Food Addiction
Counseling CEU Course: https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/493/c/
Objectives
~ Examine the difference between overeating and food addiction
~ Evaluate myths about food addiction
~ Explore the behavioral and biological mechanisms underlying food addiction
~ Identify ways to address food addiction triggers
Why I Care/How It Impacts Recovery
~ Excessive food consumption is socially acceptable and food addiction rarely causes imminent legal problems, so it can go unchecked for a long time
~ For some people, addictive behaviors started with food addiction
~ For others, when their substance of choice was removed, food was available for self-soothing
~ Regularly using food to self-soothe is, at the very least, a relapse warning sign if not a full-blown relapse.
Food Addiction vs. Overeating
~ Food can become an addiction, when it is used to
~ Escape from negative feeling states AND
~ Continues to be used despite negative consequences
~ The person experiences psychological withdrawals and cravings when he or she cannot access food to cope
~ Overeating is often a bad habit, but can be stopped with education, planning and mindfulness
Food Addiction vs. Overeating
~ Experiments show that, for some people, the same reward and pleasure centers of the brain that are triggered by other addictions are also activated by food, especially highly palatable foods.
~ Highly palatable foods are foods rich in:
~ Sugar
~ Fat
~ Salt
Signs and Symptoms
~ You frequently crave certain foods
~ You often eat even when you are not hungry.
~ You eat much more than you intended to, sometimes to the point of feeling excessively “stuffed.”
~ You often feel guilty after eating particular foods
~ You sometimes make excuses in your head about why you should eat something that you are craving.
~ You have repeatedly tried to quit eating or setting rules (includes cheat meals/days) about certain foods, but been unsuccessful.
~ You often hide your consumption of unhealthy foods from others.
~ You feel unable to control your consumption of unhealthy foods, despite knowing that they are causing you physical harm (includes weight gain).
Signs and Symptoms cont…
~ You eat certain foods so often or in such large amounts that you start eating food instead of working, spending time with the family, or doing recreational activities.
~ You avoid social situations where certain foods are available because of fear of overeating.
~ You have problems functioning effectively at your job or school because of food and eating.
~ When you cut down on certain foods (excluding caffeinated beverages), you have symptoms such as anxiety, agitation
~ Eating food causes problems such as depression, anxiety, self-loathing, or guilt.
~ You find yourself eating more and more often due to stress
Myths
~ Food addiction is an excuse for over eating
~ FALSE: Someone with a food addiction is using food to cope and activate reward pathways to help them feel “normal” or “calm.”
~ Any emotional eating is wrong
~ FALSE: Just like having a few drinks occasionally after a hard day does NOT qualify a person as an alcoholic, occasionally eating to self soothe is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation
~ Our society actually teaches self-soothing through food, so one would expect using that as a fall-back occasionally
Myths
~ Abstinence is key
~ FALSE: Unlike addiction to illicit drugs, a person cannot quit eating.
~ Elimination of an entire food or food group is rarely recommended as it makes it more likely for a binge.
~ Since one addiction will likely be replaced by another, understanding and awareness of WHY the person is eating is more important than eliminating a food