Hi, My name is Melissa and I am addicted to sugar.

I quit smoking cigarettes July 2011 after smoking for 26 years and literally watching my mother die of cancer. That was an addiction.
I've had friends die from heroin overdoses and friends destroy their lives over meth. That's an addiction.
Sugar is yummy. That's not the same thing.

Actually, research is finding it is addictive in the same way that drugs and alcohol are addictive... and completely toxic in the same way. And I do understand the severity of drug addiction.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-skinny-on-obesity-with-robert-lustig-concludes-all-episodes-now-available-on-uctv-primes-youtube-channel-2012-05-31

I see people all the time turning tricks to support their sugar addiction:laugh:

I truly think there can be an addiction to sugar.
It always hits me towards the end of the day, mostly when I am at work.
I get antsy and fidgety, maybe a little moody.
And then I cave in a buy me go to bag of peanut M&M's. Not the small bag.
But the bag that is meant for sharing. But of course I don't share.
As soon as I put the first M&M in my mouth I can actually feel a sense of relief come over me.
Just like when I used to smoke.

If I can quit smoking surely I can quit sugar.

I need ideas of what I can put in my pocket when I am work. I was thinking about a couple of jolly ranchers.
Sweet and they last long. Or would that not be helpful at all.

Get some fruit and nut mix, 1/4 cup, all natural sugars and protein, 120 calories.

If you really need sugar, drink a fresh/frozen fruit smoothie when you get off work. They are easy to make and so much better than any sugary snack. My craving goes away anytime I drink one. I don't think those cravings really fully go away if you just stop eating sugary things. I don't eat candy or snacks really at all anymore but I still get sugar cravings.

Yep, sugar gives your brain that "good feeling" just like many other things, Are you sure it's sugar or is it chocolate?
Either way, try having some sugar free candy on hand. Mints help me, but I've also discovered some good sugar free chocolate. You can retrain your taste buds away from sugar to sugar substitutes. Though I'm not a fan of sugar substitutes, try a granola bar. 100-120 calories that offer fiber and some nutrients is better than candy.
You CAN do it, You quit smoking after all (which I wish I could!!)
best of luck!!

The problem in trying to lower sugar, by switching to low sugar or sugar free things, is that low sugar and sugar free things are usually filled with artificial sweeteners and chemicals, which is just as bad. So what is the real solution ?

I have been addicted to alcohol and cigarettes and successfully quit both but food is different. I feel the same way you do about sugar, especially in the afternoons around 3pm. I absolutely LOVE chocolate peanut M&M's. I just see the yellow package and I get a high feeling. They are the best and they make me feel so calm. I try to tell myself I can have some later when I have a lot of extra calories left over or when I exercise alot instead of allowing it right now. Some times this works!

I quit smoking cigarettes July 2011 after smoking for 26 years and literally watching my mother die of cancer. That was an addiction.
I've had friends die from heroin overdoses and friends destroy their lives over meth. That's an addiction.
Sugar is yummy. That's not the same thing.

Actually, research is finding it is addictive in the same way that drugs and alcohol are addictive... and completely toxic in the same way. And I do understand the severity of drug addiction.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-skinny-on-obesity-with-robert-lustig-concludes-all-episodes-now-available-on-uctv-primes-youtube-channel-2012-05-31

Seriously? You're using a Lustig reference as evidence? :laugh:

*applause* You're my hero.

Hear hear! Magazine articles and tv shows are not research, get back to me when you have read multiple papers on sugar and it's addictive powers written by actual academics.

I have abstained from sugar and found my cravings get less. But I don't know if I am willing to live without it completely and forever...?

Interesting research from a group of psychologists at Princeton:

"Abstract

[Avena, N.M., Rada, P., Hoebel B.G., 2007. Evidence for sugar addiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews XX(X), XXX-XXX]. The experimental question is whether or not sugar can be a substance of abuse and lead to a natural form of addiction. "Food addiction" seems plausible because brain pathways that evolved to respond to natural rewards are also activated by addictive drugs. Sugar is noteworthy as a substance that releases opioids and dopamine and thus might be expected to have addictive potential. This review summarizes evidence of sugar dependence in an animal model. Four components of addiction are analyzed. "Bingeing," "withdrawal," "craving" and "cross-sensitization" are each given operational definitions and demonstrated behaviorally with sugar bingeing as the reinforcer. These behaviors are then related to neurochemical changes in the brain that also occur with addictive drugs. Neural adaptations include changes in dopamine and opioid receptor binding, enkephalin mRNA expression and dopamine and acetylcholine release in the nucleus accumbens. The evidence supports the hypothesis that under certain circumstances rats can become sugar dependent. This may translate to some human conditions as suggested by the literature on eating disorders and obesity."

I can only speak from my personal experience, and I think sugar is highly addictive, much more so for me than cigarettes, alcohol, etc. Even back in my student days I experimented with different recreational drugs, but didn't become dependent on any of them. I think anyone that claims that sugar is not addictive is purely talking about their own situation, rather than empathising with those who do have a weakness for it.