Can we really become addicted to something we need to survive? First, we must understand what addiction is, and what it isn’t, to determine if eating behaviors and food can become addictions, with the symptoms and consequences associated with other types of addictions, like drug or alcohol addiction. Only then can we understand why many professionals believe that we can, indeed, become addicted to food.
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Recent research suggests that those with PTSD, especially women, may turn to food to escape and soothe painful psychological symptoms. In fact, certain foods may hijack the brain in ways that are very similar to the effects of drugs or alcohol.
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April 14, 2014
by LuAnn Pierce, LCSW
One of the greatest ironies about human behavior is that deprivation and overindulgence often result in similar outcomes. Children who grow up without enough – food, love, structure and safety – often fill the void with food once it is available. Some of these people become obese over time, but even those who do not may overeat or misuse food for emotional reasons. Recent information from the Food Research and Action Center cites several studies that suggest that food insecurity (people who do not have enough food to eat on a regular basis) and overweight and/or obesity coexist in as many as 1/3 of women.
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We all emotionally eat some of the time. Eating emotionally is a normal part of life. At weddings, celebrating birthdays, or during holidays we may eat when we're not really hungry. When food becomes the primary coping strategy, emotional eating can get out of control.
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