Is Food Addiciton Real

Obesity is epidemic in our country. This generation of children is the first one to have a life expectancy less than their parents. Diabetes, heart disease, and other weight related ailments are bankrupting our economy. What is going on? Is there such a thing as food addiction and if so how do we combat it?

There has never been a time in history where such a large number of people had such easy access to so many calories on a daily basis. It is simple for almost anyone in this country to consume 4000-5000 calories a day just by eating what is advertised on TV and other media. When the average person only needs 2000 calories a day you can see how easy it is to gain massive amounts of weight. But the question is, are people addicted to food or are they just choosing to eat everything in sight even when eating makes them physically sick? There is a lot of discussion about this and some scientists are saying that there is no such thing as food addiction.

These are probably the same people who claim that alcoholism is not a disease and that drug addicts should just say no. It is much deeper than that. I have had first hand experience with both alcoholism and drug addiction and I can tell you that people who suffer from these are being driven by something other than their own conscious decisions. With treatment these people can learn to control their cravings and behavior but they are never cured. People who have never experienced an addiction can not understand what it is like to feel as if something has control of your body and is making you do things you really don't want to do. I have met many alcoholics who get sick thinking about drinking and yet drink every night. I can't count the number of meth addicts I have seen literally crying for help while they are doing everything they can to get that next fix. They are not choosing to feel this way. Instead, they are living out their addictive behavior.

It is the same with food addicts. We wake up in the morning with the best intentions of not overeating today. Maybe we make it through breakfast with a little bowl of cereal and some fruit. Then about 10:00 the hunger pangs start. We start by having those carrots and celery sticks we brought from home. This works for a little while then it is "I'll just eat part of my lunch now." Pretty soon the lunch is gone and it isn't even 10:30 yet. The hunger pangs have stopped but desire to eat is still there. It is pulling us to the candy machine. "Just a little chocolate and I'll feel better." No, we say. I want to lose weight an I am going to be successful this time.
Then it happens. Things get crazy at work, maybe the boss yells, or a customer rants and food is the only comfort we need. It is straight to the carbs and the rush we get when those sugars hit our brain. Ahh, relief. But only for a moment then the self-loathing starts in. Why did I do that? Why am I such a failure? Well I already ruined today so I might as well eat some more. And another pound is gained.

There have been some studies that indicate the high fructose corn syrups found in almost all processed foods may have something to do with the increase of addictive behavior. Eating this high intensity, ramped up corn syrup instead of regular sugar may trigger different chemicals in the brain. This may have merit as High fructose corn syrup came into wide spread use about the same time the obesity epidemic started. Maybe there is a chemical imbalance problem with the group of people who can't stop eating just like there is a chemical part to alcoholism.

If we treat overeating as an addiction then we can use the same methods as are used with alcohol and illicit drugs. Group support is important. Also, abstinence from the foods that trigger the over eating episodes. Addiction recovery is possible from food addiction just like other addictions but it starts with recognizing the root causes of the problem and attacking them head on. Saying a person just eats too much is not going to help him or her to reach a healthy weight.