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What is exactly is “food addiction” and what can be done about it?
By Nancy Anderson Dolan of Wise Heart Wellness Services
When professionals discuss food addiction, they are talking about the
combined chemical, psychological and emotional interactions of a person who
is unable to control their eating sufficiently to maintain “average” or
“normal” eating patterns. This may be eating too much, the wrong thing,
controlling food, rejecting food, binging and purging, or any combination of
those. Food addiction or binge or compulsive eating, as it is also commonly
called, is becoming a more acknowledged experience, taking it from the realm
of unsuccessful dieting and into the area of eating disorders.
Food addiction is about so much more than just food. Part of the challenge
and frustration for food addicts and the scientific and helping communities
is that the problem has so many facets. There is no single, significant
cause, and there are an infinite number of contributing factors and a great
deal of varying research and understanding. These include biological,
emotional, psychological, familial, social and cultural factors. Is it any
wonder that the experience of food addiction feels so hopeless!
But there is hope and much that can be done about this problem. The first
step is to understand that there is likely some substance(s) that is
contributing to the problem. People often know what these are, but don’t
want to let go of them. The common expectation is that there will be an
endless struggle without the substance. However, the intense desire for the
substance will subside when it is no longer in the body. By getting adequate
support and information it is achievable and when the substance is removed,
all of the other factors become manageable.
The body of someone suffering with food addiction is usually sensitive to
many substances. Emotion is experienced intensely, hence the tendency is to
use food to moderate it. Their thoughts tend towards the negative and
obsessive. When these experiences are recognized as simply parts of the
addiction issue, rather than a personality trait, they can be taught new,
more life enhancing skills. Reconnection with themselves, others and a sense
of something beyond themselves provides food addicts with the means and the
desire to deal with the food and then address the numerous facets and
challenges of the addiction. This can be a great catalyst for improvements
in all areas of life.
For more details on this subject, please contact Nancy Anderson Dolan of
WiseHeart Wellness Services at 403.685.0864 or visit
www.wiseheartwellness.com
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