Re: discussion on food addiction

[Guest guest]

First of all let me say that I am a lurker. Although I haven't been on here in

a while. I have just read several posts from the last couple days. I was all

caught up in the eating sugar--feeling guilty---out of control--being addicted

discussion. Then I saw the post by you Gillian. I just want to say " thank you

Gillian " . You are right about the addiction thinking--or at least as it applies

to me. I have had issues with sugar/flour/etc. as long as I can remember--I am

in my 50's now and still struggling. I have binged on sugar/carbs to the point

of feeling sick, guilty, depressed, etc., all my life. In 2006 (or thereabouts)

I was so desperate for answers. Did research on internet and found info on

sugar addiciton. Bought lots of books and joined several groups. Tried

desperately to completely give up the sugar--because that is what you do when

you are " addicted " to something. I would always " fail " and feel so guilty and

weak. Try again---fail---try again... I kept falling back on being an addict

so I could not control it. I would panic at the thought of having to give up

all sugar forever and ever, but thought it was what I needed to do.

Then I saw Geneen Roth on Oprah. It has changed the way I think about my eating

issues. I am still a work in progress and still trying to figure out what works

for me. I am reading several IU books. I am trying to eat healthier and keep

my blood sugar level where it needs to be--trying to think about what I eat.

Trying not to feel guilty if I do have " sugar " or something " forbidden " . Trying

not to think of foods as " forbidden " .

I may not be doing a good job at expressing my thoughts or feelings.

I just know that I am going to try my best to think of my eating issues not as

an " addiction " but as something that I CAN control.

I also want to thank all of you for your posts--they have helped me so much!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!!

Dee

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

>

>

> I've been following the conversation on addiction to certain foods and

> wanted to share my views. I appreciate the conversation and all that you

> have shared, I know this is a difficult topic. I will give you my

> professional (and personal) opinion about this below. Of course, it's simply

> that - my opinion and others have differing views and I respect that.

>

>

>

> I am going to ask that the topic of food addiction come to a close. You are

> more than welcome to take the topic off-list, I'm not trying to censor

> anyone. However, I believe the continuation of this discussion can bring up

> some serious diet mentality in our members, including those that lurk but

> don't post. There are a lot of others out there that get their support by

> reading what others share. So if you could, let's wrap this up and move on

> to what you can change about your relationship with food, not on things that

> feel uncontrollable. Our thoughts lead to our results and discussions of

> addiction, powerlessness, abstinence from particular foods, etc. lead to

> negative thoughts and therefore negative results. Tribole often

> reminds her clients that the key is to focus on the inwardly on thoughts,

> feelings, etc. instead of the external like weight, dieting, and focusing on

> WHAT you eat (instead of WHY).

>

>

>

> Everyone's process and journey is different and I am not here to tell anyone

> they are wrong, far from it. I'm just acting based on my experience and what

> I know about many of our members in this group. I hope you can understand

> that.

>

>

>

> Here's my opinion on food addiction. What I am posting below is something I

> shared in an Intuitive Eating Professionals' group about 8 months ago. We

> had a very lengthy conversation about food addiction. There were differing

> opinions but I think we all agreed that using the term is not appropriate or

> helpful for many people dealing with food issues. I hope this is helpful and

> I certainly welcome your questions or feedback on this, but let's move

> beyond the addiction conversation or take it off-list. :-)

>

>

>

>

>

> The question that started the conversation was, " I would be very interested

> in learning what the members of this group think of 'food addiction'. "

>

>

>

> My answer: This is a great question. I hear all the time that someone is

> " addicted " to sugar, carbs, food, whatever. I believe we have to be careful

> about the words we use when talking to clients or patients. Even if it fits

> the clinical definition of addiction (which I have no idea if it does or

> not), continuing to use the word will just reinforce the thought and make it

> harder to overcome.

>

>

>

> I also think that addiction isn't a helpful word since emotional overeating

> can't be " treated " in the same manner as an addiction. You can't abstain

> from food, or even " binge " foods since they are usually white flour and/or

> sugar. I know there are approaches that try this and they work for some

> people, but I've had many people work with me after having a really bad

> experience with a group that uses an addiction recovery model.

>

>

>

> I used to think years ago that I was addicted to sugar. And it felt like it

> because I always wanted sugar, day and night. And of course I ate it day and

> night. But what I learned from Intuitive Eating was I could have a certain

> amount of sugar (an amount that honored my body without feeling sick) and I

> would still feel good and not continue to have the cravings. My clients have

> had the same experience.

>

>

>

> This is what I wrote after another professional talked about the clinical

> definition of addiction:

>

>

>

> Thank you very much for your detailed explanation of addiction. It was very

> interesting and thought-provoking. And, I absolutely agree with you that

> addiction is about filling a void and lack of coping skills. I don't doubt

> that eating disorders or disordered eating have the same characteristics as

> addictions to other things. It makes sense.

>

> My concern is the use of the word with our patients or clients. The word

> addiction definitely has a stigma attached to it and for some it is the sign

> of failure or weakness. I believe we have to look at it from the patient or

> client's point of view, regardless of what the accurate clinical term may

> be.

>

> I was a compulsive overeater from the age of 8 until my early 30's when I

> learned about Intuitive Eating. I have also unfortunately experienced

> addiction first hand. In my experience, the two felt very different to me.

> And the way I dealt with both were different. With both I felt out of

> control and that was why I sought help. With the addiction, I learned that

> what was happening was a chemical thing and there was a treatment for it,

> which I used and thankfully, it worked. Of course I also needed to deal with

> my reasons for why it got out of control and why the addiction happened, and

> there's no doubt the reasons were similar to reasons for overeating, but

> with a much higher level of stress. Bottom line, I felt I could not take

> care of it on my own, I needed some kind of physiological as well as

> psychological help. And I felt extremely guilty and like an outcast.

>

> Overcoming the compulsive overeating was very different for me and took much

> longer of course. But with Intuitive Eating, I learned that it was in MY

> power to overcome this problem. I made my own decisions and I was

> responsible for the consequences of those decisions, good or bad. I overcame

> the disordered eating because I became empowered and learned how to be in

> touch with my body and how to fill the void by getting my needs met. If I

> had been told I had an addiction, for me at least, I could have easily

> slipped into the victim mentality and increased the self-hatred and guilt

> that I already had.

>

> I have observed that many people outside of the health field (and even some

> in the field) view addiction in a negative light and see it as a character

> flaw. My clients might (by clinical definition) have an " addiction " , but I

> would never say that to them and I certainly don't approach is as an

> addiction. I also encourage them to not use the word addiction either.

>

> This is just my opinion and I really respect everyone here and all your

> opinions as well. We are making a difference and the more we join together

> the better it's going to get!

>

> Thanks!

> Gillian

> Gillian Hood-son, MS, ACSM

>

> Get your report, " The 6 Steps to Guilt-Fr*e Eating " at

> http://www.HealthierOutcomes.com <http://www.healthieroutcomes.com/>

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>