Food Addiction and Eating Disorders
Let’s face it: many of us have had a love-hate relationship with our food. Whether we’ve tried multiple diets in the quest to lose weight or have tried to put the pounds on, food has always been a source of much frustration and consternation. However, it’s when this love-hate relationship is taken to extremes that it evolves into a full-blown addiction – and scientists are honing in on new symptoms that can alert individuals when they’re in trouble.
Nutritional and psychological experts define food addiction as any kind of unhealthy behavior, attitude or an obsessive preoccupation regarding food. Often called “disordered eating,” issues related to food and eating might present as anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating, and periods of extreme binge eating. Much like with drug addicts and alcoholics, food addicts experience euphoria and extreme satisfaction when engaging in the unhealthy behavior, whether it’s binging on a box of doughnuts or only eating an apple at dinner. In other words, addicts cannot form a healthy relationship with food, and can only do so with the help of a professional psychologist.
If you display any of the following symptoms, immediately seek counseling from a licensed therapist or practitioner in order to cope with what could develop into a food addiction:
Obsessive Thoughts About Food. Individuals suffering from food addiction rarely allow their minds to think about anything else other than what’s on – or not on – their plates. Anorexics and bulimics may be obsessed with counting calories, while compulsive overeaters will anxiously plan their next meal. New research has indicated that this is one of the first steps towards developing a food addiction, so early detection is essential in preventing its development.
Eating To Relieve Emotions. Food has always been known to conjure up feelings and emotions. Perhaps you feel happy and loved when you eat Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies, or a spoonful of ice cream reminds you of summer; whatever the case may be, it’s important to note that, in moderation, these can be healthy thoughts.
However, food addicts eat in order to relieve stress or other distressing emotions such as grief, sadness, or anger. Food is consumed in large quantities until the emotion is assuaged, usually because the victim starts feeling bloated and uncomfortable. In the case of anorexics, food is used to gain power when the victim starts feeling out-of-control or stressed. In fact, new research has shown that OCD sufferers have a higher tendency of developing anorexia due to this need for control.
Avoiding Food Altogether. Since food addicts are unable to form healthy relationships with their food, they’ll tend to avoid the stuff altogether. Food addicts will go to great measures to avoid activities that center around food, such as eating out at restaurants with friends or attending parties and barbeques. If you have a friend or loved one who is always coming up with excuses to avoid activities with food, tell them in a non-confrontational setting that you’re concerned they might have a food addiction.
Remember, food addiction doesn’t necessarily mean you are addicted to eating. A victim of food addiction may eat only a small meal each day in the effort to lose weight, or could avoid eating altogether. Food addiction is a psychological disease that indicates that the sufferer cannot form a healthy relationship with his or her food, and needs expert treatment in order to develop healthy behavior. If these scenarios sound all-too-familiar, don’t hesitate to ask a family member or a loved one for their much-need help and support, as addiction can be defeated with a strong community of support.
Learn more about eating disorders
Tags: eating disorders, food
