Food addiction--it REALLY DOES EXIST!!!

Joehenny

Uhm . . . aren't we all food addicts??

Right????

Dunkirk

Thanks for this. What is the best way to support a person with a food addiction?

2essie

You could be my twin OP. Thank you for your post.

If we could give up eating it would be so much easier to beat the addiction but we are always having to make choices of what to eat and therefore bringing food to mind again.

I had a (tall, skinny) friend who once said to me 'What's your problem? If you want to lose weight just give up eating for a while'. I replied 'If you want to give up smoking, just give up smoking'. She didn't get it at all. Apparently that was different. Not in my book it isn't.

Well done on a really good post.

quirkytizzy

Uhm . . . aren't we all food addicts??

I peg addiction as any repetitive action that gets in the way of daily living. This is why lots of people can have a beer or smoke a bowl on the weekend while, for me, it sends me straight to powder and needles. No one yet fully understands what makes an addict and what doesn't.

For some people, the act of eating does get in the way of daily living. Many of us have dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors towards food (our weight often proves it). But there are degrees of severity and some people have a much much severe dysfunction than others.

I am not a food addict. But I understand that it is possible.

CCusedtodance

Uhm . . . aren't we all food addicts??

I peg addiction as any repetitive action that gets in the way of daily living. This is why lots of people can have a beer or smoke a bowl on the weekend while, for me, it sends me straight to powder and needles. No one yet fully understands what makes an addict and what doesn't.

For some people, the act of eating does get in the way of daily living. Many of us have dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors towards food (our weight often proves it). But there are degrees of severity and some people have a much much severe dysfunction than others.

I am not a food addict. But I understand that it is possible.

Very well said! That describes me and I struggle every day because of it.

thepersonaboveyou

It's bad but it could be worse. Drug addicts go to jail.

What an insensitive comment, not surprising though. And food addicts put themselves in an early grave with morbid obesity if they keep feeding their addiction.

Your insult is completely unwarranted. As I said, food addicts have it bad. Perhaps you are just insensitive to drug addicts. It's the same thing, different substance.

A drug is a drug is a drug. Learn it.

There are all kinds of addictions. Food, drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex... talk about scorn. How would you like to be addicted to sex!?

EvgeniZyntx

Uhm . . . aren't we all food addicts??

I peg addiction as any repetitive action that gets in the way of daily living. This is why lots of people can have a beer or smoke a bowl on the weekend while, for me, it sends me straight to powder and needles. No one yet fully understands what makes an addict and what doesn't.

For some people, the act of eating does get in the way of daily living. Many of us have dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors towards food (our weight often proves it). But there are degrees of severity and some people have a much much severe dysfunction than others.

I am not a food addict. But I understand that it is possible.

This is perceptive.

My issue with the term food addiction and addiction in general can be reduced to the fatalism it can sometimes generate - the "it isn't me, it's the addiction" mentality. I tend to prefer compulsive eating when this refers to food. But in any case, if it is an addiction, and you are not trying to get help or support to break it then it certainly is all about you.
If you recognize that you have what you consider to be an addiction. What are you doing about it? Or is the term being used as a crutch?

I'm not judging anyone here - I'm suggesting that self-reflection to avoid falling into a trap of "I can't solve it".

BinaryPulsar

I peg addiction as any repetitive action that gets in the way of daily living. This is why lots of people can have a beer or smoke a bowl on the weekend while, for me, it sends me straight to powder and needles. No one yet fully understands what makes an addict and what doesn't.

For some people, the act of eating does get in the way of daily living. Many of us have dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors towards food (our weight often proves it). But there are degrees of severity and some people have a much much severe dysfunction than others.

I am not a food addict. But I understand that it is possible.

This is perceptive.

My issue with the term food addiction and addiction in general can be reduced to the fatalism it can sometimes generate - the "it isn't me, it's the addiction" mentality. I tend to prefer compulsive eating when this refers to food. But in any case, if it is an addiction, and you are not trying to get help or support to break it then it certainly is all about you.
If you recognize that you have what you consider to be an addiction. What are you doing about it? Or is the term being used as a crutch?

I'm not judging anyone here - I'm suggesting that self-reflection to avoid falling into a trap of "I can't solve it".

I'm definitely not a food addict, so I am here to listen and learn and not to judge another person's experience and struggles.

I agree with the above two comments. And particularly that there is a range in the severity of mental disorders such as disordered eating. It will not be the same for all people. This is where I also agree with the next comment about how people can sometimes develop an "I have an addiction mentality" and am trapped with that for the rest of my life. Maybe having an addiction almost becomes the addiction.

Also, it's simply not a competition. One addiction is not better than another. Drug addiction is obviously quite different because the person is physically addicted and after a long time can even die during the withdrawal process of attempting to stop the drugs (it needs to be medically supervised). I also do not agree that people rally around and support the drug addict in a cocoon of love. It really depends on the person, the family, how much the person has hurt people through the drug use, and many many reasons. I have never been an addict, but there is a lot of drug addiction in my family and it's no easy thing for anyone involved to go through. This can be a sensitive topic for me (just going to be honest about that right up front).

So, I don't see it as a comparison. But, I do understand that food addiction can also lead to other family members being hurt by the behavior and to death. I do understand the seriousness of it.

Food addiction is usually called Disordered Eating or Compulsive Eating.

So, just to be clear, I hear you and support you. I just don't particularly like when people make it a comparison to somehow say that drug addiction is somehow better. Really, when it comes to any kind of suffering, that type of comparison is usually not a good idea. I understand making a comparison in saying that both are painful, and possibly even similiar struggles. Just not that drug addiction is somehow better. It is actually extremely devastating. I'm not saying you don't know this (you said you had family members that faced it). Some drug addictions are easier for people to kick, early on. It's really devastating to watch what happens to a loved one that struggles with a severe drug addiction for decades. It's really difficult to be on the outside and every time I try to help, I am told that I can never even fathom how horrendous the withdrawal process is (and it's true, I've never been through that).

etoiles_argentees

There is no food addiction. But go on, you'll help the attorneys get more $, along with big pharmacy.

etoiles_argentees

So easy to blame others for your choice.

0hhCarolina

Plus now the truth is finally emerging (as it did some decades ago about tobacco) that processed foods are truly physically addictive, in the same way as chemical stimulants like cocaine, for example. The latest research indicates that the way some processed foods are formulated, they stimulate the same part of the brain that cocaine, tobacco and other drugs.

I find this latest research amazing, as I think many of us blame ourselves as addicts, like in Overeaters Anonymous saying we are powerless over food and yet ironically the food has been designed in labs to be addictive. I wonder at times if some of us are just more sensitive to some of the food formulations, but when one looks at the epidemic of obesity, it looks quite prevalent.

BinaryPulsar

Plus now the truth is finally emerging (as it did some decades ago about tobacco) that processed foods are truly physically addictive, in the same way as chemical stimulants like cocaine, for example. The latest research indicates that the way some processed foods are formulated, they stimulate the same part of the brain that cocaine, tobacco and other drugs.

I find this latest research amazing, as I think many of us blame ourselves as addicts, like in Overeaters Anonymous saying we are powerless over food and yet ironically the food has been designed in labs to be addictive. I wonder at times if some of us are just more sensitive to some of the food formulations, but when one looks at the epidemic of obesity, it looks quite prevalent.

No, it's not physically addictive in the same way as heroin. I'm not minimizing food addiction. But, the physical addiction is different (especially after decades of physical drug addiction and everything else that it involves and leads to).

I'm not saying that it is not physically or mentally or emotionally addictive (and again that is not something I understand personally), but the physical addiction is just a different type of physical addiction. And the outcomes are just different.

tjl2329

When I first started in Nov it was hard. I couldn't be around food. I only ate prepared meals fro. Ho.e. could t even buy my son a birthday cake because I knew id eat the whole tho g. Soon it became much easier. I almost criedevery time I saw someone eating . I knew I couldn't have any. Ridiculous I am a grown adult. Rarely do I cry but sometimes I kick empty boxes at work. Lets out my food frustration. Now I am pretty good. But then someone was smoking by me. I could feel the craving. I haven't smoked I. Over 20 yrs. I wouldn't care about eating if I smoked. I came to my senses and realized addiction is addiction no matter what your addicted to.

zyxst

There is no food addiction. But go on, you'll help the attorneys get more $, along with big pharmacy.

jestersand

I was formerly a big girl and I ate a lot too, but I also worked a lot too. it's when I stopped eating at the wrong time of the day and not exercising that put on an extra 100 on me in no time. Yes, there is food everywhere, and yes, we feel like we must grab it, but there is also that says, "No, I rather not." In order to get to that mentality, you have to discover why you eat. Eating is a good feeling, and is drinking and drugs. What is missing in your life to resort to food to fill the void?

You can admit you have an addiction, but there is also a part of you that has to work hard to overcome it. Sometimes you may need help with it. The market sells a lot of products that helps you feel not hungry. I actually started with those 10 years ago. But those only get you so far. You also have to help this addiction by not carrying money with you in the street. You pack your lunch for the day, and you take all the junk food from your house. It may be understandable having a family, because they are not always supportive, but in the end giving in to temptation is a character flaw of yours...not anyone else's fault. I have had that same problem with people putting cookies and brownies in the office and some do the popcorn thing. What has made me feel better about walking away with a little tear in my eye over a cookie is that I am slimmer and everyone else is fat and struggling to put food down. I have conditioned myself to smell so many delicious things and know that once in my stomach, it was not worth the misery. Sure...an addiction....but to recover and become strong, you have to want to change. This is all about you. On the bright side, you don't have to give any of that up if you simply work out more. Become more active. Trust me, the envy people will have for you is SO worth it. Self-control is such a desired trait.

blaiseastra

I'm an OA member as well, just popping in to say thanks for posting this. People who haven't experienced food/eating addictions really can't understand, but it's just as painful and debilitating as any drug or alcohol addiction! I highly recommend OA for those looking for a solution, and definitely check out the OA group here on MFP! Any OA members are welcome to send me friend requests!

NareenaTheGypsy

I had a thought the other day... comparing my mom who tells me she wants to lose weight, she's so proud of me, etc.. She's older of course and complains that while it's great that I work out, she simply can't. She smokes (won't even TRY to cut back or quit) and is obese. At 5'2", I think she weighs about 208 lbs now. Not her heaviest, but it's a lot on her compact little body. Anyway, she's told me that she won't give up her sweet tea, her cigarettes or ... you get the idea. I looked at her and I said:

"You have to want it bad enough to quit".

I blinked, realizing those were the exact same words my husband has used with me in regards to his not wanting to quit smoking. He doesn't really want to quit, so he doesn't try. That's my mom. That's her food addiction. And oh yes, friends.. it's mine as well. Last year, I "wanted it bad enough" and I tried. I have given up the usual soda at dinner, the every night 2 cups of ice cream.. things like chocolate cake once a week (more than one piece each time).. I have learned from my husband as well as my mom. I wanted it enough. I still do. And addiction is exactly what it is. I tell myself that one little hershey's kiss is ok. But after eating a dozen of them, I am ashamed and disgusted with myself. I tell myself that I'll try again tomorrow and I move on. A week later, I buy something else just as bad and the cycle starts again. I don't eat whole cakes, or entire 8 pcs pf chicken alone. I eat one small sweet bite and then again.. again, again.

This stops now. Some people can eat "just one" and be fine. Some of us need to cut it out completely or derail our entire eating habits in the process. Well said, OP and thank you for the reminder.

0hhCarolina

Quote:
No, it's not physically addictive in the same way as heroin. I'm not minimizing food addiction. But, the physical addiction is different (especially after decades of physical drug addiction and everything else that it involves and leads to).

I'm not saying that it is not physically or mentally or emotionally addictive (and again that is not something I understand personally), but the physical addiction is just a different type of physical addiction. And the outcomes are just different.



I'm inclined to believe Michael Moss' extraordinary new book, Salt, Sugar, Fat, in which he examines the deeper truths of the food industry. Especially convincing is the story of James Behnke, who has a doctoral degree in food science, and was instrumental in creating a long line of hit products at Pillsbury.

The latest research in fact indicates that the chemical composition of processed foods does indeed activate the exact same parts of the brain that are stimulated in heroin addicts.

I at first felt that this has the feel of a conspiracy theory, but no it is in fact absolutely compelling and makes me outraged that we blame ourselves and speak of eating disorders when in reality the very food is designed to create cravings and maximize profits.