaviors can take on characteristics that strongly resemble the behavior of individuals who abuse substances such as cocaine. It is likely that this resemblance reflects the fact that neurobiological systems involved in processing of reward are disturbed in both disorders. The problem is that, at present, the precise nature of these disturbances and how the neurobiology of eating disorders resembles and differs from the neurobiology of substance-use disorders is unknown. We, and the members of our Work group, wholeheartedly endorse research to understand this important overlap.” (foodaddictioninstitute.org. July 2012)

    We replied that The Food Addiction Institute favors introducing food as a Substance Use Disorder on an experimental basis – as Binge Eating disorder was published in the DSM-IV-TR – to encourage clinical and scientific experimentation. Meanwhile, we encourage clinicians to look not only for psycho-social, trauma-based eating disorders but also for biochemical cravings that may be caused by consumption of a specific food or foods. Each needs to be treated differently, and the most complex cases often satisfy criteria for both psycho-social eating disorders and food addiction.

    http://foodaddictioninstitute.org/news-and-events/dsm-v-acknowledges-food-addiction/2013/08/


    Nope. The DSM-V acknowledges Binge Eating Disorder, which is why I specifically stated “there are other diagnosis that capture issues with food.” Your copy and paste from the food addiction institute acknowledges that “food addiction” is not a specific diagnosis. I have already stated it is not included in diagnostic material, but here is some additional reading for you about the changes to the DSM-V. Please note the use of Binge Eating Disorder and not “food addiction.”


    Feeding and Eating Disorders
    The chapter on Feeding and Eating Disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes several changes to better represent the symptoms and behaviors of patients dealing with these conditions across the lifespan. Among the most substantial changes are recognition of binge eating disorder, revisions to the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and inclusion of pica, rumination and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. DSM-IV listed the latter three among Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence, a chapter that will not exist in DSM-5. In recent years, clinicians and researchers have realized that a significant number of individuals with eating disorders did not fit into the DSM-IV categories of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. By default, many received a diagnosis of “eating disorder not otherwise specified.” Studies have suggested that a significant portion of individuals in that “not otherwise specified” category may actually have
    binge eating disorder.

    Binge Eating Disorder
    Binge eating disorder was approved for inclusion in DSM-5 as its own category of eating disorder. In DSM-IV, binge-eating disorder was not recognized as a disorder but rather described in Appendix B: Criteria Sets and Axes Provided for Further Study and was diagnosable using only the catch-all category of “eating disorder not otherwise specified.” Binge eating disorder is defined as recurring episodes of eating significantly more food in a short period of time than most people would eat under similar circumstances, with episodes marked by feelings of lack of control. Someone with binge eating disorder may eat too quickly, even when he or she is not hungry. The person may have feelings of guilt, embarrassment, or disgust and may binge eat alone to hide the behavior. This disorder is associated with marked distress and occurs, on average, at least
    once a week over three months. This change is intended to increase awareness of the substantial differences between binge eating disorder and the common phenomenon of overeating. While overeating is a challenge for many Americans, recurrent binge eating is much less common, far more severe, and is associated with significant
    physical and psychological problems.

    http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Eating Disorders Fact Sheet.pdf

    Feeding and Eating Disorders
    In DSM-5, the feeding and eating disorders include several disorders included in DSM-IV as feeding and eating disorders of infancy or early childhood in the chapter “Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence.” In addition, brief descriptions and preliminary diagnostic criteria are provided for several conditions under other specified feeding and eating disorder; insufficient information about these conditions is currently available to document their clinical characteristics and validity
    or to provide definitive diagnostic criteria.

    Binge-Eating Disorder
    Extensive research followed the promulgation of preliminary criteria for binge eating disorder in Appendix B of DSM-IV, and findings supported the clinical utility and validity of binge-eating disorder. The only significant difference from the preliminary DSM-IV criteria is that the minimum average frequency of binge eating required for diagnosis has been changed from at least twice weekly for 6 months to at
    least once weekly over the last 3 months, which is identical to the DSM-5 frequency criterion for bulimia nervosa.

    http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/changes from dsm-iv-tr to dsm-5.pdf
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
    Step 1, identify the dealers and avoid them:

    Ld3044o.jpg
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,000 Member
    While the brain does not know the difference between food, drugs, sex etc. (it only knows, hey, that feels good…do it again), addiction is more complicated and involves so many factors. (that are outside the scope of this thread and many others) Yes, the term "food addiction" is being studied at the moment. However, it is not included in any diagnostic material and there are other diagnosis that capture issues with food. It seems many times people confuse the word "addiction" with many other things, throw the term around and do not take into account personal responsibility or the other long list of factors that come into play when speaking in terms of addiction. Is addiction a real thing? Absolutely. Is the term thrown around too much? Absolutely.

    Actually, it is included in the current DSM.

    DSM-V Acknowledges Food Addiction

    This past May, The American Psychiatric Association unveiled its updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V). The inclusion of Binge Eating Disorder as a diagnostic category bodes well for the eventual recognition of food addiction as a substance use disorder in future editions of the manual.

    The following is an excerpt:

    “Binge Eating Disorder:

    A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:

    a. recurrent episodes of binge eating, in which binge eating is defined as eating in a discrete period of time, (e.g. within a 2-hour period) an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances, and

    b. a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating.).

    B. Three of the following:

    a. Eating much more than normal.

    b. Eating until feeling uncomfortably full.

    c. Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry.

    d. Eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much one is eating.

    e. Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed or very guilty afterwards.

    C. Marked distress regarding binge eating.

    D. The bingeing occurs as least once a week for 3 months.

    E. The binge eating is not associated with the recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behavior as in bulimia nervosa and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa…..

    Specify current severity:

    The minimum level of severity is based on the frequency of episodes of binge eating (see below). The level of severity may be increased to reflect other symptoms and the degree of functional disability.

    Mild: 1-3 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Moderate: 4-7 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Severe: 8-13 binge-eating episodes per week.
    Extreme: 14 or more binge-eating episodes per week.”1
    Health professionals familiar with food addiction, as well as self-assessed food addicts, will immediately notice that many, possibly a large majority, of cases of food addiction fulfill all the characteristics of Binge Eating Disorder and that most late- and final-stage food addicts display severity equivalent to “severe” or “extreme” Binge Eating Disorder. In the introduction to the Feeding and Eating Disorder section of the DSM-5, this is acknowledged:

    “Some individuals with disorders described in this chapter report eating-related symptoms resembling those typically endorsed by individuals with substance-use disorders, such as strong craving and patterns of compulsive use. The resemblance may reflect the involvement of the same neural systems, including those implicated in regulatory self-control and reward in both groups of disorders. However, the relative contributions of shared and distinct factors in the development and perpetuation of eating and substance use disorder remain insufficiently understood.” (DSM-5, p 329)

    This recognition of food as a substance-use disorder in the diagnostic manual is of extreme importance. It gives clinicians encouragement to look for a psycho-socially caused eating disorder, a biochemically caused food addiction, or both. It also means that in the treating of Binge Eating Disorder, both the traditional treatment for eating disorder (i.e. therapy, mindfulness training, and medication) and traditional addictive-,model treatments (i.e., abstinence, education about chemical dependency and preparation for 12-Step-type aftercare) should be covered by health insurance reimbursement as appropriate to the clinician’s diagnosis. This principle obviously applies equally where binge-eating co-occurs with anorexia and/or bulimia. Here too, the binge eating may have psychodynamic roots, be caused by biochemical addiction or both.

    These conclusions align completely with the observations of Dr. Charles O’Brien, chairman of the Substance Use Work Group of the DSM-5. As we reported earlier, in his letter to the Food Addiction Institute, Dr. O’Brien wrote:

    “We share your interest in understanding how eating behaviors can take on characteristics that strongly resemble the behavior of individuals who abuse substances such as cocaine. It is likely that this resemblance reflects the fact that neurobiological systems involved in processing of reward are disturbed in both disorders. The problem is that, at present, the precise nature of these disturbances and how the neurobiology of eating disorders resembles and differs from the neurobiology of substance-use disorders is unknown. We, and the members of our Work group, wholeheartedly endorse research to understand this important overlap.” (foodaddictioninstitute.org. July 2012)

    We replied that The Food Addiction Institute favors introducing food as a Substance Use Disorder on an experimental basis – as Binge Eating disorder was published in the DSM-IV-TR – to encourage clinical and scientific experimentation. Meanwhile, we encourage clinicians to look not only for psycho-social, trauma-based eating disorders but also for biochemical cravings that may be caused by consumption of a specific food or foods. Each needs to be treated differently, and the most complex cases often satisfy criteria for both psycho-social eating disorders and food addiction.

    http://foodaddictioninstitute.org/news-and-events/dsm-v-acknowledges-food-addiction/2013/08/


    Nope. The DSM-V acknowledges Binge Eating Disorder, which is why I specifically stated “there are other diagnosis that capture issues with food.” Your copy and paste from the food addiction institute acknowledges that “food addiction” is not a specific diagnosis. I have already stated it is not included in diagnostic material, but here is some additional reading for you about the changes to the DSM-V. Please note the use of Binge Eating Disorder and not “food addiction.”


    Feeding and Eating Disorders
    The chapter on Feeding and Eating Disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes several changes to better represent the symptoms and behaviors of patients dealing with these conditions across the lifespan. Among the most substantial changes are recognition of binge eating disorder, revisions to the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and inclusion of pica, rumination and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. DSM-IV listed the latter three among Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence, a chapter that will not exist in DSM-5. In recent years, clinicians and researchers have realized that a significant number of individuals with eating disorders did not fit into the DSM-IV categories of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. By default, many received a diagnosis of “eating disorder not otherwise specified.” Studies have suggested that a significant portion of individuals in that “not otherwise specified” category may actually have
    binge eating disorder.

    Binge Eating Disorder
    Binge eating disorder was approved for inclusion in DSM-5 as its own category of eating disorder. In DSM-IV, binge-eating disorder was not recognized as a disorder but rather described in Appendix B: Criteria Sets and Axes Provided for Further Study and was diagnosable using only the catch-all category of “eating disorder not otherwise specified.” Binge eating disorder is defined as recurring episodes of eating significantly more food in a short period of time than most people would eat under similar circumstances, with episodes marked by feelings of lack of control. Someone with binge eating disorder may eat too quickly, even when he or she is not hungry. The person may have feelings of guilt, embarrassment, or disgust and may binge eat alone to hide the behavior. This disorder is associated with marked distress and occurs, on average, at least
    once a week over three months. This change is intended to increase awareness of the substantial differences between binge eating disorder and the common phenomenon of overeating. While overeating is a challenge for many Americans, recurrent binge eating is much less common, far more severe, and is associated with significant
    physical and psychological problems.

    http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Eating Disorders Fact Sheet.pdf

    Feeding and Eating Disorders
    In DSM-5, the feeding and eating disorders include several disorders included in DSM-IV as feeding and eating disorders of infancy or early childhood in the chapter “Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence.” In addition, brief descriptions and preliminary diagnostic criteria are provided for several conditions under other specified feeding and eating disorder; insufficient information about these conditions is currently available to document their clinical characteristics and validity
    or to provide definitive diagnostic criteria.

    Binge-Eating Disorder
    Extensive research followed the promulgation of preliminary criteria for binge eating disorder in Appendix B of DSM-IV, and findings supported the clinical utility and validity of binge-eating disorder. The only significant difference from the preliminary DSM-IV criteria is that the minimum average frequency of binge eating required for diagnosis has been changed from at least twice weekly for 6 months to at
    least once weekly over the last 3 months, which is identical to the DSM-5 frequency criterion for bulimia nervosa.

    http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/changes from dsm-iv-tr to dsm-5.pdf

    That is accurate. Actual food addiction is still not in the dsm (although don't get me started on the fact that everything else is). Just pointing out there is acknowledgement and discussion of surrounding issues which are in the diagnostic, of which I see you are already aware and just didn't expand upon so I wasn't sure what you were referring to.

    Still, I think the actual current criteria of this maybe of interest to some members reading in this thread, so thank you for adding on to it with your links.
  • Lichent
    Lichent Posts: 157 Member
    Junk Food messes with the brain chemistry, thats for sure, my buddy is an ex smoker and he compares giving up the junk food with giving up ciggies.

    It is the sugar rush, it also sets off cravings, the more you eat of it the more you want to eat, it inteferes with the hormones and body chemistry that tells you when are full or hungry.

    We had cupboards full of the stuff until we purged and dextoxed the cupboards.

    I just posted a piece on excercises to do to change ones relationship with junk food so one no longer feels deprived , a childs attitude , by not eating the nasty sweet stuff.
    It is associating junk food with nasty images.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1096091-reframing-it-for-junk-food-junkees
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
    I think your problem is that you are telling yourself you CANT have it. I like to think about 'minimizing' things like wheat, sugar, etc... It's not that I can't have it, it's that I am choosing not to have it today.

    One thing that has helped me is saying 'I will have this on friday'. So maybe just defer dessert to Friday. And then enjoy guilt free.

    Alternately, you might take the small indulgences daily, in which case I highly recommend a small piece of dark chocolate at the end of the day. It's quite satisfying as a treat.

    ETA one more little thing. Make sure you are eating enough protein and/or food in general and are confident that the problem is not simply that you hungry. Sometimes I think people eat too little during the day trying to be healthy and then binge because they are just plain hungry. If you find that's the case, you might want to reexamine what you're eating during the day to make sure you are full and have less need for the extra food.


    Hmm, that's a much better way of thinking about it.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    In before alarmism.


    Listen, if you deprive yourself of the things you like you're more than likely going to fail. Just incorporate a certain amount of the food you like every day, maybe towards the end of the day. This may help you stay within your goals and not feel deprived.
    this for sure I use to do this too it helps so much
  • I love pizza. But I eat it in moderation.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,207 Member
    I love pizza. But I eat it in moderation.
    I'm addicted to pizza, but I only eat it a few times a month.