I took a quiz today on Prevention to see if I was a food addict. Yeah, I know, the answer to that one of pretty obvious. Here are some of the points that were made after I took the quiz:
You're at the airport, hurrying past the food shops as you try to catch your plane. You notice the cinnamon bun kiosk and:
Your Response : wish you had time to stop.
One of the differences between food addicts and people who just like to eat is that cravings hit food addicts much harder. If your cravings are so intense that you'd risk missing a flight, you probably fall into the former category, especially if you found yourself salivating: According to a study by Finnish researchers, people who are addicted to sweets in particular not only intensely crave their "substance" of choice, but also have greater physiological responses to the very thought of it.
When you order the super size fries at lunch, your significant other makes a joke about the size of your appetite. You respond by:
Your Response : feeling a little embarrassed.
If your eating habits are a sore subject, it may be a sign that food plays too big of a role in your life, another hallmark of addiction. Even if someone is only joking about a problem, addicts know deep down that there is a problem--and it's no joke. "If you love your food, just talking about it will irritate and anger you," says Gold.
It's 11 pm on a work night and you feel like having a bowl of ice cream but don't have any Chunky Monkey in the house. You:Do they think that people are going to feel better if they are told they have a food addiction? What a great out: "It wasn't my fault I ate that gallon of ice cream, I'm addicted." Check it out, a ready made excuse!
Your Response : get in the car and drive to the nearest convenience store.
Stealing your kids' treats, throwing a coat on over your pajamas and making a donut run, leaving a party early so you can stop for a quart of ice cream--this kind of behavior raises a red flag and indicates that you're eating for reasons other than hunger.
Part of me wants to think it's a crock, part of me wants to figure out a way to use it as a reason to eat what I want. You know, I've heard of over-eaters anonymous, and thought it was a crazy idea. Now I'm beginning to wonder about that.
These are the things that run through my head when I am at a low ebb on commitment and mental strength. What do I do? Take a deep breath and hope tomorrow is a better day.
But next time I'm in dire need of chocolate, can I use the addiction excuse?
Katie, You're not alone, by any means, but I think you've got it wrong when you say that labeling someone a food addict gives them an excuse. Yes, some people might react that way, but in my case, once I began accepting that I might be a food addict, I began understanding that I'd need a different set of tools to recover from it. There's a saying in medicine, pretty common-sense one: "Diagnosis determines treatment." If I think I have a minor problem, I'll attempt minor solutions, or just let it slide. But if I think I have a serious problem, I'll seek out serious remedies.
ReplyDeleteI am a food addict, yes, but no one every put a single morsel in my mouth. It's MY responsibility.
You make a very good point Marbs. I have nothing but respect for people who are strong enough to face down and defeat their own personal demons, what ever form they take.
ReplyDeleteI do know quite a few people who use addiction as an excuse; and my comment was more about the ease of running away from a problem and using the word addiction as a shield of sorts to hide behind.
Personally, I think I may have the tenancy to take that particular route and I am fighting day in and day out to be strong enough to fight it.
I think part of me is afraid to admit to a food addiction, it is something that terrifies me. Perhaps it is something that I need to face down. I do know that I have a serious problem with food, especially emotional eating.
How do you get strong enough to face that? If you could share some of your knowledge with me I would really appreciate it. Learning from another's triumphs and mistakes is what this journey and blog are all about.
My email address is kboehler@charter.net. I look forward to hearing from you; and thank you so much for your insightful comments, they are greatly appreciated!