You had a bad day at work and need to relax, so it doesn’t count. You’ve been fasting for the whole day to have this chocolate bar, so it doesn’t count. You had to eat pie residues after your kids, so it doesn’t count. It wasn’t you, who bought pizza, so it doesn’t count. After you calm down your anxiety, stress, or grief with the help of food, you feel self-hatred or guilt soon afterward. As you use your addiction substances as a coping mechanism for your emotions, you frequently face a withdrawal. You can’t stop eating your favorites even if you understand that you don’t need that much high-calorie food. You can still crave your “guilty pleasure” even when you’re objectively full. Basically, you behave like an addict who doesn’t want to be caught. You hide empty packages from foods you’ve consumed. You understand that your eating behavior is not normal, so you prefer going shopping or to fast food chains alone. You hide your “crime.” You might have a special secret drawer for foods you crave the most.
“Big-bone” Eric Cartman wants nothing except for the KFC wings, and he’s willing to go to another state or commit a crime just to continue his substance abuse. If you don’t have the substance you’re addicted to at home, you will ride to another part of the city just to buy it.Īn excellent example of this type of behavior is demonstrated in the “ Medicinal Fried Chicken” episode of South Park, where love for KFC is described as drug addiction. When emotionally hungry, you won’t be satisfied with some other food apart from the product you’re addicted to.
When craving your favorite food, you feel emotional hunger, not physical. These products are coping mechanisms for your emotions, and this explains some of the food addiction symptoms. The problem with food addictions is that you consume certain products not because you’re calorie-deprived but because you need pleasure. See a certified health adviser who considers your personal traits to get a medical diagnosis. If three or more of these are true for you, the chances are you have an addiction.ĭisclaimer: This is only a preliminary analysis. You prefer an evening with a large pack of chips instead of a gym session. You miss a day in college because you want to stay at home, enjoying your meals. You can skip a meeting with your friends because you want to gorge on candies. You give up some important activities because of use. This rating demonstrates the top-10 list of the most addictive foods: In one study, For example, in one study(5), people were choosing more and less addictive foods according to the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Whatever definition you chose, you will see that in every case, addiction occurs for particular products rich in fats and carbohydrates. Other scientists(4) say that “eating addiction” is the term that better reflects the phenomena, as it emphasizes the behavioral-based nature of addiction and not the chemical effect of carbs or fats on our brain. What is food addiction: Definition, evolution, and symptomsįood addiction used to be a controversial topic, but nowadays, scientists(1) agree that it is both an eating and addictive disorder that dramatically influence the nation’s health, weight(2), and well-being.Īccording to some researchers, there is an addiction to some particular food substances, like sugar(3). As such, it should be treated as a typical addiction.įind out the symptoms and reasons behind food addiction to see if it’s your case, and, what’s more important, learn the first steps to take if your fight with addiction has just begun. Fortunately, today we understand that food addiction is a severe eating disorder that looks and feels like substance abuse. Only a decade ago, scientists would say that food addiction is a myth. But are they really addicts, just like they say?
You may have heard phrases like “I’m a chocoholic!” or “I’m addicted to cakes” from people who struggle with losing weight. None of the known diets should be followed without considering your unique body needs, preferences, and goals Start Quiz
Get your 100% personalized meal plan by completing our 3-min quiz