Food Addiction

19.03.2019

0 4 minutes read

It is commonly believed that alcohol addiction is the most dangerous, the most destructive to the human body, and the most prevalent in the world today.
Experts are convinced that food addiction is equally dangerous. It manifests in a person’s inability to go even an hour without eating; food becomes an extraordinary drug for them, providing immense pleasure but posing a significant danger.

A constant craving for food is detrimental to health. The habit of always eating is considered, first and foremost, a psychological problem, and people simply do not know how to overcome the psychological challenges of food addiction.

How common is food addiction?

It is important to know that food addiction in people is not uncommon in several forms; it cannot be compared to alcohol or cigarette addiction.

To overcome this condition, one must clearly understand how a person eats, how much they eat, at what times, which specific foods are most desired, and so on.

Types of food addiction

Overeating

This eating pattern has always been considered the most common and the most dangerous. People do not feel full, yet they consume excessive amounts of food. This problem is most commonly observed in school-age children.
As a result, these children are overweight and suffer from a constant feeling of hunger; subsequently, their metabolism may be disrupted, leading to hormonal imbalances and early or delayed puberty.

An excessive amount of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates may enter the body in a single day.

Parents should closely monitor their child’s diet.

Bulimia

A food addiction in which a person, within half an hour of finishing a meal, seeks out food again. This condition is common among young, active people who are constantly snacking. After finishing a main meal, the person feels the need to eat something else; for them, the main goal is not the amount of food consumed at once, but the act of chewing food itself.

Bulimia starts gradually, when a person begins eating while watching TV or reading a favorite book. Then, this behavior becomes more frequent, and the person starts eating even while driving.
Eating every thirty minutes leads to health problems and weight gain; against this backdrop, conditions such as diabetes and nervous system disorders may develop.

Desperate people with this diagnosis, realizing they have eaten too much, begin to induce vomiting on their own to avoid gaining weight, which leads to digestive disorders.

To prevent the onset of bulimia, meals must be strictly scheduled by the hour, and the appropriate, permissible amount of food must be allocated for each meal.

Avoiding snacking in between meals is also a key goal.

Treating food addiction is a long process; a person needs to muster a great deal of strength and patience.

Anorexia

Anorexia is a complete refusal to eat. At first, a person begins to restrict certain foods; after some time, they stop eating them altogether; and eventually, other foods are also banned, leading the person to starve themselves.

It is believed that this condition does not develop suddenly; it is much more common among overweight women who try by any means to achieve a slim figure.

Girls develop an aversion to food a couple of months after completing a period of complete fasting. Eventually, their stomachs refuse to accept even plain water.

Anorexia is a psychological disorder; even if a person tries to regulate their digestion, it is quite difficult for the body to do so—it is so blocked that expert help is essential.

How can you tell if someone is addicted to food?

It’s not hard to tell a normal person from someone suffering from food addiction; you just need to know a few behavioral patterns of such people, namely:

they don’t strive to lose weight; they consider it a sign of weakness;
they don’t consider themselves overweight or, conversely, excessively thin;
they get quite nervous while eating and try to finish everything quickly;
if their favorite foods aren’t in the fridge, they can get very angry;
they try to avoid places where food is served and avoid the smell of food;
after overeating, they feel upset that they’ve eaten everything;
they suffer from frequent headaches and stomachaches;
they don’t sleep well, are distracted, and can’t concentrate on anything except food;

Why does food addiction develop?

Food addiction can affect anyone, anywhere in the world; it has nothing to do with whether a person has a lot or a little.

Food addiction may develop if:

Food Addiction: What to Do?

a person has no goals in life and isn’t striving for anything;
the person is divorced or lonely;
after achieving life goals, such as marriage, after which many people stop taking care of themselves;
the person doesn’t know how to occupy themselves for a long period of time;
after watching similar psychotherapeutic programs or due to the influence of those around them.

Over time, a person begins to derive immense psychological satisfaction from food. Experts are convinced that food addiction often begins as early as adolescence, when the psyche is still unstable. Parents should not force-feed their children and then offer rewards afterward.

How can you overcome food addiction?

Experts have identified a few steps that, when followed, can help build resilience to food, namely:

Motivation. It is essential to clearly understand why and how much one needs to eat. It is important to convey to the patient that overeating is harmful, and to clearly demonstrate the common consequences these people face later on.
Proper nutrition. Meals should be scheduled by the hour, and food portions measured in grams. It may be that at first the person will follow a strict diet, gradually adjusting their diet.

Goals. Experts are convinced that clearly defined life goals—ones that a person strives for and truly wants—help in overcoming this illness. Food must remain a separate consideration; one must not live for food; it should be a separate component.