My girlfriend is a sugar addict and bulimic. A strong and courageous woman, she is working with a counselor to combat her feelings of guilt, depression and self-condemnation, and has her bulimia under control. Her local Overeaters Anonymous groups have also been a great help.

Her sugar addiction has proven to be a much more difficult problem asit provides immediate and socially acceptable relief, but with horrible effects. The reaction to sugars in her system is frightening, with wide emotional swings. She feels frustrated by her addiction but wants to take extreme steps to overcome it.

She would like to find a one to two week long detox program, ideally somewhere that she doesn't have access to sugar and processed white foods. She'd like to be around a group of other women dealing with similar issues in addition to having a support staff who can help her. She's not looking for a conventional detox program with addicts like alcoholics who face similar but very different problems. She's looking for something that is focused on sugar addiction, as she is at the extreme of those with this affliction.

I am writing to you hoping for a recommendation.

Do you know of any place that can help her?

We live in London, but we fully expect that she'll need to fly to the US to find something for this. The location doesn't matter. We just want to overcome this.

Thank you for your time.

Dear MuddyH2O:

I'm not sure if your friend might need professional help...her condition seems pretty severe. BUT, if you bought the Sugar Busters diet book, it sounds like your friend might benefit from this eating style after she's gotten control of her condition. I LOVE eating sugar free...lots of fruit and yogurt smoothies...eggs and bacon for breakfast with strawberries for breakfast...a burger patty with a fruit salad with whole wheat bread and butter for lunch...it's all very good, sensible food, but the book kind of puts it all in perspective. We have regular chatty conversation where a lot of us post our daily menus on the Weekly Support Board on this same forum page. Feel free to join us and see if we seem like a group that could help your friend. Sugar Busters is a popular diet or way of eating for many diabetics, as well as people (like me) that are trying to loose weight. If you can't find Sugar Busters in the Diet section of a local bookstore, check Amazon.com, they have it.

Good luck with your friend...and come join us on the support board!!

Kris

Hello Muddy-

I can empathize entirely with your friend. Unfortunately I don't know of any place where this kind of addiction is treated, compared to alcohol and drugs the sugar addiction is treated in a cavalier fashion (perhaps rightly so - sugar addicts don't seem to kill or rob people to support their ways). I would think that some kind of spa or "fat farm" would at least get her away from the stuff for a week or two, if she can't control herself. Beyond that and OA I just haven't heard of any formal program. You might try googling "health spa" or "weight loss spa" to find an away-from-home type place where her access to food choices is restricted.

I know firsthand how hard it can be to go cold turkey, but please let her know the reward is so worth the hardship. The brain thumping cravings DO go away after time, and I have found with SB that the low glycemic sugars (agave nectar, crystal fructose, fresh fruits) are enough to satisfy my tastebuds without sending me on a giggling/raging insulin high/low.

The bulimia issue is quite another thing however, and kudos to her for facing that whole mess.

To one who is struggling I wish the best of luck. -From one who is struggling, Ruby

I just thought of a place that might be what you are looking for: Look into CanyonRanch.com It's a health spa, but my understanding is they really are focused on health, and not just weight loss so you can look chic. I have never been, but saw a segment on a talk show about it and it is tops on my list for a vacation. Again, good luck - Ruby

there are two places i know of that treat sugar addiction- they are both in florida. one is called milestones in recovery and the other the willough. both have websites. if you go to somethingfishy.org (an eating disorders website), they have the links to these places

Have you seen Kathleen DesMaison's books? She wrote "Potatoes Not Prozac", and "The Sugar Addicts Total Recovery Program".

There's a website with tons of information and a very welcoming community. It's at radiantrecovery.com

I've been on the program for almost 7 months and I'm a different person--I'll never go back to sugar! And I was really hooked.

Really, check out the website and the books. Amazing.

Reading the description of your girlfriend's problem I almost felt like I was reading a description of my own problem. The only difference is I haven't quite gotten a hold of the bulimia. This past week the sugar cravings and the binges have been especially bad. It looks like people have listed a lot of good references here that I plan to check out.

Kudos to you for being so supportive of your girlfriend! My boyfriend is the only person I feel comfortable talking to about my problems, but the only thing he ever says (if anything) is "I wish there was something I could do to help." My mom and sister are aware of the problem, but I don't really like talking with them about it.

This seems to be a really good sight. I'm hoping that it will help me take a step in the right direction for a change.

nn608: Sugarbusters is an excellent program to follow for sugar addiction. It sure helped me! Come join us over on the weekly support thread on the support board. There are a number of us following Sugarbusters and everyone there is very helpful and supportive.

Here is a link to the forum:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=62

...this post is over five years old... I would have liked to follow that link.

I am a suger addict and although I can go in and out of remission I'm currently tangled in the addict web and am having a very hard time getting out

BrandyAndi, I corrected the link, but it just brings you to this forum for Sugarbusters. The posts are only two years to two and a half years old.

I too would love to find a sugar detox facility!!!!!