Dealing with Food Addiction
Food addiction refers to the pathological disorder which involves the compulsive and excessive cravings and consumption of food. Those who suffer from this addiction know too well that what they are consuming and the way they are consuming food are harmful to their health. However, they can’t help themselves from stopping from craving and wanting food excessively. In US, food addiction is considered as the fastest growing addiction, yet the most preventable one.
Signs of food addiction
A person who has addiction to food consumes food even when he or she is already full, or when he or she is lonely and depressed. Another sign of food addiction is when a person eats a certain food excessively even if he or she knows that this is harmful to health. A person with food addiction also suffers from insomnia, headaches, mood changes, irritability, and even depression if his or her craving is not satisfied.
Food addiction, obesity, and bulimia
When you hear the term “food addict,” what you probably imagine is a fat or obese person. Although obesity is the well-known effect of addiction to food, you can actually find those who are underweight or who are of normal weight but are actually food addicts. A bulimic, for instance, eats obsessively but he or she is still underweight because he or she induces vomiting or takes laxatives for fear of gaining weight. Because of the serious consequences of food addiction, many food addicts lose self-esteem.
Dealing with food addiction
The first step in overcoming the addiction to food is to face and acknowledge the problem. If you have seen the signs of food addiction in yourself, you have to accept the problem and acknowledge that you need the aid of other people to overcome your addiction. You should also modify your eating patterns and lifestyle. You have to make sure that the food that you include in your diet has no substances that can trigger an addictive response. To prevent obesity, you also have to exercise regularly.
Getting professional help
Addiction to food is a serious problem. Although you can ask your family and friends to help you face this problem, it is still better if you ask for the assistance of a professional. A part of food addiction is a psychological aspect. This is why going to a therapist or a counselor would help make you recover fast from your addiction.
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Thanks for sharing this article. My daughter and I share the same problem of obesity because of our attitude towards food. I am having a hard time dealing with my personal problems which I feel also affects her and makes her eat even more. But just to share, when I was younger (about after college), I remember reading an article that certain stuff like carbohydrates and sugar can be addictive without you noticing it. So I tried a little experiment back then. I reduced my intake of sweets to about 50% and sure enough, it made me crave for candies and chocolates less. However, will power is really the key to this. It is super hard to turn away from sweets when you are so used to having them around. For me to do it all over again would mean a lot of arguments with the kids (and my mom who likes to give them chocolates a lot). Lol!