Do you believe in food addiction?
Replies
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The idea of physical addiction to any food is laughable.
Binge eating disorder and other issues with self control? Sure.
If you're looking for an excuse to fail though be my guest. Just remember that even alcoholics stop drinking. I'm pretty sure you can find a way to eat less.0 -
I think this thread is going to end badly.
I also think that food addiction exists in the context of people eating as behavioral response to cope with issues going on in their lives, but I do not believe a person can be addicted to a specific food. I think people tend to choose highly palatable foods when eating to cope and confuse the food itself with the behavior.
I think people can also develop a habit/learned behavior of sitting down with an entire package of cookies while watching TV or doing some other activity, not paying attention to how many cookies they are eating, and then say that they are incapable of only eating one cookie and have an addiction when they could change that behavior if they make an effort to be conscious of their eating.
Pretty much this.
However, I don't have an "addictive personality" so I'm not sure I'm one to say. I've never had anything that I would classify as an addiction.0 -
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.
I believe this is generally why animal studies aren't given much weight.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061215090857.htm0 -
I do not believe in food addiction. While I -may- be proven wrong some day, I believe that most people who think they have a food addiction just have behavioral issues or emotional issues that they are masking with food intake.0
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Absolutely! I think I'm addicted to food. That's why I've struggled with weight loss at times.0
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I do not believe in food addiction. While I -may- be proven wrong some day, I believe that most people who think they have a food addiction just have behavioral issues or emotional issues that they are masking with food intake.
I disagree. But to each their own
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As a food addict I can tell you food is addictive. I've eaten thousands of calories in one sitting in a type of "blackout" like an alcoholic. In fact, food addiction is worse. If a person never shoots heroine or takes a shot of whiskey, they will not suffer, in fact, are healthier because of it. I cannot be "abstinet" from food for the rest of my life.
Addiction is defined by Webster as, "a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble)" http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addiction
From WebMD
"The idea that a person can be addicted to food has recently gotten more support from science.
Experiments in animals and humans show that, for some people, the same reward and pleasure centers of the brain that are triggered by addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin are also activated by food, especially highly palatable foods. Highly palatable foods are foods rich in:
Sugar
Fat
Salt
Like addictive drugs, highly palatable foods trigger feel-good brain chemicals such as dopamine. Once people experience pleasure associated with increased dopamine transmission in the brain's reward pathway from eating certain foods, they quickly feel the need to eat again.
The reward signals from highly palatable foods may override other signals of fullness and satisfaction. As a result, people keep eating, even when they're not hungry.
People who show signs of food addiction may also develop a tolerance to food. They eat more and more, only to find that food satisfies them less and less."
From WebMD http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-food-addiction0 -
I can't speak for anyone else, but I get way more baked from edibles than from smoking. PITA to make though.I could be wrong, but I can't imagine that the small percentage of marijuana addicts would waste it by baking brownies.
Here are some (human) studies and reviews showing similarities on the neurological level between binging and drug addiction. I don't think there are any for specific foods (unless you count caffeine).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 ..?
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666309005339 (skip to neurobiological parallels)
http://koreascience.or.kr/article/ArticleFullRecord.jsp?cn=E1MBB7_2013_v46n11_519
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3098897/0 -
I think this thread is going to end badly.
I also think that food addiction exists in the context of people eating as behavioral response to cope with issues going on in their lives, but I do not believe a person can be addicted to a specific food. I think people tend to choose highly palatable foods when eating to cope and confuse the food itself with the behavior.
I think people can also develop a habit/learned behavior of sitting down with an entire package of cookies while watching TV or doing some other activity, not paying attention to how many cookies they are eating, and then say that they are incapable of only eating one cookie and have an addiction when they could change that behavior if they make an effort to be conscious of their eating.
Pretty much this.
However, I don't have an "addictive personality" so I'm not sure I'm one to say. I've never had anything that I would classify as an addiction.
^and this for me too. Though I smoked for 8 years.
How can someone who isn't an addict possibly know how an addict feels?0 -
The idea of physical addiction to any food is laughable.
Binge eating disorder and other issues with self control? Sure.
If you're looking for an excuse to fail though be my guest. Just remember that even alcoholics stop drinking. I'm pretty sure you can find a way to eat less.
Alcoholics are able to control their addiction by NEVER taking another drink. That's the only thing that's found to work. Same with drug addicts. Please tell me how I can stop eating and NEVER take another bite of food for the rest of my life?
Becoming a "Breatharian" isn't an option.0 -
I do not believe in food addiction. While I -may- be proven wrong some day, I believe that most people who think they have a food addiction just have behavioral issues or emotional issues that they are masking with food intake.
I disagree. But to each their own
I support your right to be wrong. :drinker:0 -
i hate these threads with a passion that burns like no other.0
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The idea of physical addiction to any food is laughable.
Binge eating disorder and other issues with self control? Sure.
If you're looking for an excuse to fail though be my guest. Just remember that even alcoholics stop drinking. I'm pretty sure you can find a way to eat less.
Alcoholics are able to control their addiction by NEVER taking another drink. That's the only thing that's found to work. Same with drug addicts. Please tell me how I can stop eating and NEVER take another bite of food for the rest of my life?
Becoming a "Breatharian" isn't an option.
Have you considered other diagnoses?0 -
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Actually, if you think of _binging_ as the addiction rather than of _food_ as the addiction, the analogy works much better.Alcoholics are able to control their addiction by NEVER taking another drink. That's the only thing that's found to work. Same with drug addicts. Please tell me how I can stop eating and NEVER take another bite of food for the rest of my life?
Becoming a "Breatharian" isn't an option.
Hence why I linked to the definition of a behavioural addiction earlier in this thread.0 -
i hate these threads with a passion that burns like no other.
maybe you should keep these threads in your garage so it won't be so cold in there for your workouts…bahahahahahahaha0 -
these threads always turn to discussions of sugar…so before it even happens don't come in here and say you cut out all sugar but still eat fruit and honey ….please for the love of god do not do this!!!!!!!!!!!!0
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I believe that people who consume a lot of sugar, caffeine, etc., can experience real physical withdrawal symptoms when they eliminate these items from their diet. This indicates addiction.
I do think that many people use the word addiction when really they are talking about disordered eating.
Finally, I believe the argument that there is no such thing as food addiction because we need to eat to survive don't understand that addictions have everything to do with taking something beneficial and twisting it into something unhealthy.0 -
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?
It doesn't matter what anyone here thinks. This isn't a matter of opinion; "addiction" is a medical term with a specific meaning.
Medically, you can be addicted to absolutely anything that gives you pleasure. This of course can include food.
Addiction is defined by continued use in the face of adverse consequences. This of course can include food.
Google can find you a mountain of good, well-sources information on all this. Begin here: http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/addiction_hijacks_brain.htmAlcoholics are able to control their addiction by NEVER taking another drink. That's the only thing that's found to work. Same with drug addicts.
This is a childish view of addiction, and is both incorrect and dangerous. I'm an alcoholic. I drink frequently. I just have to be careful about it. Not all alcoholics are as lucky as me.0 -
Actually, if you think of _binging_ as the addiction rather than of _food_ as the addiction, the analogy works much better.Alcoholics are able to control their addiction by NEVER taking another drink. That's the only thing that's found to work. Same with drug addicts. Please tell me how I can stop eating and NEVER take another bite of food for the rest of my life?
Becoming a "Breatharian" isn't an option.
Hence why I linked to the definition of a behavioural addiction earlier in this thread.
Behavioral addiction? Sure.
I think it's important to note while this thread begins to burn, that just because someone says that there isn't a physical addiction to food that there isn't a problem. It's not a binary decision between physical addiction and nothing. There are other diagnoses.0 -
I believe they're addictive to some degree, and have even experienced some withdrawal symptoms after cutting out refined sugars. HOWEVER, I don't believe they're unbeatable or comparable to drugs.0
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How does one define 'addiction'? I think the variance in the responses comes down to that- how one defines the term addiction; what connotations are associated with addiction.
The Merriam-Webster definition of addiction is as follows:
: a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble)
: an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something
Based on the aforementioned definition, it would seem that one can be addicted to certain foods. It doesn't have to be a physiological conditio, just as a gambling addiction is not.
Moreover, the American Society of Addiction Medicine's definition is even more detailed in it's explanation of addiction. It's long and detailed, so I'm providing the link as opposed to copy and pasting. http://www.asam.org/for-the-public/definition-of-addiction
Each person is different, with varying strengths, weakenesses, proclivities, desires, etc... As such, the same thing may not affect two people the same way. It is why some can practice moderation with things such as alcohol or drugs, and others cannot. It's why some can enjoy sweets in moderation, but others cannot. And I would be inclined to believe there are varying degrees of addiction, just as there are varying degrees of willpower.
Biochemistry, genetic predisposition and environment all mixed together can produce an infinite variety of outcomes.0 -
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?
A drug or alcohol addict is never "cured" they will ALWAYS be a recovering addict. Staying clean is a lifelong battle. Food addiction is real. It can never be broken, but it can be managed. There are different types of addiction.0 -
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... this is quite the discussion. I believe .... actually I know that food manufacturers put unnecessary additives in food to make us addicted. I believe there are psychological addictions but also physical addictions.0
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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?
It doesn't matter what anyone here thinks. This isn't a matter of opinion; "addiction" is a medical term with a specific meaning.
Medically, you can be addicted to absolutely anything that gives you pleasure. This of course can include food.
Addiction is defined by continued use in the face of adverse consequences. This of course can include food.
Google can find you a mountain of good, well-sources information on all this. Begin here: http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/addiction_hijacks_brain.htmAlcoholics are able to control their addiction by NEVER taking another drink. That's the only thing that's found to work. Same with drug addicts.
This is a childish view of addiction, and is both incorrect and dangerous. I'm an alcoholic. I drink frequently. I just have to be careful about it. Not all alcoholics are as lucky as me.
This is more what I meant.0 -
I think this thread is going to end badly.
I also think that food addiction exists in the context of people eating as behavioral response to cope with issues going on in their lives, but I do not believe a person can be addicted to a specific food. I think people tend to choose highly palatable foods when eating to cope and confuse the food itself with the behavior.
I think people can also develop a habit/learned behavior of sitting down with an entire package of cookies while watching TV or doing some other activity, not paying attention to how many cookies they are eating, and then say that they are incapable of only eating one cookie and have an addiction when they could change that behavior if they make an effort to be conscious of their eating.
Pretty much this.
However, I don't have an "addictive personality" so I'm not sure I'm one to say. I've never had anything that I would classify as an addiction.
I've had an addiction to a certain drug. Food never had the pull that drugs did. I didn't gain weight until I quit drugs. I do have an addictive personality. My answer is NO.0 -
Actually, if you think of _binging_ as the addiction rather than of _food_ as the addiction, the analogy works much better.Alcoholics are able to control their addiction by NEVER taking another drink. That's the only thing that's found to work. Same with drug addicts. Please tell me how I can stop eating and NEVER take another bite of food for the rest of my life?
Becoming a "Breatharian" isn't an option.
Hence why I linked to the definition of a behavioural addiction earlier in this thread.
Ummmmmm . . . yeah, I see your point. But does that mean that alcoholics are not actually addicted to alcohol or drug addicts addicted to drugs? Because, there are some studies that show food addicts have the same lack of dopamine receptors in their brains as drug addicts, alcoholics or those addicted to gambling. When I binge eat, the dopamine level in my brain rises, just like alcoholics, drug addicts, gamblers, etc. That's what I'm looking for when I binge. One of the quickest ways to raise dopamine levels? Sugar! (Sorry ndj1979 but someone had to say it!:laugh: I won't say honey and fruit are "okay" because sugar is sugar when talking about dopamine production) So the problem I have with food is not exclusively behavioral, it's physical as well.
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/binge-eating-disorder/binge-eating-disorder-causes0 -
Bottom line, addictions aside. If you want to see hot boys with no shirts... this is the thread!0
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Physical addiction? No. Emotional crutch? Sure.
Please don't take the latter as a put down or a judgement - I don't mean it to be either. I'm just being brutally honest.
Trust me, I get it and still turn to food from time to time but thankfully I've broken most of my bad eating habits and am still working on the rest of them. I believe anyone can change these behaviors if they truly want to. If you're stressed, bored, bummed, etc, find a different outlet than food.
Just because you REALLY want to eat something doesn't mean you're addicted to it. That's just a lame excuse.
/tough love response
In the 70's & 80's my FIL used to drink a minimum of three quarts of normal Mountain Dew a day, plus several cans if he was out and about. H Since he lived in a small farm town ( less than 1000 people ) he also went every day to the local doughnut place and ate two doughnuts with a couple of cups of coffee with lots of sugar. He owned the local meat locker and what passed for a super market, was very active and not over weight, so no one worried about the Mountain Dew and doughnuts.
He was discovered with kidney stones and while in the hospital developed headaches that caused him to vomit because of the pain. Once at home after having his daily dose of Mountain Dew and doughnuts the headache disappeared.
He developed more stones, his kidneys started to fail ( over several years ) and he spent a lot of time in the hospital; each time with horrendous headaches. His family smuggled soft drinks in, which he secretly drank until he was discovered. The doctors told him he had " withdrawal symptoms " from sugar abuse and they treated him with the same medication they would treat any other addict. They did this because he had to stop drinking soft drinks, because they damaged his kidneys.....he eventually died from kidney failure.
I don't know if he was physically addicted, I just know that he really suffered if he did not get his sugar dose. I also don't want to put down the doctors claiming they did not know what they were doing, especially since the hospitals connected with the Mayo Clinic are usually reputable.
I know that people can be addicted to all kinds of things ( in my case several years of things like pasta, rice and potatoes ) and on a personal level do not care if the addiction is physical, emotional or psychological.....my addiction harmed me, because I had no tools to stop other than completely cutting them out at the time. I am still extremely careful when I eat pasta or rice, which now only happens every few month.0
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