Food addiction is similar to alcohol and narcotic addiction in that it leads to physical and emotional dependency. Unlike other addictions, though, you cannot survive without food. Instead, treatment for food addiction aims at normalizing your dietary thoughts and behaviors, typically with the support of a doctor, psychologist and dietitian who specializes in disordered eating. Regular exercise, relaxation techniques and staying properly hydrated may also help. If you exhibit signs of food addiction, seek prompt professional guidance.
Preoccupation With Food
"I wake up in the morning knowing that food is my enemy and that I'm my own enemy. It's uncontrollable," Andrew, a journalist and self-proclaimed food addict, told pediatrician and author Dr. David Kessler, author of "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the American Appetite." Although contemplating food between meals is normal and typically harmless, as someone with a food addiction, your thoughts detract significantly from your life. Like Andrew, your first thoughts upon waking and most of your thoughts throughout your day may center on food. Fixating on your next snack or meal or any food that happens to be in your proximity may make it difficult to focus on school or work tasks; distract you from films, books and television programs; and disrupt effective communication with loved ones.
Emotional Eating
Emotional eating, or eating for emotional, rather than physiological reasons, is also common in food addiction. Most everyone eats out of sadness, boredom or celebratory reasons on occasion. But if you have a food addiction, you may turn toward food as a means of coping with other emotions frequently. This pattern often leads to overeating, particularly foods rich in calories, sugar and fat, according to MayoClinic.com. To overcome emotional eating behaviors, gaining understanding of underlying factors and learning healthier ways of managing stress and negative emotions are important skills for you to know. Attaining sufficient nightly sleep, avoiding fad diets and seeking support from loved ones can also help.
Bingeing
Although people may refer to eating more of a particular dessert, entree or snack food as a "binge," binge behaviors are more serious than the occasional few hundred extra calories. The National Eating Disorders Association describes bingeing as eating excessive amounts of food within brief time periods, which causes feelings of shame or disgust. Like other aspects of food addiction, you probably feel unable to control the behaviors. Binge episodes may be triggered by emotions or particular foods. In some cases, the shame induced by a binge triggers additional bingeing and weight gain, making way for a vicious cycle of negative thoughts and behaviors.
Physical Cravings and Withdrawal
Addiction to any substance, including drugs and food, causes physical dependency. As someone addicted to food, your "need to eat" causes physical cravings, according to the Cleveland Clinic. You may experience intense hunger, regardless of having eaten a recent meal, and headaches if you attempt to abstain. Like emotional and binge eating, stressful situations and particular foods may stimulate cravings. For this reason, recognizing what factors contribute to your cravings may help prevent or reduce their severity or frequency.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Food Addiction
- "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite"; David Kessler; 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Gain Control of Emotional Eating; Mayo Clinic Staff; December 2009
- National Eating Disorder Association: Binge Eating Disorder
