Overcoming food addiction is a lot easier said than done, and just the term “food addiction” is a controversial one. Whether or not you view food addiction as a distinctive disease phenotype or simply an expression of strong habits or cravings, anyone who struggles with compulsive overeating patterns will tell you that giving up the habit (or “addiction”) is not easy.
So, how does one deal with it when applying a standard addiction-recovery model that typically requires abstinence from an addictive substance? Because, well, we all need to eat.
How Food Addiction Works
Let’s start with a brief description of how food addiction works by leaving you with a few scenarios. Food addiction typically involves being addicted to foods that are high in fat, sugar, or other additives like potato chips, pizza, candy, and soda, among other things. You’re likely not going to come across a bunch of fiends deep diving into a bowl of asparagus or apple slices.
Moreover, have you ever noticed how some people can chill with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s in their freezer for a month or longer, while others can’t even keep it in the house lest it be gone in five minutes? This is where it gets tricky—are we all food addicts? This is always going to be based on your own self-work and what you decide your bottom-line behaviors are.
The Effects of Junk Food on the Brain
Cravings are emotional, and you want to be careful not to confuse them with basic hunger because the two, cravings and hunger, are very different. Certain foods can hijack the brain’s reward system, particularly high-sugar and high-fat foods, along with foods containing additives.
Junk food stimulates many of the same reward centers in the brain as cocaine and other drugs, acting directly on your dopamine levels—the brain chemical that makes you happy. For addiction-prone individuals, this can lead to a full-blown addiction.
When you eat lots of junk food and sweets, your brain notices that your dopamine is too high and starts removing dopamine receptors to balance everything out. Over time, this means your brain requires even more dopamine to feel the same effect, making it easy for unhealthy eating habits to become a serious issue.
The Link Between Food Addiction and Other Eating Disorders
Food addiction can also lead to other emotional disorders, like anorexia and bulimia. The psychological impact of weight gain from overeating often causes individuals to start binging and purging or abstaining from food for long periods. This can create yet another vicious cycle.
Finding Help for Food Addiction
We’ve really only just scratched the surface in terms of how food addiction works, but hopefully, you’re starting to understand how certain foods affect the brain and ultimately lead to addiction. While avoiding food is impossible, avoiding foods that are exceptionally high in fat, sugar, and additives is possible.
For a true food addict, however, it’s a lot easier said than done—but there is help out there, and you never have to do this alone.
Kembali Recovery Center is Here to Help
Kembali Recovery Center focuses primarily on drug and alcohol addiction, but we also work with our clients to treat a variety of other process addictions. Many individuals come to us for food addiction treatment through our Recovery and Beyond program.
If you or someone you love is struggling with food addiction or any other process addiction, please know that Kembali is here to help. Contact us today to learn more—our counselors are free of judgment and happy to answer any questions you may have.
