Is anyone else addicted to SUGAR?!?

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

baconslave wrote: »

wamydia wrote: »

I have always loved sugar and had a hard time limiting my intake. I found that moderating it by setting rules for myself worked. For instance, I can only have something sweet in the evening after dinner. For items that I have a hard time not eating too much of, I limit the amount that I have in the house (like buy a little 6 pack of oreos instead of a big pack). This works for me, but for some people it doesn't because they find it hard to control the urge to just keep eating whatever is at hand.

Some people find that they have to abstain completely in order to control their sugar cravings. Some say they cut out sweets entirely, some just cut out certain sweet foods. Some people try this, however, and find that it leads to overindulgence later.

My words of wisdom are try all of the above and see what works for you in the long run. I recommend starting with moderating just because why deprive yourself when you don't have to? But if you find that it just can't work, I don't see anything wrong with choosing to abstain from certain foods as long as you feel it is something that you can maintain long term. Finally, if this is a really huge struggle for you, you may consider talking to a counselor that deals with food issues. Sometimes the root of the issue is more emotional than anything.

The bolded part.
All you need in a nutshell, OP.

I personally had to cut added sugar out completely for the time being. It FELT like an addiction, but really wasn't. I could now probably reintroduce in moderation if I wanted, but being divorced from it for so long, I feel really "meh" toward it now and would rather spend my calories eating other foods and drinking occasionally. And I can't deny that I feel really well now. So if it ain't broke...

What I found was: when I cut it out initially, it lost its allure. Now I don't really crave it or think about it, so it became more of a lifestyle. All the better for me.

Exactly. It loses it's allure. So if we really want it, we CAN have it. But we don't want it, so we don't eat it.

The key is training yourself to moderate. The specific technique varies by person.

dbmata wrote: »

baconslave wrote: »

dbmata wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

Prepare for folks to nitpick your use of the word "addicted" and for folks to declare that everything in moderation is the only preferable option.

Didn't take long for a post like this to show up. Well done.

Forewarned is forearmed?

She did not say that these things OP will hear aren't true. But it IS what OP should expect to hear. Lo' and behold, it happened. In accordance with the prophecy.

Prophecy, or did she invoke the devil by mentioning him? lol.

Hmmmm...good question.

But I don't think so. MFP peeps will not abide unaddressed sugar or addiction posts for long. It is known.

BombshellPhoenix wrote: »

Moderation.

For most things.....yes. For some people, if it is a trigger, they just let it alone.

baconslave wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

baconslave wrote: »

wamydia wrote: »

I have always loved sugar and had a hard time limiting my intake. I found that moderating it by setting rules for myself worked. For instance, I can only have something sweet in the evening after dinner. For items that I have a hard time not eating too much of, I limit the amount that I have in the house (like buy a little 6 pack of oreos instead of a big pack). This works for me, but for some people it doesn't because they find it hard to control the urge to just keep eating whatever is at hand.

Some people find that they have to abstain completely in order to control their sugar cravings. Some say they cut out sweets entirely, some just cut out certain sweet foods. Some people try this, however, and find that it leads to overindulgence later.

My words of wisdom are try all of the above and see what works for you in the long run. I recommend starting with moderating just because why deprive yourself when you don't have to? But if you find that it just can't work, I don't see anything wrong with choosing to abstain from certain foods as long as you feel it is something that you can maintain long term. Finally, if this is a really huge struggle for you, you may consider talking to a counselor that deals with food issues. Sometimes the root of the issue is more emotional than anything.

The bolded part.
All you need in a nutshell, OP.

I personally had to cut added sugar out completely for the time being. It FELT like an addiction, but really wasn't. I could now probably reintroduce in moderation if I wanted, but being divorced from it for so long, I feel really "meh" toward it now and would rather spend my calories eating other foods and drinking occasionally. And I can't deny that I feel really well now. So if it ain't broke...

What I found was: when I cut it out initially, it lost its allure. Now I don't really crave it or think about it, so it became more of a lifestyle. All the better for me.

Exactly. It loses it's allure. So if we really want it, we CAN have it. But we don't want it, so we don't eat it.

The key is training yourself to moderate. The specific technique varies by person.

Nice avatar!
And agreed. And for me, it's easier to go without, most of the time.

wamydia wrote: »

My words of wisdom are try all of the above and see what works for you in the long run. I recommend starting with moderating just because why deprive yourself when you don't have to? But if you find that it just can't work, I don't see anything wrong with choosing to abstain from certain foods as long as you feel it is something that you can maintain long term. Finally, if this is a really huge struggle for you, you may consider talking to a counselor that deals with food issues. Sometimes the root of the issue is more emotional than anything.

Good advice.

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

Prepare for folks to nitpick your use of the word "addicted" and for folks to declare that everything in moderation is the only preferable option.

Good luck. I used to waste tons of calories on sugary snacks and drinks. I ultimately decided to cut out added sugars pretty much cold turkey for a few weeks. I still limit added sugars to 3 grams per serving. In the beginning it took a lot of label reading (they call sugar many things and add tons of it to things that don't need it other than for industrial purposes).

Best thing I ever did for myself, tbh.
You need to figure out what works for you for the long haul. Everyone's different. cheers!

Sabine...a member that always has something intelligent to share on the forums! I always enjoy hearing what got you where you are... you inspire me!

Out of curiosity, anyone care to explain why gambling addiction is an addiction despite having no physical symptoms and no physical withdrawal symptoms, while sugar is not a "real" addiction despite having obvious psychological symptoms (like gambling addicting)? (I guess this also applies to anything classified as an addiction without having any physical symptoms or physical withdrawal symptoms, like sex) on the same note, why are certain medications not considered addictive even though tolerance increases and people go through horrible withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the medications (antidepressants being one example)?

It seems to me to be a big game of semantics. People use the term sugar addiction here and get bashed for it all the time, but I'm having a very hard time figuring out why that is, except for the game of semantics....if addiction is defined by withdrawal symptoms after increasing tolerance, leading a user to use more to prevent withdrawal, then gambling, sex, etc cannot be defined as addictions. I've read that addiction is defined, however, as a desire for more despite negative consequences....so in that case, why can sugar not be an addiction?

I'm sure I'm just going to get a bunch of crap for this. But it's a serious question. Personally, i believe it's possible to be addicted to anything according to the definition that I've read, since it seems that addiction is a set of behaviors and not so much a set of physical symptoms. But some people obviously have a different definition of addiction.

Also, the whole thing about it being a smack in the face to people who were addicted to heroin....studies have shown that people typically age out of addiction even if they continue to use moderately after that...and just because heroin has terrible physical withdrawal doesn't diminish the struggle of people who say they are addicted to sugar, food, or what have you.

Just some questions.

Blueseraphchaos wrote: »

Out of curiosity, anyone care to explain why gambling addiction is an addiction despite having no physical symptoms and no physical withdrawal symptoms, while sugar is not a "real" addiction despite having obvious psychological symptoms (like gambling addicting)?

This goes back to that study that was discussed a month or so ago, about how one can be "addicted" to eating, arguably--and why EDs like binge eating disorder seem to be akin to addictions of some types--but that that's different than "I'm addicted to sugar" or the like. It's not the sugar itself that is the issue, but how eating gets abused, essentially, and presumably then it's likely to not be limited to sugar (indeed, it typically isn't sugar, but certain kinds of desserts that are the trigger foods even for those with specific trigger foods).

if addiction is defined by withdrawal symptoms after increasing tolerance, leading a user to use more to prevent withdrawal, then gambling, sex, etc cannot be defined as addictions.

Yeah, I don't think the psychological definition of addiction requires physical addiction.

I've read that addiction is defined, however, as a desire for more despite negative consequences....so in that case, why can sugar not be an addiction?

Because people use that too casually and there's more to it. Part of being human is doing stuff despite negative consequences, because longer term consequences tend to be more remote to us than immediate consequences. Eating something tasty even though you know you will have to have less to eat later, perhaps, or gain weight is not the kind of "doing something despite negative consequences" that is considered psychologically a sign of an addiction, unless me deciding to go to bed because I'm tired (or screw around on the internet a bit because I find it fun) vs. working when I have a project due and know the result will be more stress and a harder day the next day means I'm addicted to sleeping or the internet. In fact, deciding that I want to relax with a drink vs. continuing to work doesn't mean I'm an alcoholic either, although I can easily describe other examples of where drinking behavior would seem obvious signs of alcoholism.

I'm not giving you crap, but trying to engage in a serious discussion.

Also, the whole thing about it being a smack in the face to people who were addicted to heroin....studies have shown that people typically age out of addiction even if they continue to use moderately after that...and just because heroin has terrible physical withdrawal doesn't diminish the struggle of people who say they are addicted to sugar, food, or what have you.

Plenty of people remain addicts 'til they die, so I don't think it's nothing to worry about, not that serious, people age out, if that's what you are trying to convey, and frankly comparing what most people are talking about when they say they are "sugar addicts" to true addiction does seem to me to be insensitive or to minimize how horrible addiction for everyone involved. Typically what people talking about "sugar addiction" are talking about is the fact that they have a tendency to overeat dessert type items and feel a bit out of control (i.e., have trouble not overeating) when they do eat it (and perhaps have trouble resisting a delicious-looking piece of cake). And yes, being fat can be a huge bummer. That's still not the kind of "I guess I'll throw my life in the toilet" experience of addiction.

I think binge eating disorder, on the other hand, or other kinds of behaviors related to eating can be basically the same or similar, however. There is someone here who used to be morbidly obese and has written movingly about his experience with food where food had essentially become the center of his life, in a way that nearly crowded out everything else, and that's the kind of relationship--where eating (or drinking or taking the substance in question) isn't even fun anymore, it's just the only thing that makes it like addiction as I understand it.

Saying "I just really love food" (or "love pizza" or "love cake") doesn't make one an addict. I did, at one point, love wine and know a lot about it and so on. That's not what made me a drunk. (Also, saying "I'm a sugar addict" but then acknowledging the "addiction" is only for certain sweet treats (since almost no one claims to have that reaction to fruit or even to eating sugar straight) is rather like claiming to be a pinot noir addict, but not have any issue with any other kind of alcohol, which is obviously absurd.) What seems most off re some of the efforts to claim sugar is like an addictive substance is the assumption that it being super enjoyable is what means it's addictive. The essence of addiction isn't that using the substance is fun or pleasurable.

Blueseraphchaos wrote: »

Also, the whole thing about it being a smack in the face to people who were addicted to heroin....studies have shown that people typically age out of addiction even if they continue t

Plenty of people remain addicts 'til they die, so I don't think it's nothing to worry about, not that serious, people age out, if that's what you are trying to convey, and frankly comparing what most people are talking about when they say they are "sugar addicts" to true addiction does seem to me to be insensitive or to minimize how horrible addiction for everyone involved. Typically what people talking about "sugar addiction" are talking about is the fact that they have a tendency to overeat dessert type items and feel a bit out of control (i.e., have trouble not overeating) when they do eat it (and perhaps have trouble resisting a delicious-looking piece of cake). And yes, being fat can be a huge bummer. That's still not the kind of "I guess I'll throw my life in the toilet" experience of addiction.

I think binge eating disorder, on the other hand, or other kinds of behaviors related to eating can be basically the same or similar, however. There is someone here who used to be morbidly obese and has written movingly about his experience with food where food had essentially become the center of his life, in a way that nearly crowded out everything else, and that's the kind of relationship--where eating (or drinking or taking the substance in question) isn't even fun anymore, it's just the only thing that makes it like addiction as I understand it.

Saying "I just really love food" (or "love pizza" or "love cake") doesn't make one an addict. I did, at one point, love wine and know a lot about it and so on. That's not what made me a drunk. (Also, saying "I'm a sugar addict" but then acknowledging the "addiction" is only for certain sweet treats (since almost no one claims to have that reaction to fruit or even to eating sugar straight) is rather like claiming to be a pinot noir addict, but not have any issue with any other kind of alcohol, which is obviously absurd.) What seems most off re some of the efforts to claim sugar is like an addictive substance is the assumption that it being super enjoyable is what means it's addictive. The essence of addiction isn't that using the substance is fun or pleasurable.

I'm not trying to downplay heroin addiction or any other addiction. Coming from the town with the highest per-capita heroin addiction in the country, being a former addict myself, i understand all too well what all that crap is. I have watched friends die from heroin...I've also watched them age out. It's kind of a crap shoot at best. The people like me tend never to define themselves as having been addicts even though they have all the markets and diagnostic criteria for it. my point in saying that most ppl actually age out of addiction is that there are plenty of former addicts, like me, who would not view someone saying they're addicted to food as a slap in the face.

I just see people on here all the time saying that addiction to food or sugar or what have you isn't real....but i think it is. I won't deny that the term most likely does get thrown around too loosely, but i just find it terrible that people are so nasty to other people who say they're addicted to sugar...especially if the person hasn't given many or any details (do they binge, sneak large amounts of food, etc). A lot of behaviors i see on here are so close to addiction that they might as well be functionally defined as addiction. I guess I'd have to add a component of compulsion to doing things with negative consequences (where deciding to go to sleep despite having a big project due isn't addiction but eating large amounts of sugar without even making the decision to do so could be considered addiction, just like gambling large amounts of money because you feel compelled to could be considered addiction).

At the risk being "that person," i guess this would be more of a "why are people so nasty for no reason" post, haha. Everyone is here for a reason, people come to the forums because they're struggling with someone, and other people reply with nastiness because semantics! If someone is struggling, just help them....there's no need to pitch fits about the use of the word addiction and say it's not possible when, arguably, it very well IS possible because we don't know life stories. A question like, "anyone else addicted to sugar? How did you handle it?" could just be answered instead of being blown up into a bunch of crap.

I'm not a very overly-sensitive person, so i don't throw a fit at the use of the word addicted when someone most likely isn't truly addicted. Maybe that's the issue. I just get mad when people act like compete *kitten* on here (or when people read something, twist it pretty much beyond recognition, then reply rudely on here). Maybe I'll start another "mean people" thread.

Why are people nasty on here? I think they have someone in their lives that pisses in their Cheerios on the daily, and they are bothered by it enough to pay it forward. That's my theory any way.



While a person may not be "addicted" to sugar, it DOES feel like an addiction to the person. Especially if you were like me: binging on it until you are sick, eating in hiding and hiding the evidence, buying more in secret, and hating yourself because the cravings for more seem uncontrollably compelling. And of course there was the negative consequence of getting to be close to 100lbs overweight because of these actions you feel hopeless to control. I was pretty much eating myself to death. What you have to do is STOP IT. It isn't that easy for some people. I tried just having "a little bit." (Miserable failure. ) Many people feel like they can't and don't know how to just stop.

I agree the back and forth on the distinction of addiction is ridiculous. That isn't the point. The point is that people are having serious trouble and need help. A lot of them feel desperate, out of control, and hopeless. They are after help and aren't trying to insult anyone who has ever had a legitimate addiction. This isn't just a few people. How many people are obese now worldwide? And how many of them are obese because of overeating foods with added sugar in particular? Why are so many people doing this? Is it because they are all lazy stupid slobs with poor morals? No. It's a mass problem needing a solution. And something to think about. Why is it so hard for so many people to just STOP IT?

I personally cut sugar out, cold-turkey (for now. It's in the house. The kids have some in moderation. Hubs is one of those people who don't care about sweets at all. I just don't touch it now. I'd rather use my calories on something I find more filling...or save my calories for my occasional booze-a-thons. Priorities. ). Others keep only small amounts in the house, eat some, and don't go buy more when it's gone. Others replace the added sugar foods with fruits. Some can even have those foods around, set a goal for themselves, and stick to it with little trouble. I'm hoping, OP, that you found the helpful posts and are able to apply them to your individual situation.