Is food addiction a real thing?
Replies
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For those who don't want to visit the links, just thought I'd copy and paste the quiz questions here. You'd rate yourself on a scale of 1-5 on each statement, with 1 being "never" and 5 being "all the time". I was a "5" on 98 out of 100 of these!! THAT is what addiction *feels* like, whether it's "scientifically proven" or not. (And again, I could care less about that, I just wanted help!!).
Food for thought..........................................
I feel out of control of my ability to stop eating more than once in a while.
1 2 3 4 5
I have dieted many times, but the weight most always comes back.
1 2 3 4 5
I eat when I am not physically hungry more than once in a while.
1 2 3 4 5
I am often unaware of my hunger and fullness cues.
1 2 3 4 5
My self-worth can change, depending on what I say, accomplish or look like.
1 2 3 4 5
I often put others' needs before my own.
1 2 3 4 5
I sometimes change my plans with others in order to overeat alone.
1 2 3 4 5
I eat to the point of significant discomfort more than occasionally.
1 2 3 4 5
When I overeat, I am often alone.
1 2 3 4 5
I feel better or worse about myself on a given day depending on how I look physically.
1 2 3 4 5
I often don't fully speak my mind.
1 2 3 4 5
Food is a source of shame.
1 2 3 4 5
I tend to graze, never really finishing a meal.
1 2 3 4 5
I believe there are "good" foods and "bad" foods.
1 2 3 4 5
I believe I cannot trust my body to maintain a healthy weight.
1 2 3 4 5
I feel guilt after overeating.
1 2 3 4 5
I tend to eat more if I am stressed, anxious or depressed.
1 2 3 4 5
I tend to be fairly critical of myself if I fail at something.
1 2 3 4 5
I find it upsetting if I think someone is disappointed in or angry with me.
1 2 3 4 5
Food is a source of comfort.
1 2 3 4 5
I think about food often when I am not hungry.
1 2 3 4 50 -
And here are the Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous. If anyone has any questions, please send me a private message and I'll be happy to assist.
1. We admitted we were powerless over food — that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs.0 -
When people are giving BJs in the alley for twinkie money, then we can talk about food addiction.
Does this happen with people addicted to cigarettes? No. Don't think your argument is valid, sorry.0 -
you can be psychologically addicted to pretty much anything
physiological addiction, not so much.
Also, given that drugs are not all in the same category here, i.e. some create physiological dependency, others are just psychologically addictive, the question "is food addiction like drug addiction?" is flawed from the start.0 -
I have worked in the psych field for a very long time and I am currently in school to be a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I can tell you that humans can be mentally addicted to anything, whether it be good or bad for them. Food is used as a coping mechanism for many people in industrialized countries like America because is easily attainable for many of us and has been a source of comfort since we were young. Every single person on this planet has coping mechanisms for stressors, whether you realize it or not. Some people take a shower, some people do drugs, some people scrapbook, some people run, some people eat. Any coping mechanism can become an addiction if it takes over your lifestyle and you become dependent on it. We are also taught from a young age that eating makes you feel better or is a reward in this culture. Example..mom gives out cookies for a booboo or takes the kids out to eat for getting good grades.0
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I have worked in the psych field for a very long time and I am currently in school to be a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I can tell you that humans can be mentally addicted to anything, whether it be good or bad for them. Food is used as a coping mechanism for many people in industrialized countries like America because is easily attainable for many of us and has been a source of comfort since we were young. Every single person on this planet has coping mechanisms for stressors, whether you realize it or not. Some people take a shower, some people do drugs, some people scrapbook, some people run, some people eat. Any coping mechanism can become an addiction if it takes over your lifestyle and you become dependent on it. We are also taught from a young age that eating makes you feel better or is a reward in this culture. Example..mom gives out cookies for a booboo or takes the kids out to eat for getting good grades.
Thank you psychrn83, nice post0 -
Okay, but as I understand it, and my grandfather was a member for 46 years, you can never drink again in AA. The man literally never touched a drop of alcohol (even in medicine) for over 4 decades.
How does that work with food? That's a genuine question. I'm curious.
That is a wonderful question!
I mean, humans don't *have* to drink alcohol...but we've gotta eat, right? This was one of my biggest questions at the beginning.
There is a Tool in OA known as "Abstinence". Tools, BTW, are not required to use (well, none of the program is required) - Tools are just suggestions of helpful ways to handle food, based on tried and true things that have worked for others.
Abstinence means refraining from consuming an item that we feel we have a "problem" with. Or, participating in a behavior that we have a problem with. Some might call them "Trigger Foods" or "Trigger Behaviors". Some have trigger foods and behaviors, some don't. If you DO, though...Abstinence can be a powerful fix-all.
Let me give you an example:
When I was a chronic compulsive overeater, I used to go to a local cupcake shop every Saturday afternoon and purchase four cupcakes: two red velvets with cream cheese frosting, one white with white icing and one chocolate with white icing (this was VERY specific, lol). I would always tell the person at the counter it was for some girlfriends and I. But then I'd drive a few blocks away where no one was around and wolf all four of them down while listening to whatever NPR quiz show was on at that time LOL.
So there you see two things: trigger foods (cupcakes) and trigger behaviors (sneaking off alone and wolfing too much food down while no one was looking).
After learning about the Tool of Abstinence, I chose to sit down with a pad of paper and write down all the foods that I felt I had a problem with. For me, problem foods were ones that I liked to sneak away with, eat too much of, and would obsess about all day long.
That list came to include all baked goods of any sort, all white flour products such as pasta and sourdough bread particularly, and anything with artificial sweetener. I allowed myself chips, deli meats, nuts, cheese, and other things I love to snack on, just not the aforementioned foods. On January 2nd of 2012 I said I would abstain from these things for one day. Then I did it again the next day. Then the next. After abstaining for about a month, I felt AMAZING. Free. I wanted healthy food. I wasn't hiding or sneaking around. I was finally losing weight without much trouble.
I asked myself, "Brandy, what if you need to abstain from these foods for LIFE. Would you be willing to do it?" That was a big moment for me.
I had to answer....YES. And I never looked back. Best thing I ever did. I don't miss a single one of those foods - and especially not the behaviors, which kept me trapped for years and years.
But again - this was just FOR ME. It is not always necessary for everyone. And, it's not always this extreme. It might be ONE food for you - like chips. Or Diet Coke. But it's a powerful Tool - a powerful method for getting free.
Just a consideration. Sorry this was so long. I wanted to explain adequately.0 -
Okay, but as I understand it, and my grandfather was a member for 46 years, you can never drink again in AA. The man literally never touched a drop of alcohol (even in medicine) for over 4 decades.
How does that work with food? That's a genuine question. I'm curious.
That is a wonderful question! I mean, humans don't *have* to drink alcohol...but we've gotta eat, right? This was one of my biggest questions at the beginning.
There is a Tool in OA known as "Abstinence". Tools, BTW, are not required to use (well, none of the program is required) - Tools are just suggestions of helpful ways to handle food, based on tried and true things that have worked for others.
Abstinence means refraining from consuming an item that we feel we have a "problem" with. Or, participating in a behavior that we have a problem with. Some might call them "Trigger Foods" or "Trigger Behaviors". Some have trigger foods and behaviors, some don't. If you DO, though...Abstinence can be a powerful fix-all.
Let me give you an example:
When I was a chronic compulsive overeater, I used to go to a local cupcake shop every Saturday afternoon and purchase four cupcakes: two red velvets with cream cheese frosting, one white with white icing and one chocolate with white icing (this was VERY specific, lol). I would always tell the person at the counter it was for some girlfriends and I. But then I'd drive a few blocks away where no one was around and wolf all four of them down while listening to whatever NPR quiz show was on at that time LOL.
So there you see two things: trigger foods (cupcakes) and trigger behaviors (sneaking off alone and wolfing too much food down while no one was looking).
After learning about the Tool of Abstinence, I chose to sit down with a pad of paper and write down all the foods that I felt I had a problem with. For me, problem foods were ones that I liked to sneak away with, eat too much of, and would obsess about all day long.
That list came to include all baked goods of any sort, all white flour products such as pasta and sourdough bread particularly, and anything with artificial sweetener. I allowed myself chips, deli meats, nuts, cheese, and other things I love to snack on, just not the aforementioned foods. On January 2nd of 2012 I said I would abstain from these things for one day. Then I did it again the next day. Then the next. After abstaining for about a month, I felt AMAZING. Free. I wanted healthy food. I wasn't hiding or sneaking around. I was finally losing weight without much trouble.
I asked myself, "Brandy, what if you need to abstain from these foods for LIFE. Would you be willing to do it?" That was a big moment for me.
I had to answer....YES. And I never looked back. Best thing I ever did. I don't miss a single one of those foods - and especially not the behaviors, which kept me trapped for years and years.
But again - this was just FOR ME. It is not always necessary for everyone. And, it's not always this extreme. It might be ONE food for you - like chips. Or Diet Coke. But it's a powerful Tool - a powerful method for getting free.
Just a consideration. Sorry this was so long. I wanted to explain adequately.
No, not too long at all, and thank you very much for answering. I've got this twinge with this idea because I've seen alcohol and drug addiction for my entire life.
This is what worries me with the comparison between physiological addiction to something like alcohol or drugs and the psychological addiction to food (assuming of course it exists which I'm fine saying it does). Giving up alcohol is a massive step and it means holding a glass of juice at times when everyone else is having a drink and a good time, but if you have to then you have to. But is it really necessary to give up cupcakes for life?
If it worked for you, then great. But that's an awfully serious step to take for the rest of your life. No baked goods. What happens if you fall off the wagon? Is it because of the addiction or is because you're a normal person who may want a cupcake? Hell, I get cravings for baked goods. I was known to stand in line for hours at 2:00 a.m. outside of a certain bakery in Manhattan for some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, but that was years ago.0 -
I have worked in the psych field for a very long time and I am currently in school to be a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I can tell you that humans can be mentally addicted to anything, whether it be good or bad for them. Food is used as a coping mechanism for many people in industrialized countries like America because is easily attainable for many of us and has been a source of comfort since we were young. Every single person on this planet has coping mechanisms for stressors, whether you realize it or not. Some people take a shower, some people do drugs, some people scrapbook, some people run, some people eat. Any coping mechanism can become an addiction if it takes over your lifestyle and you become dependent on it. We are also taught from a young age that eating makes you feel better or is a reward in this culture. Example..mom gives out cookies for a booboo or takes the kids out to eat for getting good grades.
I'm also curious is not just about whether or not something is addicting, but about how addicting it can be, or how hard it is to break that addiction. Can food be just as addicting?
I've seen people going through opioid withdrawals. I've kicked the nicotine habit myself. I've also been on a super strict diet where I was not allowed to eat most of the food I enjoy or crave and have driven around trying to talk myself out of going through a drive thru. I can't say they are all equal. Perhaps I wasn't truly addicted to food, but I'm curious.0 -
Hmm. I am aware of the research that was done in rats. Not aware of any done in humans. Pretty much until someone commits a crime in order to get their fix of Double Stuff Oreos, I'm not buying the sugar as an addiction theory. Nor food in general. We NEED food to survive, so how in the heck would one even go about 'recovering' from a food addiction?0
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Okay, but as I understand it, and my grandfather was a member for 46 years, you can never drink again in AA. The man literally never touched a drop of alcohol (even in medicine) for over 4 decades.
How does that work with food? That's a genuine question. I'm curious.
That is a wonderful question! I mean, humans don't *have* to drink alcohol...but we've gotta eat, right? This was one of my biggest questions at the beginning.
There is a Tool in OA known as "Abstinence". Tools, BTW, are not required to use (well, none of the program is required) - Tools are just suggestions of helpful ways to handle food, based on tried and true things that have worked for others.
Abstinence means refraining from consuming an item that we feel we have a "problem" with. Or, participating in a behavior that we have a problem with. Some might call them "Trigger Foods" or "Trigger Behaviors". Some have trigger foods and behaviors, some don't. If you DO, though...Abstinence can be a powerful fix-all.
Let me give you an example:
When I was a chronic compulsive overeater, I used to go to a local cupcake shop every Saturday afternoon and purchase four cupcakes: two red velvets with cream cheese frosting, one white with white icing and one chocolate with white icing (this was VERY specific, lol). I would always tell the person at the counter it was for some girlfriends and I. But then I'd drive a few blocks away where no one was around and wolf all four of them down while listening to whatever NPR quiz show was on at that time LOL.
So there you see two things: trigger foods (cupcakes) and trigger behaviors (sneaking off alone and wolfing too much food down while no one was looking).
After learning about the Tool of Abstinence, I chose to sit down with a pad of paper and write down all the foods that I felt I had a problem with. For me, problem foods were ones that I liked to sneak away with, eat too much of, and would obsess about all day long.
That list came to include all baked goods of any sort, all white flour products such as pasta and sourdough bread particularly, and anything with artificial sweetener. I allowed myself chips, deli meats, nuts, cheese, and other things I love to snack on, just not the aforementioned foods. On January 2nd of 2012 I said I would abstain from these things for one day. Then I did it again the next day. Then the next. After abstaining for about a month, I felt AMAZING. Free. I wanted healthy food. I wasn't hiding or sneaking around. I was finally losing weight without much trouble.
I asked myself, "Brandy, what if you need to abstain from these foods for LIFE. Would you be willing to do it?" That was a big moment for me.
I had to answer....YES. And I never looked back. Best thing I ever did. I don't miss a single one of those foods - and especially not the behaviors, which kept me trapped for years and years.
But again - this was just FOR ME. It is not always necessary for everyone. And, it's not always this extreme. It might be ONE food for you - like chips. Or Diet Coke. But it's a powerful Tool - a powerful method for getting free.
Just a consideration. Sorry this was so long. I wanted to explain adequately.
That was a very lovely post. Thank you. :flowerforyou:
I think Neandermagnon hit the nail on the head when she said there is a difference between psychological and physical addictions. I don't have all the answers, but am glad there is help like you have described for people who are (at the very least) psychologically addicted to food and/or sugar.
And, BTW, I did change my stance on this based on the posts in this thread. So thanks for the good reading!0 -
These threads tend to get way off track but I will throw my 2 cents in...
I got sober off of booze and hard drugs 7 years ago. Within two years I had gained 100 pounds. I tried all the diets and simply wasn't willing to admit I was addicted to food, but my life got darker and darker. I lost 90 pounds and then gained it all back. In 2012 alone I yoyo the same 30 pounds 3 times. I did all the same stuff I did with drugs with food. I lived a double life. I opened credit cards my wife didn't know about so I could eat fast food several times a day without her pestering me. There were months where I spent upwards of 500 dollars on those cards hitting drive thru places every night. Some times I left the house 2 or 3 times to go binge. My wife is a dietician and didn't believe in food addiction. Eating disorders in men are very rare. We did couples therapy and everything. Someone I met at an AA meeting (which I had been attending for years) turned me on to OA last year and it has really helped.
Weather or not science has proven it is addiction or not doesn't matter to me. Treating it as such has really helped me. I eat 3 meals and 1 snack each day and phone or text in a food dairy to my sponsor every day. It is a radical step to say I won't every eat refined sugar or white flour again, but that is much easier than trying to manage an eating disorder. It was destroying my life.
I don't expect everyone to understand that, but thats my story.0 -
Hi all
It's something that I know is pretty controversial, the idea that someone can exhibit an addiction to food. I was just wondering what you guys have to say on the topic!
Depends on your definition of 'addiction'. I think the answer yes.
You can have a psychological addiction to just about anything. Physical addictions are more complicated... Foods like caffeine, chocolate, and sugar can turn into physical addictions.
Edit: One could argue that over-eating is an addiction. I am so confused. Yes... The answer seems to be yes lol. It is a "real thing".0 -
These threads tend to get way off track but I will throw my 2 cents in...
I got sober off of booze and hard drugs 7 years ago. Within two years I had gained 100 pounds. I tried all the diets and simply wasn't willing to admit I was addicted to food, but my life got darker and darker. I lost 90 pounds and then gained it all back. In 2012 alone I yoyo the same 30 pounds 3 times. I did all the same stuff I did with drugs with food. I lived a double life. I opened credit cards my wife didn't know about so I could eat fast food several times a day without her pestering me. There were months where I spent upwards of 500 dollars on those cards hitting drive thru places every night. Some times I left the house 2 or 3 times to go binge. My wife is a dietician and didn't believe in food addiction. Eating disorders in men are very rare. We did couples therapy and everything. Someone I met at an AA meeting (which I had been attending for years) turned me on to OA last year and it has really helped.
Weather or not science has proven it is addiction or not doesn't matter to me. Treating it as such has really helped me. I eat 3 meals and 1 snack each day and phone or text in a food dairy to my sponsor every day. It is a radical step to say I won't every eat refined sugar or white flour again, but that is much easier than trying to manage an eating disorder. It was destroying my life.
I don't expect everyone to understand that, but thats my story.
Wow, that's an incredible story. Thank you for sharing. Opening credit cards to get drive thru in clandestine manner...wow. I hope you are doing ok now.0 -
No, not too long at all, and thank you very much for answering. I've got this twinge with this idea because I've seen alcohol and drug addiction for my entire life.
This is what worries me with the comparison between physiological addiction to something like alcohol or drugs and the psychological addiction to food (assuming of course it exists which I'm fine saying it does). Giving up alcohol is a massive step and it means holding a glass of juice at times when everyone else is having a drink and a good time, but if you have to then you have to. But is it really necessary to give up cupcakes for life?
If it worked for you, then great. But that's an awfully serious step to take for the rest of your life. No baked goods. What happens if you fall off the wagon? Is it because of the addiction or is because you're a normal person who may want a cupcake? Hell, I get cravings for baked goods. I was known to stand in line for hours at 2:00 a.m. outside of a certain bakery in Manhattan for some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, but that was years ago.
This is the thing: whether it's "necessary" to give up cupcakes (or whatever) for life is ENTIRELY between you and your higher power (this is OA-speak here, sorry). It is not for me to say for you or anyone else... I can only tell you what I knew I needed to do, and what worked for *me*. Abstinence from the foods I mentioned works for *me*. Moderation works for me in other areas. And for some people, they might need ONLY moderation. It totally depends. It is your personal journey and you have to work that through with yourself.
I think what I was trying to articulate was your question about giving up alcohol and how that compares with food. I absolutely see certain foods as "acting" like alcohol for certain people (like the cupcakes for myself). I realized that for me, allowing myself to eat "just a little" of the foods I've chosen to abstain from would be exactly the same as allowing myself "just a little" of a martini if I were an alcoholic. It's exactly the same for me. I cannot emphasize this enough. Thus, it's a no-brainer for me to give those foods up, just as an alcoholic goes cold turkey and never looks back.
There are ways to tell whether you're just a "normal person" who just wants a cupcake every now and again or if you have a problem with them as a compulsive overeater. Take a look at the quiz questions I posted above and you'll get the idea real quick.
You are correct - it WAS awfully serious to take this step for the rest of my life. And again I can't emphasize it enough - it was the best thing I ever did. 0 -
These threads tend to get way off track but I will throw my 2 cents in...
I got sober off of booze and hard drugs 7 years ago. Within two years I had gained 100 pounds. I tried all the diets and simply wasn't willing to admit I was addicted to food, but my life got darker and darker. I lost 90 pounds and then gained it all back. In 2012 alone I yoyo the same 30 pounds 3 times. I did all the same stuff I did with drugs with food. I lived a double life. I opened credit cards my wife didn't know about so I could eat fast food several times a day without her pestering me. There were months where I spent upwards of 500 dollars on those cards hitting drive thru places every night. Some times I left the house 2 or 3 times to go binge. My wife is a dietician and didn't believe in food addiction. Eating disorders in men are very rare. We did couples therapy and everything. Someone I met at an AA meeting (which I had been attending for years) turned me on to OA last year and it has really helped.
Weather or not science has proven it is addiction or not doesn't matter to me. Treating it as such has really helped me. I eat 3 meals and 1 snack each day and phone or text in a food dairy to my sponsor every day. It is a radical step to say I won't every eat refined sugar or white flour again, but that is much easier than trying to manage an eating disorder. It was destroying my life.
I don't expect everyone to understand that, but thats my story.
I guess this proves to the gentleman who said "until you're getting BJ's in the back of an alley to get drugs...." that it's exactly the same thing. Exactly the same.
Thanks for sharing your story. I am so excited to find a fellow OA'er on here. 0 -
That was a very lovely post. Thank you. :flowerforyou:
I think Neandermagnon hit the nail on the head when she said there is a difference between psychological and physical addictions. I don't have all the answers, but am glad there is help like you have described for people who are (at the very least) psychologically addicted to food and/or sugar.
And, BTW, I did change my stance on this based on the posts in this thread. So thanks for the good reading!
Oh how cool! Thanks, and you're very welcome! 0 -
I read an article once that showed that lab rats preferred sugar to cocaine! I definately believe in food addiction. Some worse than others. I think I may have an addiction to chocolate and/or sugar. I get pretty bad cravings that are neverending. The only way to help my cravings is to cut out the sugar for a while, to atleast keep it under control. I'm sure there are way worse food addictions than mine. I'm definately an emotional eater, as well. I've learned how to deal with my issues though, and I've done pretty well.)) 0
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These threads tend to get way off track but I will throw my 2 cents in...
I got sober off of booze and hard drugs 7 years ago. Within two years I had gained 100 pounds. I tried all the diets and simply wasn't willing to admit I was addicted to food, but my life got darker and darker. I lost 90 pounds and then gained it all back. In 2012 alone I yoyo the same 30 pounds 3 times. I did all the same stuff I did with drugs with food. I lived a double life. I opened credit cards my wife didn't know about so I could eat fast food several times a day without her pestering me. There were months where I spent upwards of 500 dollars on those cards hitting drive thru places every night. Some times I left the house 2 or 3 times to go binge. My wife is a dietician and didn't believe in food addiction. Eating disorders in men are very rare. We did couples therapy and everything. Someone I met at an AA meeting (which I had been attending for years) turned me on to OA last year and it has really helped.
Weather or not science has proven it is addiction or not doesn't matter to me. Treating it as such has really helped me. I eat 3 meals and 1 snack each day and phone or text in a food dairy to my sponsor every day. It is a radical step to say I won't every eat refined sugar or white flour again, but that is much easier than trying to manage an eating disorder. It was destroying my life.
I don't expect everyone to understand that, but thats my story.
I guess this proves to the gentleman who said "until you're getting BJ's in the back of an alley to get drugs...." that it's exactly the same thing. Exactly the same.
Thanks for sharing your story. I am so excited to find a fellow OA'er on here.
There is a binge eating recovery group on MFP somewhere. The board moves slow and there aren't a lot of participants but there are a couple of challenges going on right now. I'll try and find a link.0 -
No, not too long at all, and thank you very much for answering. I've got this twinge with this idea because I've seen alcohol and drug addiction for my entire life.
This is what worries me with the comparison between physiological addiction to something like alcohol or drugs and the psychological addiction to food (assuming of course it exists which I'm fine saying it does). Giving up alcohol is a massive step and it means holding a glass of juice at times when everyone else is having a drink and a good time, but if you have to then you have to. But is it really necessary to give up cupcakes for life?
If it worked for you, then great. But that's an awfully serious step to take for the rest of your life. No baked goods. What happens if you fall off the wagon? Is it because of the addiction or is because you're a normal person who may want a cupcake? Hell, I get cravings for baked goods. I was known to stand in line for hours at 2:00 a.m. outside of a certain bakery in Manhattan for some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, but that was years ago.
This is the thing: whether it's "necessary" to give up cupcakes (or whatever) for life is ENTIRELY between you and your higher power (this is OA-speak here, sorry). It is not for me to say for you or anyone else... I can only tell you what I knew I needed to do, and what worked for *me*. Abstinence from the foods I mentioned works for *me*. Moderation works for me in other areas. And for some people, they might need ONLY moderation. It totally depends. It is your personal journey and you have to work that through with yourself.
I think what I was trying to articulate was your question about giving up alcohol and how that compares with food. I absolutely see certain foods as "acting" like alcohol for certain people (like the cupcakes for myself). I realized that for me, allowing myself to eat "just a little" of the foods I've chosen to abstain from would be exactly the same as allowing myself "just a little" of a martini if I were an alcoholic. It's exactly the same for me. I cannot emphasize this enough. Thus, it's a no-brainer for me to give those foods up, just as an alcoholic goes cold turkey and never looks back.
There are ways to tell whether you're just a "normal person" who just wants a cupcake every now and again or if you have a problem with them as a compulsive overeater. Take a look at the quiz questions I posted above and you'll get the idea real quick.
You are correct - it WAS awfully serious to take this step for the rest of my life. And again I can't emphasize it enough - it was the best thing I ever did.
Thanks for sharing this.
I'm not saying I see it, just that I agree that it's your journey and you have every right to take the path that works for you. I'm glad you found yours.
The problem I see with some of those quiz questions is that why not try to fix the problem with food so you can have a life of moderation? I guess you already answered this though. Each individual needs to find that path themselves. Some can find moderation and others can't.
This has actually been helpful for my perspective. Thanks again.0 -
No, not too long at all, and thank you very much for answering. I've got this twinge with this idea because I've seen alcohol and drug addiction for my entire life.
This is what worries me with the comparison between physiological addiction to something like alcohol or drugs and the psychological addiction to food (assuming of course it exists which I'm fine saying it does). Giving up alcohol is a massive step and it means holding a glass of juice at times when everyone else is having a drink and a good time, but if you have to then you have to. But is it really necessary to give up cupcakes for life?
If it worked for you, then great. But that's an awfully serious step to take for the rest of your life. No baked goods. What happens if you fall off the wagon? Is it because of the addiction or is because you're a normal person who may want a cupcake? Hell, I get cravings for baked goods. I was known to stand in line for hours at 2:00 a.m. outside of a certain bakery in Manhattan for some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, but that was years ago.
This is the thing: whether it's "necessary" to give up cupcakes (or whatever) for life is ENTIRELY between you and your higher power (this is OA-speak here, sorry). It is not for me to say for you or anyone else... I can only tell you what I knew I needed to do, and what worked for *me*. Abstinence from the foods I mentioned works for *me*. Moderation works for me in other areas. And for some people, they might need ONLY moderation. It totally depends. It is your personal journey and you have to work that through with yourself.
I think what I was trying to articulate was your question about giving up alcohol and how that compares with food. I absolutely see certain foods as "acting" like alcohol for certain people (like the cupcakes for myself). I realized that for me, allowing myself to eat "just a little" of the foods I've chosen to abstain from would be exactly the same as allowing myself "just a little" of a martini if I were an alcoholic. It's exactly the same for me. I cannot emphasize this enough. Thus, it's a no-brainer for me to give those foods up, just as an alcoholic goes cold turkey and never looks back.
There are ways to tell whether you're just a "normal person" who just wants a cupcake every now and again or if you have a problem with them as a compulsive overeater. Take a look at the quiz questions I posted above and you'll get the idea real quick.
You are correct - it WAS awfully serious to take this step for the rest of my life. And again I can't emphasize it enough - it was the best thing I ever did.
Sorry, I forgot to mention one VERY important thing:
Abstinence can be temporary. It doesn't necessarily have to be "for life"!
For example, I gave up coffee for about a year thinking it was a trigger food (I used to put four Splendas in one cup - ugggh). I decided to gingerly give it a try with cream and honey instead. I tried decaf so as not to allow caffeine to possibly trigger me, and I only drank half a cup with a tiny bit of cream and a tiny bit of honey in it.
Then I waited. I waited to see if I immediately wanted another cup (like I used to). I didn't.
I waited days until I had another one, just to be safe. Did that for a few months.
Now, I have about one cup of coffee a day, with 2 Tbsp. cream and 2 tsp. honey in it, and I'm fine.
So I didn't have to give up coffee for life. Cupcakes though? I'm not even willing to try. I know what'll happen with the cupcakes. But praise God - coffee is back on the menu, boys!!!
0 -
No, not too long at all, and thank you very much for answering. I've got this twinge with this idea because I've seen alcohol and drug addiction for my entire life.
This is what worries me with the comparison between physiological addiction to something like alcohol or drugs and the psychological addiction to food (assuming of course it exists which I'm fine saying it does). Giving up alcohol is a massive step and it means holding a glass of juice at times when everyone else is having a drink and a good time, but if you have to then you have to. But is it really necessary to give up cupcakes for life?
If it worked for you, then great. But that's an awfully serious step to take for the rest of your life. No baked goods. What happens if you fall off the wagon? Is it because of the addiction or is because you're a normal person who may want a cupcake? Hell, I get cravings for baked goods. I was known to stand in line for hours at 2:00 a.m. outside of a certain bakery in Manhattan for some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, but that was years ago.
This is the thing: whether it's "necessary" to give up cupcakes (or whatever) for life is ENTIRELY between you and your higher power (this is OA-speak here, sorry). It is not for me to say for you or anyone else... I can only tell you what I knew I needed to do, and what worked for *me*. Abstinence from the foods I mentioned works for *me*. Moderation works for me in other areas. And for some people, they might need ONLY moderation. It totally depends. It is your personal journey and you have to work that through with yourself.
I think what I was trying to articulate was your question about giving up alcohol and how that compares with food. I absolutely see certain foods as "acting" like alcohol for certain people (like the cupcakes for myself). I realized that for me, allowing myself to eat "just a little" of the foods I've chosen to abstain from would be exactly the same as allowing myself "just a little" of a martini if I were an alcoholic. It's exactly the same for me. I cannot emphasize this enough. Thus, it's a no-brainer for me to give those foods up, just as an alcoholic goes cold turkey and never looks back.
There are ways to tell whether you're just a "normal person" who just wants a cupcake every now and again or if you have a problem with them as a compulsive overeater. Take a look at the quiz questions I posted above and you'll get the idea real quick.
You are correct - it WAS awfully serious to take this step for the rest of my life. And again I can't emphasize it enough - it was the best thing I ever did.
Sorry, I forgot to mention one VERY important thing:
Abstinence can be temporary. It doesn't necessarily have to be "for life"!
For example, I gave up coffee for about a year thinking it was a trigger food (I used to put four Splendas in one cup - ugggh). I decided to gingerly give it a try with cream and honey instead. I tried decaf so as not to allow caffeine to possibly trigger me, and I only drank half a cup with a tiny bit of cream and a tiny bit of honey in it.
Then I waited. I waited to see if I immediately wanted another cup (like I used to). I didn't.
I waited days until I had another one, just to be safe. Did that for a few months.
Now, I have about one cup of coffee a day, with 2 Tbsp. cream and 2 tsp. honey in it, and I'm fine.
So I didn't have to give up coffee for life. Cupcakes though? I'm not even willing to try. I know what'll happen with the cupcakes. But praise God - coffee is back on the menu, boys!!!
Well, here's to a good cup 'o joe! :drinker:0 -
Here's an interesting study done showing the different response in the brain for chocolate milkshakes...which provide a foundation for overeating.
Relation of Reward From Food Intake and Anticipated Food Intake to Obesity: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
Eric Stice and Sonja Spoor Cara Bohon Oregon Research Institute University of Oregon
Marga G. Veldhuizen and Dana M. Small Yale University and John B. Pierce Laboratory
The authors tested the hypothesis that obese individuals experience greater reward from food consump- tion (consummatory food reward) and anticipated consumption (anticipatory food reward) than lean individuals using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with 33 adolescent girls (mean age ???? 15.7, SD ???? 0.9). Obese relative to lean adolescent girls showed greater activation bilaterally in the gustatory cortex (anterior and mid insula, frontal operculum) and in somatosensory regions (parietal operculum and Rolandic operculum) in response to anticipated intake of chocolate milkshake (vs. a tasteless solution) and to actual consumption of milkshake (vs. a tasteless solution); these brain regions encode the sensory and hedonic aspects of food. However, obese relative to lean adolescent girls also showed decreased activation in the caudate nucleus in response to consumption of milkshake versus a tasteless solution, potentially because they have reduced dopamine receptor availability. Results suggest that individuals who show greater activation in the gustatory cortex and somatosensory regions in response to anticipation and consumption of food, but who show weaker activation in the striatum during food intake, may be at risk for overeating and consequent weight gain.0 -
This is a interesting question because I think it's possible. I have obsessive thoughts over calories which means I'm always thinking about food..0
-
No, not too long at all, and thank you very much for answering. I've got this twinge with this idea because I've seen alcohol and drug addiction for my entire life.
This is what worries me with the comparison between physiological addiction to something like alcohol or drugs and the psychological addiction to food (assuming of course it exists which I'm fine saying it does). Giving up alcohol is a massive step and it means holding a glass of juice at times when everyone else is having a drink and a good time, but if you have to then you have to. But is it really necessary to give up cupcakes for life?
If it worked for you, then great. But that's an awfully serious step to take for the rest of your life. No baked goods. What happens if you fall off the wagon? Is it because of the addiction or is because you're a normal person who may want a cupcake? Hell, I get cravings for baked goods. I was known to stand in line for hours at 2:00 a.m. outside of a certain bakery in Manhattan for some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, but that was years ago.
This is the thing: whether it's "necessary" to give up cupcakes (or whatever) for life is ENTIRELY between you and your higher power (this is OA-speak here, sorry). It is not for me to say for you or anyone else... I can only tell you what I knew I needed to do, and what worked for *me*. Abstinence from the foods I mentioned works for *me*. Moderation works for me in other areas. And for some people, they might need ONLY moderation. It totally depends. It is your personal journey and you have to work that through with yourself.
I think what I was trying to articulate was your question about giving up alcohol and how that compares with food. I absolutely see certain foods as "acting" like alcohol for certain people (like the cupcakes for myself). I realized that for me, allowing myself to eat "just a little" of the foods I've chosen to abstain from would be exactly the same as allowing myself "just a little" of a martini if I were an alcoholic. It's exactly the same for me. I cannot emphasize this enough. Thus, it's a no-brainer for me to give those foods up, just as an alcoholic goes cold turkey and never looks back.
There are ways to tell whether you're just a "normal person" who just wants a cupcake every now and again or if you have a problem with them as a compulsive overeater. Take a look at the quiz questions I posted above and you'll get the idea real quick.
You are correct - it WAS awfully serious to take this step for the rest of my life. And again I can't emphasize it enough - it was the best thing I ever did.
Thanks for sharing this.
I'm not saying I see it, just that I agree that it's your journey and you have every right to take the path that works for you. I'm glad you found yours.
The problem I see with some of those quiz questions is that why not try to fix the problem with food so you can have a life of moderation? I guess you already answered this though. Each individual needs to find that path themselves. Some can find moderation and others can't.
This has actually been helpful for my perspective. Thanks again.
I used to totally agree with you about trying to fix the problem with food. The thing is, I don't actually have a problem with food. I have a problem with *certain* foods. I am actually a super-disciplined person when it comes to eating.. I have great moderation in everything else. Check out my profile - I am at SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIX days of logging, and staying within my daily maintenance calories (which is between 1,800-2,000 but I keep it at 1,700 - that's another story). I log every single almond that goes into my mouth. I only eat 4-7 almonds at a time. And have done that for 700+ days. That is discipline and moderation!
I just believe that there is just something about certain foods that just simply trigger certain people's brains and for me, sugar and white flour tend to do it for me. I tried moderation with those foods for years and years and years and years with counselors and friends and pastors and praying and journaling and Weight Watchers and wishing and hoping to control myself with those foods....to no avail.
Once I abstained from them....I became free.
I am so happy to have helped in any way! If you have any other questions please just let me know! 0 -
No, not too long at all, and thank you very much for answering. I've got this twinge with this idea because I've seen alcohol and drug addiction for my entire life.
This is what worries me with the comparison between physiological addiction to something like alcohol or drugs and the psychological addiction to food (assuming of course it exists which I'm fine saying it does). Giving up alcohol is a massive step and it means holding a glass of juice at times when everyone else is having a drink and a good time, but if you have to then you have to. But is it really necessary to give up cupcakes for life?
If it worked for you, then great. But that's an awfully serious step to take for the rest of your life. No baked goods. What happens if you fall off the wagon? Is it because of the addiction or is because you're a normal person who may want a cupcake? Hell, I get cravings for baked goods. I was known to stand in line for hours at 2:00 a.m. outside of a certain bakery in Manhattan for some of the best cupcakes I've ever eaten, but that was years ago.
This is the thing: whether it's "necessary" to give up cupcakes (or whatever) for life is ENTIRELY between you and your higher power (this is OA-speak here, sorry). It is not for me to say for you or anyone else... I can only tell you what I knew I needed to do, and what worked for *me*. Abstinence from the foods I mentioned works for *me*. Moderation works for me in other areas. And for some people, they might need ONLY moderation. It totally depends. It is your personal journey and you have to work that through with yourself.
I think what I was trying to articulate was your question about giving up alcohol and how that compares with food. I absolutely see certain foods as "acting" like alcohol for certain people (like the cupcakes for myself). I realized that for me, allowing myself to eat "just a little" of the foods I've chosen to abstain from would be exactly the same as allowing myself "just a little" of a martini if I were an alcoholic. It's exactly the same for me. I cannot emphasize this enough. Thus, it's a no-brainer for me to give those foods up, just as an alcoholic goes cold turkey and never looks back.
There are ways to tell whether you're just a "normal person" who just wants a cupcake every now and again or if you have a problem with them as a compulsive overeater. Take a look at the quiz questions I posted above and you'll get the idea real quick.
You are correct - it WAS awfully serious to take this step for the rest of my life. And again I can't emphasize it enough - it was the best thing I ever did.
Thanks for sharing this.
I'm not saying I see it, just that I agree that it's your journey and you have every right to take the path that works for you. I'm glad you found yours.
The problem I see with some of those quiz questions is that why not try to fix the problem with food so you can have a life of moderation? I guess you already answered this though. Each individual needs to find that path themselves. Some can find moderation and others can't.
This has actually been helpful for my perspective. Thanks again.
I used to totally agree with you about trying to fix the problem with food. The thing is, I don't actually have a problem with food. I have a problem with *certain* foods. I am actually a super-disciplined person when it comes to eating.. I have great moderation in everything else. Check out my profile - I am at SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIX days of logging, and staying within my daily maintenance calories (which is between 1,800-2,000 but I keep it at 1,700 - that's another story). I log every single almond that goes into my mouth. I only eat 4-7 almonds at a time. And have done that for 700+ days. That is discipline and moderation!
I just believe that there is just something about certain foods that just simply trigger certain people's brains and for me, sugar and white flour tend to do it for me. I tried moderation with those foods for years and years and years and years with counselors and friends and pastors and praying and journaling and Weight Watchers and wishing and hoping to control myself with those foods....to no avail.
Once I abstained from them....I became free.
I am so happy to have helped in any way! If you have any other questions please just let me know!
My best logging streak was less than a few weeks. I will always cheat and I eat a heck of a lot of the things that people have problems with, but it still works for me. I'm never going to be perfect but I like improving and I'm always okay with "better." The more important part for me is the time I spend on the pavement or in the gym. I find moderation (or what may be better described as "net moderation" because my holidays aren't moderate) works very well for me.
Like you said, we have to find our own paths.0 -
Anyone could have an addiction to anything that causes a dopamine release in the brain. This could include exercise, shopping, porn, gambling, games, internet, and of course - food.0
-
I have no scientific basis for any kind of proof but I can tell you that yes some people, can have an addiction to food. I’m a perfect example… I’m not allowing myself to eat any of my “trigger” foods because I know that once I take that first bite I’m like a junkie searching for a fix. Can it be overcome, yes I believe it can but it isn’t easy to do. Just like some people seem to be pre-disposed to alcoholism I think some people may have that same issue with food/sugar etc, physical or mental it’s still an addiction.
The preceding is just some guys opinion and it’s worth exactly what you paid for it, if you’re not happy about that I’ll happily refund double your money back.
0 -
My best logging streak was less than a few weeks. I will always cheat and I eat a heck of a lot of the things that people have problems with, but it still works for me. I'm never going to be perfect but I like improving and I'm always okay with "better." The more important part for me is the time I spend on the pavement or in the gym. I find moderation (or what may be better described as "net moderation" because my holidays aren't moderate) works very well for me.
Like you said, we have to find our own paths.
Well judging by your photo - your path ain't hurtin' you none. WTG, that's awesome. Do what works!!! 0 -
Anyone could have an addiction to anything that causes a dopamine release in the brain. This could include exercise, shopping, porn, gambling, games, internet, and of course - food.
Amen. And interestingly, the AA 12 Steps can be modified to help with them all. It's kinda brilliant that way! 0
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