poll about food addiction
1. Yes, I was/am addicted to food.
2. No one told me I had a food addiction but weight was a dead give away :)
3. I have been thinking of looking for a psychiatrist not about food addiction but other things since I am losing weight. I am not use to people being so friendly and I tend to shy away from it. I always put my guard up and won't let anyone in.
Anybody know how to pick out a good psychiatrist?
2. No one told me I had a food addiction but weight was a dead give away :)
3. I have been thinking of looking for a psychiatrist not about food addiction but other things since I am losing weight. I am not use to people being so friendly and I tend to shy away from it. I always put my guard up and won't let anyone in.
Anybody know how to pick out a good psychiatrist?
Can I ask how the weight was a dead give away? Do you think most people that are overweight are addicted to food?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
No, I'm definitely not addicted to food. I love things that taste great but I don't use food to medicate. Now sure I've had my moments where I've preferred good ole comfort food to healthy food. Healthy food is an acquired taste especially when you've been raised on not so healthy food.
If I were addicted to food I dont know what I'd do because you cant live without it. I t's like trying to have a "little crack", or a "little heroin", or "crystal meth in moderation".....I imagine.
If I were addicted to food I dont know what I'd do because you cant live without it. I t's like trying to have a "little crack", or a "little heroin", or "crystal meth in moderation".....I imagine.
Highest Weight: 314, Pre-Op Weight: 294, Surgical Weight: 279, 1st Goal Weight: 170, 2nd Goal Weight: 155, Current Weight:163
Using food to "medicate" is really not necessarily a component of food addiction. People can become addicted to the general sensation of pleasure that comes from food without intentionally using it to deal with specific emotions.
Lora
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
You know what I tell folks who pull that medicate with food stuff out?
You take a Tylenol when you are in pain. Does that make you a junkie?
No. Hell, I'll be so provocative as to say there are certain situations in your life where, just as it is appropriate to medicate with medicine, it might be appropriate to medicate with food. How many times have we seen on tv where heartbroken women delve into gallons of ice cream? Sometimes it's just what you do. Doesn't mean there are deep-seated problems, like you said Lora. It just means at that moment that was your medication of choice.
The problem comes in when you can't function without your medicine. If you can't go to work without the Tylenol or have relationships without that Tylenol. If, even when you know you're about to overdose, you still crave that Tylenol because you can't deal with a reality where there is no Tylenol. Then yes, maybe you are a Tylenol junkie.
That's the best way I can describe it to people.
You take a Tylenol when you are in pain. Does that make you a junkie?
No. Hell, I'll be so provocative as to say there are certain situations in your life where, just as it is appropriate to medicate with medicine, it might be appropriate to medicate with food. How many times have we seen on tv where heartbroken women delve into gallons of ice cream? Sometimes it's just what you do. Doesn't mean there are deep-seated problems, like you said Lora. It just means at that moment that was your medication of choice.
The problem comes in when you can't function without your medicine. If you can't go to work without the Tylenol or have relationships without that Tylenol. If, even when you know you're about to overdose, you still crave that Tylenol because you can't deal with a reality where there is no Tylenol. Then yes, maybe you are a Tylenol junkie.
That's the best way I can describe it to people.
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
That is a great explanation, Nik!
I will be "borrowing" the Tylenol/junkie example because I sometimes struggle to talk with clients about these differences without sounding like I am teaching a class!
Lora
I will be "borrowing" the Tylenol/junkie example because I sometimes struggle to talk with clients about these differences without sounding like I am teaching a class!
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
Glad I can help. I just am really passionate about people understanding addictions.
Food is not "crack" to everyone. But even that analogy is a bit skewed, Crack doesn't (by itself) make people addicted to crack). My mom did drugs as well as alcohol. Now in meetings she shares the first hit she took made her feel like total **** So naturally she went back for another. Normal people don't do that. Normal people go, "wow. that felt BAD. let's not do that again!"
Better yet, normal people have heard of crack, anticipate that it will not make them feel good and don't try it to begin with.
No...our minds are what make us addicts. And we find ways to act out those addictions through things. And I'm sure some great researcher will figure out someday why some folks latch onto food while others latch onto crack but the distinction really doesn't hold much value. It's not so much the substance, but our reaction to it (both emotionally and biochemically) that's worthy of note.
Food is not "crack" to everyone. But even that analogy is a bit skewed, Crack doesn't (by itself) make people addicted to crack). My mom did drugs as well as alcohol. Now in meetings she shares the first hit she took made her feel like total **** So naturally she went back for another. Normal people don't do that. Normal people go, "wow. that felt BAD. let's not do that again!"
Better yet, normal people have heard of crack, anticipate that it will not make them feel good and don't try it to begin with.
No...our minds are what make us addicts. And we find ways to act out those addictions through things. And I'm sure some great researcher will figure out someday why some folks latch onto food while others latch onto crack but the distinction really doesn't hold much value. It's not so much the substance, but our reaction to it (both emotionally and biochemically) that's worthy of note.
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
1. Yes, I think I might be. Have beaten other addictions but this might be tougher than all the rest.
2. The psych that checked me out for WLS said I was right on the edge.
3. Tried treatment, but the psychologist didn't have a clue. Still looking. Have beaten drugs, alcohol, cigarrettes but I believe this is the hardest. Life extremely busy right now but I'm trying to find
the time...
2. The psych that checked me out for WLS said I was right on the edge.
3. Tried treatment, but the psychologist didn't have a clue. Still looking. Have beaten drugs, alcohol, cigarrettes but I believe this is the hardest. Life extremely busy right now but I'm trying to find
the time...
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