Do you believe in food addiction?

lemurcat12

What does "addicted" mean? There are a variety of alternative definitions that seem to be in play.

IMO, clearly addiction is not limited to physical dependence, as people can be addicted to stuff like gambling or, say, alcohol, which can become physically addictive, but for most alcoholics does not result in physical withdrawal when one stops drinking--when it does, of course, it can be life-threatening.

Instead, addiction commonly gets used also for some kind of emotional dependence or misplaced use of something that creates difficulties in quitting and tends to result in the substance/activity being used when it causes harm, and may not even be pleasurable anymore, but more compulsive, plus a strong belief by the person that the substance/activity is needed, that he or she can't imagine life without it. Could food--or certain types of food or ways of relating to food--be considered similar? I'm leaning toward yes, even though I haven't personally experienced anything I'd call that with food.

Of course, it's also common to assume that people who get addicted in non-physically-addictive ways still have some physical component to it. For example, alcoholics who aren't strictly physically addicted in that they can stop without withdrawal symptoms are still often experienced problematic physical reactions to alcohol from the beginning and often never really drank normally, even before they started drinking much at all. But there are others who develop addiction from misuse over time and even the predisposed (if one believes in that, and I do) aren't addicted in advance. They must experience the substance and often how the substance is culturally used and encouraged plays a role.

Anyway, I don't see how claiming that any particular substance is addictive absolves anyone of personal responsibility. It just may make a difference in how to address the issue, how much one approaches it as a logical problem--this is what's healthy to eat and fits into my calorie allowance vs. an emotional or triggering issue or a mental, habitual one.

prattiger65

No

ThinLizzie0802

For people with drug and alcohol addictions, these can easily be transferred to food when trying to quit.

GertrudeHorse

There's an important difference in my view between addiction and compulsive behaviour. Addiction is is characterised by dependence, increased tolerance, habituation, inability to stop when one wants to and general lack of control. Some of that applies to some foods for some people, but I think most who struggle with food are compulsive eaters but not addicted in a clinical sense. It doesn't make the solution any easier though...and obviously total abstinence isn't a possible solution for food problems. Overall I feel it's not possible to give a definitive answer here.

ETA: the language we use is important and some people benefit from a medicalised understanding of their behaviour (which means it can be externalised and then managed/treated) rather than feeling they are greedy or whatever. In any event both addictions, compulsions and overeating involve complex emotional issues!

GiddyupTim

NO
If a drug addict stops using drugs, are they cured of the addiction? What if they just do less of the drug or just do the drugs occasionally, are they still considered an addict?

Can someone addicted to food quit eating, will they be cured of their addiction? What if they eat less or just eat occasionally, are they still considered an addict? How can a food addiction be broken?

Some smokers and drinkers who are addicted can learn to use these substances in moderation. Yet, no one questions that those substances are addictive.

I have a fair amount of experience with drug and alcohol addiction. I have never seen a true alcoholic or a smoker learn to use those substances with responsible moderation. Smokers either quit, or they don't quit. They do not become social smokers who can pick up, say, one or two cigarettes a week and be fine with it. NEVER!
Same with the drinkers. I think there are some people who go through an abusive period, in their teens, mostly, and then come out the other side. But, they are not really addicted. A true alcoholic doesn't come out the other side, to my knowledge. Their pattern might change. They might be a daily drinker at first, and then they become a binge drinker. But they do not become a social drinker who can have one or two glasses of wine a day and not miss inebriation. It just doesn't happen. Look closely, that alcoholic who still kinda drinks, probably does not drink much at all, and, sometimes when they do, they overdo it.
Sorry to digress from the true topic or the thread. I just thought that statement was so wrong, I had to say something.

bcattoes

Perhaps I misunderstood your post, I inferred that you were saying people claim addiction as a means to absolve them of personal responsibility. Which made me wonder how being addicted (whether real or imagined) would absolve one of personal responsibility.

Is a crack addict that chooses to smoke crack not still responsible for that action?

I see there being two kinds of responsibility - the kind imposed from the outside (i.e., "the law") and the kind we impose on ourselves ("It's not my fault, I can't help but eat that pop tart"). The former can't be avoided no matter what kind of internal rationalizations we create - the second one can.

I was not talking about law. I was talking presonal responsibility. Whether one chooses to overeat or smoke crack, it is still personal choice. No free person HAS to smoke crack.

bcattoes

NO
If a drug addict stops using drugs, are they cured of the addiction? What if they just do less of the drug or just do the drugs occasionally, are they still considered an addict?

Can someone addicted to food quit eating, will they be cured of their addiction? What if they eat less or just eat occasionally, are they still considered an addict? How can a food addiction be broken?

Some smokers and drinkers who are addicted can learn to use these substances in moderation. Yet, no one questions that those substances are addictive.

I have a fair amount of experience with drug and alcohol addiction. I have never seen a true alcoholic or a smoker learn to use those substances with responsible moderation. Smokers either quit, or they don't quit. They do not become social smokers who can pick up, say, one or two cigarettes a week and be fine with it. NEVER!
Same with the drinkers. I think there are some people who go through an abusive period, in their teens, mostly, and then come out the other side. But, they are not really addicted. A true alcoholic doesn't come out the other side, to my knowledge. Their pattern might change. They might be a daily drinker at first, and then they become a binge drinker. But they do not become a social drinker who can have one or two glasses of wine a day and not miss inebriation. It just doesn't happen. Look closely, that alcoholic who still kinda drinks, probably does not drink much at all, and, sometimes when they do, they overdo it.
Sorry to digress from the true topic or the thread. I just thought that statement was so wrong, I had to say something.

Well, sure you can say "I don't think they were addicted". But they were.

wonderwoman234

Yes, I think anything can be addicting like sex, gambling, shopping, computer, etc. There have been some interesting studies recently using brain scans that show food (certain foods) trigger the same the addictive process that other substances create in the brain.

Here is a quote from Dr. Lustig, who is doing great research on refined sugar:

"The brain's pleasure center, called the nucleus accumbens, is essential for our survival as a species... Turn off pleasure, and you turn off the will to live... But long-term stimulation of the pleasure center drives the process of addiction... When you consume any substance of abuse, including sugar, the nucleus accumbens receives a dopamine signal, from which you experience pleasure. And so you consume more.

The problem is that with prolonged exposure, the signal attenuates, gets weaker. So you have to consume more to get the same effect -- tolerance. And if you pull back on the substance, you go into withdrawal. Tolerance and withdrawal constitute addiction. And make no mistake, sugar is addictive."

wonderwoman234

There's an important difference in my view between addiction and compulsive behaviour. Addiction is is characterised by dependence, increased tolerance, habituation, inability to stop when one wants to and general lack of control. Some of that applies to some foods for some people, but I think most who struggle with food are compulsive eaters but not addicted in a clinical sense. It doesn't make the solution any easier though...and obviously total abstinence isn't a possible solution for food problems. Overall I feel it's not possible to give a definitive answer here.

ETA: the language we use is important and some people benefit from a medicalised understanding of their behaviour (which means it can be externalised and then managed/treated) rather than feeling they are greedy or whatever. In any event both addictions, compulsions and overeating involve complex emotional issues!

Terrific response!

ghostsnstuff

No. I believe that you can get addicted to the substances in food (sugar, HFCS, MSG, etc) but not the food itself. It's like people who bake marijuana brownies - they're addicted to the marijuana, not the brownies. Same thing with food.

Yanicka1

i do not think food is addictive but i believe that people that have addictive personalities often use food since it is very easy to access.

MelRC117

I think people believe they can blame addiction because then that means they don't take personal responsiblity for it, drugs or food.

But stop with the sugar addiction is as bad as a crack addicition. When you start committing crimes, neglecting your children, or not showing up to work because you're at the bakery, that's when I can take people more seriously when they say "I'm as bad as a crack addict when it comes to pizza!!" Seriously, stop with the dramatics.

DamePiglet

No. I believe that you can get addicted to the substances in food (sugar, HFCS, MSG, etc) but not the food itself. It's like people who bake marijuana brownies - they're addicted to the marijuana, not the brownies. Same thing with food.

I could be wrong, but I can't imagine that the small percentage of marijuana addicts would waste it by baking brownies.
.
Now, using food as a crutch... Stuffing down your feelings or sorrow with food? Kinda how people will binge drink to try to "forget their sorrows"? Yep. I believe that happens.

krennie8

Yes.

knra_grl

I used to think I craved fast food - I haven't really eaten any for a couple months and the thought of it is not as appetizing as it used to be - in fact I drive past fast food places every day and never feel the urge to pull in and order a burger

coffee on the other hand ... well it's a basic necessity of life :drinker:

Timshel_

Do you believe in food addiction?

Yes. But more so that you develop STRONG habits that are hard to break.

Never impossible.

fificrazy

Humans are meant to eat. We were given taste buds so we actually feel a sense of motivation to do it... so I think food "addiction" is completely natural and human and healthy- or, at least, WOULD have been if we were still struggling scavengers. It's just a survival mechanism!

Mythril

I definitely believe that you can have a food addiction.

I have been abused by people who say that it's will power. I used to be one of them (and I kind of still am.) But sometimes it's a matter of while I am saying no, while I am fighting it I'm getting into whatever it is that I'm resisting and before I know it I've eaten it. And often so fast like I'm trying to sneak it by myself. And then all that's left is to cry.

MikesGirl14

Yes, I do believe food can be as addictive as alcohol and/or drugs.

Madame_Goldbricker

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prader-willi-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Prader -Willi syndrome - A genetic condition that causes the person to feel constant hunger. People with the condition will eat constantly if they are not monitored. Yes, food addiction does exist.

98777

I'm not sure.

I think that many times, it is labeled or classified as "food addiction," but many times it is just a maladaptive coping mechanism for dealing with life that turns into a downward spiral. Many "food addicts" likely have anxiety or depression (or other life and brain issues) and they use food to cope. What they need is not gastric bypass, but therapy and coping skill and strategies to change their habits and their lives and get out of the hole that makes them need something (in this case, food) so much.

I have personally dealt with such issues. I thought I could not get off of food, but with internal/mental work and strategies, I have done it. (Though of course, not everyone is the same.)

I also think that fast food and junk food could very well have addictive chemicals in them. But more research is needed there.

BigVeggieDream

Definitely a emotional addiction. When I hear an alcoholic or someone addicted to drugs describe their feelings when they get the urge to use, it sounds exactly what I feel before I binge on something. Also, this isn't true of all foods, but cheese has casein in it and when casein is broken down it becomes a variety of casomorphins, which have an effect, though lower, like morphine. That's why some people say to give cheese to kids to calm them down. Like any drug, the more often you have it, the less effect it has on you and then you want a larger amount to satisfy the desire for that calm, relaxed feeling. This snowballs and you need more and more. I can attest to that. At my worst I could sit down and eat a 1 lb block of cheese and sometimes still not feel satisfied, even though I was feeling sick to my stomach. It took me a while, but I had to wean myself off of cheese, and still sometimes I get this overwhelming urge to have cheese.

ndj1979

No…and in for the dumpster fire that is to come, or is already burning...

ndj1979

There was a long thread arguing sugar as addictive the other day. Because peer reviewed studies show Sugar triggers the same dopamine and other receptors in our brains the same way as heroin nicotine cocaine etc i would tend to agree it can be classed as addictive. Since you cannot eliminate sugars from your diet (there are loads of naturally occurring ones. it really means i guess you can become addicted to the instant hit of processed sugars like say a huge bottle of pop or 12 a day
I've known some people who were definitely addicted to processed sugars for the hit (one was a 400 pound junkie now dead who I've seen go through 16 liters of pepsi and 4 cakes in a sitting when coming down
but overall no I don't think food per se can be classed addictive unless you lose a very loose definition of addictions

I believe the studies that you are referring to were done on rats, so I would take those with a grain of salt….unless you have some human studies to refer us to ..?

Did you friend die from too much drug usage, too much sugar intake, or a combination of being an out of shape drug addict? Probably hard to say at the end of the day...

BigVeggieDream

I believe the studies that you are referring to were done on rats, so I would take those with a grain of salt….unless you have some human studies to refer us to ..?

Did you friend die from too much drug usage, too much sugar intake, or a combination of being an out of shape drug addict? Probably hard to say at the end of the day...

I can understand why you would take the study with a grain of salt, but think about why rats are used. They have a remarkably similar brain chemistry as homo sapiens. So I think that gives the study more weight.

GertrudeHorse

Prader -Willi syndrome - A genetic condition that causes the person to feel constant hunger. People with the condition will eat constantly if they are not monitored. Yes, food addiction does exist.

I'm confused. Are you using Prader Willi to support your claim that food is addictive? PW is a chromosomal abnormality not an addiction. Its existence merely indicates that genes play a role in determining appetite. In people with PW essentially their body thinks it is starving; eating in response to that starvation is a totally adaptive and helpful survival strategy. It's just that they can't turn theirs off when it's no longer useful. Quite different from addiction.

ndj1979

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prader-willi-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Prader -Willi syndrome - A genetic condition that causes the person to feel constant hunger. People with the condition will eat constantly if they are not monitored. Yes, food addiction does exist.

I don't see how a genetic condition that makes you feel hungry all the time and food addiction are the same thing….

Mr_Bad_Example

I know some people think that you cannot be addicted to food because it is essential for survival and not something you can quit , but I 100% believe that sugary, fatty, and salty junk foods are addictive.
What do you think?

No.

Mr_Bad_Example

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prader-willi-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Prader -Willi syndrome - A genetic condition that causes the person to feel constant hunger. People with the condition will eat constantly if they are not monitored. Yes, food addiction does exist.

A genetic condition like Prader-Willi does not constitute an "addiciton" to food. People with the condition eat contantly because their brains don't recognize satiation signals in a proper way.

But hey, thanks for playing.

lauriebeakley1

People always look for something to blame when they don't want to admit they can't/won't control themselves. No, I don't believe food addiction exists. I believe weak will exists & I believe that exists in other aspects of life outside of food.