Quote:
Originally Posted by novangel
If we're talking heroin I'd agree but overeating food is a habit. Again, JMO.
Here's an interesting article comparing food addiction to drug addiction
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/1...n_4173632.html
For me, food was a coping mechanism. As are most "addictive" substances, if you are lacking skills in coping with stress, or have genetic predispositions to addiction/obesity/etc you may be more susceptible to addiction. Don't forget that habits form pathways in our brain, much like how we drive to work without thinking about how to get there, it's automatic. We must challenge those pathways lest we misconstrue them as addiction.
I think that our mental state plays a huge huge huge role in our susceptibility. I was addicted to cigarettes for 17yrs and kept saying "I can quit if I want to, I just don't want to." Then I got pregnant and stopped cold turkey. I experienced no withdrawl symptoms. A couple of years ago I took it back up socially - meaning once every couple of weeks, many many days can go by without giving it any thought. Then I'll go out with friends and smoke 3 cigarettes. Was I ever addicted? I've never known anyone else to quit without any withdrawl symptoms.
When I was dieting, I was constantly reading literature that supported my beliefs that sugar was addictive, and that carbs were addictive. I was "addicted" and I knew it for sure. I would experience withdrawl when I started a diet and it would never ever ever end for me, no matter how long I stuck with it.
I decided to think otherwise. I dropped the BS, rejected the idea that I was addicted to sugar and carbs and in the most dramatic moment of my life lost my desire for carbs and sugar. I eat them like most moderate people do, but there is no longing, no withdrawl, no weird cravings, no obessive thoughts and no overeating. The brain is the most amazing organ that we have. Everyone is busy trying to control their pancreas and their kidneys and their heart etc... going to directly to the brain and address its needs takes care of all those other organs without effort.