[Beach Patrol]

(Mods -please feel free to move this if this category is not the right place for this post - thanks!) A very interesting article.... science now says that food addiction IS REAL, and not so different from drug addiction (or other addictions). I used to always think that it is harder to stop a chocolate craving than a drug craving (altho I've never done drugs, so I don't really know) simply because chocolate is FOOD and we NEED FOOD to sustain ourselves. A body can live perfectly fine without cigarettes, alchohol, heroin, etc... but you CANNOT live without food. And yes, chocolate is food.....

to read more.... http://www.ediets.com/news/article.c...23&cmi=2427961

[Janie Canuck]

That is interesting. My concern, though he did address it at the end, is that giving it a powerful label like "addiction" can be disempowering, ie. "why fight it, I have an addiction?" In order to overcome food issues, we need to truly believe that we CAN do it. Being told that it's an addiction like heroin kind of saps that belief right out of you, I think.

[LaurieDawn]

This is an interesting article. I think your concerns about using it as an excuse have validity, Janie, but I also think the acknowledgment of how hard it is gives us an understanding of how difficult the challenge will be and that allows us to be more prepared to fight through setbacks. Otherwise, it's easy to label ourselves as "out of control" or "undisciplined" or whatever instead of looking at it as the monumental challenge it is for many people.

Another sort of related concern that I have is the societal perception of the whole eating thing. It is not generally socially acceptable to do heroin, even if the consequences of the choice to do it have not yet escalated for an individual. Yet, it seems as though our culture dictates that we be thin AND eat fattening foods. So many characters in popular entertainment eat really unhealthy foods - remember all of the fattening foods they ate on Friends, and Joey's obsessiveness with jam, desserts, French fries, etc.? Yet, it was never considered socially unacceptable because they weren't fat. But - when they do flashbacks of the time when Monica was fat, her bad food choices became comedic fodder because she was fat? I'm rambling a little, but I'm a little frustrated too. It seems like it is not "okay" to be fat - which I am - and it's also not "okay" to be vigilant about food choices in public - which I am as well. It seems as though it's not socially acceptable to eat poorly if you're fat and not socially acceptable to eat well if you're thin. The fact remains that there are only a few people who can eat poorly and continue to be thin.

[kaplods]

On the other hand, a powerful label like addiction also stresses the damage it does to body, soul, and interpersonal relationships, and can inspire desire for change. Most smokers, drug, alcohol and even gambling and sex addicts tend continue their behaviors until they admit addiction. Until then, they say "I can stop any time I want to."

[Janie Canuck]

True enough, maybe that word "addiction" is a wake-up call for some people. It might make them finally admit that their problem is serious. And you're also right, that maybe it does help people to prepare for what a challenge it can be to get the eating/weight under control. And come to think of it, I guess that my "aha moment" in terms of finally bringing my bingeing under control was admitting to myself that I had BED, and that if I could not bring it under control, then I needed to seek professional help. So in that way, I guess the label served a good purpose.

I guess it's just that for me personally, and I fit the description of a "sugar addict" (vis a vis Radiant Recovery), I tended to use that as an excuse to hang my poor choices on. Part of getting things under control for me was to admit to myself, despite whatever disorder I had self-diagnosed, that the buck stopped with me, and whether or not I inhaled the bowl of ice cream was ultimately under my control. Now, sometimes, the ice cream still wins out, and the binge mindset is always lurking, but I have been successful at gaining control over the behaviour of actually putting the food into my mouth.

[xtrisaratops]

It has been 390 days since my last line of cocaine, and I will always be an addict. I think that's one thing that you have to learn when it comes to an addiction--that no matter how long you've been abstinent, how much control you think you have, how "over it" you think you are, it's ALWAYS going to be there. You've done it once, and it didn't quite kill you the first time, so what's one more going to hurt? Sadly, that goes through my mind quite a lot.

"Addiction" is more an empowering term than a disempowering term, if you are a true addict. It assigns you a label, and gives you something to belong to other than your drug of choice, be it cocaine, sex, gambling, food, porn, whatever. It subconsciously provides us with the assurance that we are NOT alone, that there are others struggling, and that only with the help of one another can be truly successful.

And, by the way, no chocolate craving I've ever had can compare to coke cravings. I've never had a chocolate craving that culminates in panic attacks.

[JayEll]

Hey!

My first thought was, DUH! There are just so many parallels between addictive behavior and certain food behaviors among overweight/obese people, that it's a no-brainer, to me anyway.

That's why I don't keep ice cream in my house.

However, people can learn to behave differently toward food. I used to not be able to have corn chips in the house. Once I hadn't eaten them for a few months (month, not days), I found I could have them in the house IF I divided a bag of chips up into 1-serving portions and individually bagged them. That allows me to have a limit on them. But with other foods, like the ice cream, I can't manage it yet.

Many, many people are addicted to sugar/carbs! Read the book Sugar Blues by William Dufty to learn more about how this works!

Just as with any addiction, there is no excuse for continuing to engage in the addictive behaviors. "I can't help it" makes no difference to your blood pressure, blood sugar, clogged arteries, etc.

The positive part of learning that addictive processes are involved, however, is that you no longer have to wonder WHY it is so hard to stop eating certain foods. And it's easier to accept that some foods just have to be removed from reach when first starting a program. Having "just a taste" won't work in some cases, not until a good deal of time has passed--and maybe not even then.

Jay

[pigginpodgey]

Such an interesting article, thank you for posting it! I think its important for us people who battle with our weight, to recognise it is an addiction and it isnt us being useless, weak etc etc, so we dont beat ourselves up constantly.
Its a fine line though, I also agree with Janie, we dont want to just believe that we are done for and to give up, and give in to the addiction! I would be interested to read about more of this kind of thing, has anyone read anything they can reccomend on this subject?! Please message me if you have read anything of interest, this might just be enough to scare me away from the cheese!!!

[kaplods]

I've heard the argument alot (even with illegal street drugs) that the term "addict," or even any sympathetic response encourages people not to change their behavior, but I've never seen any proof of that. I think excuses don't fall in people's lap, people seek excuses, and a person seeking an excuse will always find one (and may choose to cling to it no matter how lame). I don't think giving people one more excuse (to add to the thousands already available) increases any one person's likelihood of using one. Yes, some people might use "addiction" as an excuse to continue behavior, but I don't believe these people would have otherwised changed their behavior, they just would have used a different excuse, had "addiction" not been available.

That being said, I do think we sometimes throw the word addiction around a little too easily, especially if we consider all "addictions" equivalent on some level. Problems with legal substances have different consequences than illegal substances. Substances that cause immediate severe health effects have different consequences than substances that cause physical damage over time. Substances that trigger antisocial, abberant, violent, or bizarre behavior have different consequences than substances that do not. Trying to draw too close a parallel makes as little sense as seeing no similarities.

[LaurieDawn]

I agree with you, Colleen, about the excuses thing. I think it's really easy to swing to one side or the other and conclude that either all behavior is excusable or it's all inexcusable. I prefer to think of my issues with food as obstacles. I have more obstacles than some when it comes to weight and fewer obstacles than others. Pretending that I have no obstacles doesn't make my issues go away, however. And pretending that they're insurmountable doesn't help at all with my problems.

[JayEll]

LaurieDawn, I like that distinction.

Kaplods, I agree that it's not possible to use a term like addiction so broadly. No one is really addicted to chocolate, although it may feel that way! But, I like to focus on behavior, and some people's behavior regarding food is much like that of an addict. For example:

- hiding food (in one's room, in the car, in a locker, etc.).
- eating food in secret (private trips to the drive-thru).
- going to different stores to find the food items of choice, so one won't be recognized.
- lying about how much or what one has eaten.
- making excuses to go out when the real reason is to buy and eat food.
- buying something and eating all of it and then hiding the wrappers or packaging.

I remember one poster on 3FC who said that she shoved some cookies underneath herself while sitting on the couch because her husband came into the room, and she didn't want him to see her eating them.

And, lots of eating-disorder behavior is addictive behavior.

The main thing is the lying, sneaking, and hiding. When you find yourself doing those things you know that something's not right.

Jay

[CousinRockingChair]

I can assure you food addiction DOES exist.

I wake up thinking about it.

It ruins much of my happiness, etc.

Spend too much money on it.

Lie about it.

Have weird rituals with it.

Can't live without above said weird stuff^

Its too real.

[kaplods]

There are no doubt that there are many similarities and I see no problem using the term "addiction" as most people use it. In a clinical sense, however addiction is a term reserved for very specific purpose. I know we were taught in graduate school that gambling, food, and drugs that did not cause physiological dependence shouldn't be considered "true" addictions, and were were taught to prefer the term "abuse." But I think as most people use the terms they are interchangeable. One of the problems I see with carrying the addiction parallel too closely, is that people could lose their jobs over food addiction, or children could be taken away from food addicted parents (and maybe some people feel they should be, personally knowing a little more than I want to about the foster care system, I tend to disagree).

[Ready4aChange]

First of all, xtrisaratops, congratulations on 390 days clean and sober!
I think recognizing eating disorders as a form of addiction helps in treating and fighting them. Treating anorexia in a similar way to drug and alcohol addiction has proven very successful so it makes sense for over eaters too. Recovery guides you, among other things, to be accountable for your actions and choices and encourages honesty and encourages getting support from the people around you as well as people in similar circumstances -- if anything , I think viewing eating disorders this way can really benefit people.

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

You've made many good points here ladies; I have often wondered about this myself. I have heard some people talk about this uncontrollable feeling of 'always being hungry'. Is this the body sending signals and/or the mind? Like you say, maybe there are some minor addictive similarities, but not many people will rob a store to get a bag of chippies becuz of a craving ~ lol!

HOWEVER, I have wondered if those hormones they put in some animals that make them want to eat more, hence being passed onto humans via bi-products (like cheese), could be sending signals to our body systems and brains to eat even when we are not truly in need of fuel??? This then could be said to be causing a type of addictive reaction to food.

They are always warning women to watch what they consume becuz it is then passed onto their children. If we eat and drink the products of animals that have been fed these 'eat more' hormones, then we are consuming them also, are we not? I wonder if this has ever been investigated? I know people who believe that is why their sons are all over six feet tall, when both parents and families are 5.6 and less in height.

Sorry if I have drifted OT, but I have wondered about this topic for some time now. Are food cravings physical or mental/emotional or both? I personally think they are a little of both.

Example: when my nephew was a baby; about one years old, his mother would find him foraging thru the cupboards looking for something to eat in the middle of the night. I know a little boy now (six y/o) that from the time he was a baby, all he wants to do is eat; his parents have to keep saying no and give him several small meals a day to keep his weight down and cravings at bay (by a doctors' instructions).

I have a sibling with the disease CF ~ half of this disease has a wasting-away component (the other is lung); these poor dears are starving to death becuz their bodies cannot get enuff nutrients from the food. I have been diagnosed with a severe vitamin deficiency; now that I takes supplements all day; my hair grew back after 24 years.

Now, this is just my experience and personal observations, but it does make you wonder if there isn't more of a genetic component to weight problems and eating disorders, than we might realize ... sorry for rambing ~ lol! ROSEBUD