Drug addiction and binge eating are very similar in 'neurobi

s_waser

Drug addiction and binge eating are very similar in 'neurobiological terms' (Oliver Grimm)

I found this statement and thought to myself there have been many times in my life when I have felt that I was truely addicted to food. I hear people on the local radio station 97.9 WNCI make jokes about people being addicted to food, sex and/or drugs (Not believing it is true).

I know that when I stoppped drinking pop over a year ago I felt many side effects from not having a Cherry Pepsi everyday and even when I would smell it because I let my daughter have one I felt I needed to leave the room because it was overwhelming and I felt I may give in to temptation. Even though it has been over a year I still fear what would happen if I took a drink of pop because I was truely addicted to it.

Now I am trying to clean my diet up and not over indulging in foods that are so unhealthy and make me feel so horrible when I eat them. Cookies, cakes, candy, chips and my all time favorite Wheat Thins. I know many of you are saying well its ok to have some of these and I shouldn't completely take these items out of my diet but I beg to differ. You wouldn't dare tell a drug addict that they shouldn't completely stop smoking crack and its ok to have one cheat day and for me these foods are the same. I say well I can have just one cookie and I end up eating the whole box of Girl Scout Cookies.

For me and I am sure for many of you it is the same. 7 years ago I lost over 25 lbs and was able to keep it off by staying away from these foods. I know longer craved them like I do now. You ask well what changed why did I go back, this is no excuse but I had my son 2 1/2 months premature (he weighed only 2 lbs 8 oz.) When I was home alone waiting for my husband to get off work so we could visit my son in the NICU I gave in and ate and ate and ate. Then we finally brought my sick son home who was on oxygen and a heart monitor and I was weak with regret and fear and stress and I gave in more and more.

Eventually it became such a habit for me that I gained weight and I would notice then I was start a crash diet. That would work for a while then I would go back to my old ways. This cycle has repeated itself for 7 years. My son is as healthy as a premature child can be and now I eat for other reasons but I still turn to food for when I am bored, or stressed, or sad, or happy, or hanging out with friends. Its like a drug and I need to kick this habit for good.

I plan to start today not tomorrow because my tomorrows haven't come yet so why not start today!!!

spackled1

I completely agree with you on the addiction thing.

I am not one of those people who can eat just one of anything, especially something sweet. I have eaten an entire box, bag, carton of too many things to count! I do so much better just staying away all together. It's hard, but it has to be that way for me.

ababygrace

I agree. Binge eating is always overlooked as an addiction.

fitnessbekhs

I feel you on this...and I agree 100%

Being addicted to BAD food is a problem...one that should be addressed as any other addiction! This was good for me to read...thanks for the post.

(My son was also premature...so I feel you on that too...and the emotional eating that comes with that stress and worry!)

tiarra77

i absolutely agree! it takes just as much to get over one as the other...i def am a winner in that battle. almost 100 lbs later, but i am winning!!!

susancelli928

I totally agree... binge eating is like any other addiction and people who don't have the issues don't understand it and bury their heads in the sand to it. People who scoff at the addictions of others are ignorant and unwilling to learn about it.

poorcopies

It is like an addiction and unfortunately you need to eat to survive. Sure, sugary, fatty nice tasting foods are the most likely things you binge on, but I have binged on all kinds of stuff to satisfy that urge. Yes, they are 'better' for you, but the cycle and habit is still there. After some amazing therapy i have come to realise this will probably never go away, but i am much better equipped to deal with it than i was and feel better talking about it, it's not a dirty secret I need to be ashamed of, it's an illnesses, the same as any other I need to monitor to ensure it's under control.

It saddens me that thousands of people suffer in silence because they feel being fat is something to be ashamed of and because society make them feel it's their fault they are like this. You should love yourself no matter what, you should want to lose weight because YOU want the control back food has over you, not because you feel you need to do it to be accepted.

Genie30

Absolutely, French Fancy cakes, jelly beans, wafer biscuits and Pepsi Max are all things that once I start, I can't stop. It's so true that it's best not to start in the first palce so I try not to buy them. Especially as if i start with one, I usually have to raid the cupboards for anything else I can find once it's all gone.

jessica1118

Good Luck !