Do you believe in food addiction?

SoDamnHungry

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.

PhearlessPhreaks

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.

Losing_Sarah

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.

dolcezza72

... 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.

AbsolutelyAnnie

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.htm

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.

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.

970Mikaela1

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.

craftywitch_63

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.

Actually, if you think of _binging_ as the addiction rather than of _food_ as the addiction, the analogy works much better.

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-causes

dolcezza72

Bottom line, addictions aside. If you want to see hot boys with no shirts... this is the thread!

Ang108

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.

vjohn04

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.htm

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.

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 gives me the sads.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease, and unless it's arrested (by abstaining) it is more often than not- terminal.

ndj1979

Bottom line, addictions aside. If you want to see hot boys with no shirts... this is the thread!

do you have an addiction to boys with their shirts off??

craftywitch_63

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.

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.

I apologize. Before I wrote this, I looked up ways to control alcoholic behavior and alcoholism. The only literature I found referred to complete abstinence. :flowerforyou:

ndj1979

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.

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.

I apologize. Before I wrote this, I looked up ways to control alcoholic behavior and alcoholism. The only literature I found referred to complete abstinence. :flowerforyou:

that is the only method that I am aware of too …

ninerbuff

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?

Psychologically, yes. Physically, maybe. But don't believe sugar, fat, or salty is addictive. It's highly palatable, but not addictive based on that physically we ingest these everyday. Unlike an alcoholic, drug user, or gambler, we can habitually learn to moderate these, while it's practically impossible to do it with others with any success.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

dolcezza72

Bottom line, addictions aside. If you want to see hot boys with no shirts... this is the thread!

do you have an addiction to boys with their shirts off??

more like an enthusiasm.... it is easily controlled, and I can live and function without it, so it doesn't qualify as an addiction.

ndj1979

Bottom line, addictions aside. If you want to see hot boys with no shirts... this is the thread!

do you have an addiction to boys with their shirts off??

more like a passion or enthusiasm.... it is easily controlled, and I can live and function without it, so it doesn't qualify as an addiction.

Hmmm interesting .

I have an addiction to woman which their shirts off ..and it is not easily controlled….

dolcezza72

Bottom line, addictions aside. If you want to see hot boys with no shirts... this is the thread!

do you have an addiction to boys with their shirts off??

more like a passion or enthusiasm.... it is easily controlled, and I can live and function without it, so it doesn't qualify as an addiction.

Hmmm interesting .

I have an addiction to woman which their shirts off ..and it is not easily controlled….

Haha! you win!

dolcezza72

Here is a link to an article that explains how some of the additives in food, trigger the same site in the brain that causes euphoria, and the same response that is triggered by meth and heroin... Interesting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/16/junk-food_n_4043980.html

Rocbola

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?

Anything that boosts your dopamine response past that of what is found in nature can be addicting, and that includes drugs as well as un-naturally concentrated calorie dense foods like we eat in this country. Foods can also have other addictive components, too.

Food addiction is a very real thing, and it is very much manufactured into many processed foods. Whole natural plant foods are not addicting.

Ask a room full of people to speak up when they spot an addictive food, then flash images of food on a screen. No one speaks up for strawberries, cantaloupe, kale, broccoli or melons, but as soon as you flash chocolate, cheese or pastries on the screen, EVERY mouth in the room speaks up simultaneously. We all know intuitively that food addiction is very real.