Junk masquerading as food
Addiction is detrimental to your health, no matter what substance you’re abusing. Most substances that are addictive are regulated by the government, except for the one that is most abundant and is causing the most problem, food.
Do you ever ask why it’s not regulated? Do you care? How about your children, do you care about what they’re eating? Are you overwhelmed about the endless selection of “food” available in the supermarket shelves these days? Do you inconvenience yourself when it comes to food i.e. prepare and cook it yourself from raw ingredients?
Sugar, salt and fats are just as addictive as alcohol, and just as dangerous if abused. To prove my point, I’ve copied an article about alcoholism from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/addiction/alcoholism-and-alcohol-abuse.htm, and replaced the following words, so that the article is now about food addiction:
- Alcoholism -> Food Addiction
- Alcohol -> Food
- Drinking -> Eating
- drinkers -> eaters
- drink -> eat
Food Addiction and Food Abuse
Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Eating Problems
It’s not always easy to see when your eating has crossed the line from moderate or social use to problem eating. But if you consume Food to cope with difficulties or to avoid feeling bad, you’re in potentially dangerous territory. Food addiction and food abuse can sneak up on you, so it’s important to be aware of the warning signs and take steps to cut back if you recognize them. Understanding the problem is the first step to overcoming it.
Understanding Food Addiction and Food abuse
Food addiction and food abuse are due to many interconnected factors, including genetics, how you were raised, your social environment, and your emotional health. Some racial groups, such as American Indians and Native Alaskans, are more at risk than others of developing Food addiction. People who have a family history of Food Addiction or who associate closely with heavy eaters are more likely to develop Eating problems. Finally, those who suffer from a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because Food may be used to self-medicate.
Do you have a Eating problem?
You may have a Eating problem if you…
- Feel guilty or ashamed about your eating.
- Lie to others or hide your eating habits.
- Have friends or family members who are worried about your eating.
- Need to eat in order to relax or feel better.
- “Black out” or forget what you did while you were eating.
- Regularly eat more than you intended to.
Since eating is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between social eating and problem eating. The bottom line is how food affects you. If your eating is causing problems in your life, you have a eating problem.
