This is for you Karen and my other Cerebral Travelers

Intellectually understanding your body, your mindbody connection, the physiology of exercise of the realtities of food metabolism, mean little if you are addicted. In the workds of Freud " Intelligence will be used in the service of the neurosis" The fact that you yourself have anything figured out makes little or no difference to any of this. No matter how smart you are, hoe much work youve done on yourself hyou alone cannot outsmart the psychic force of compulsion and addiction.

AAh, very interestingting.

Do you think it's true that a true addict can use intellectualization to "explain away" the problem, or to foster denial?

working with heroin addicts daily really makes me believe that the answer to that question is yes

Unfortunately, I feel this is so true.  In so many cases, the compulsion and addiction are much more powerful than the mind.

the spirit can intervene

hence the need for a Higher Power, as in the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, or Overeaters Anonymous.  In AA, we have a saying, "Self-knowledge avails us nothing."  It is part of Chapter 5 of the AA Big Book, where it goes on to say, "We stood at the turning point.  We asked His protection and care with complete abandon."  Then they list the 12 steps of the program.  The short version of the Steps is put this way, "Find God.  Clean House.  Help Others."  The first 3 Steps are abbreviated this way.  "I can't.  God can.  I think I'll let God."  I know that when I was in my alcohol relapse for two years, my food was also abysmal, and I had no strength to stop drinking, or bingeing on sugar on my own. 

Sorry to babble.

Trish

Wow, very well said. . .  intellectuals often flounder when it comes to the disease of addiction, because they cannot fathom why their intelligence and willpower alone cannot put the addiction aside. 

That being said, I have seriously had issues with my food addiction of late, back to the weighing, measuring and making right choices, one meal at a time. . .