Anyone here dealing with food addiction?

[badpiggy]

I think I might have a serious problem. I am the heaviest I have ever been. This last year I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. Diabetes runs in my family, so I just know that will be next. And despite all this, I just can't seem to stop myself from eating complete crap. I feel guilty every time I binge, and even sometimes while I'm in the midst of eating, but I just can't seem to stop. I'm afraid to talk to my doctor about it because I'm scared he'll tell me that food addiction is not a real thing, and I just need to start eating healthier.

What are you doing to break the addiction? Did you seek professional help? What was the last straw for you, when you decided you needed help?

[malibu]

Yes. I'm dealing with my H's alcohol addiction, but I recently started figuring out I have a food addiction. I'm also the heaviest I've ever been. I'm working on losing weight (again). I contacted overeater's anonymous but I haven't found a meeting I can attend yet.

I think you should absolutely mention it to your doctor. If he tells you it's not a real thing, he's full of shit and you should find another doctor. I've gone through the same feelings as you - eating crap food, eating a LOT of crap food, feeling guilty, but continuing the cycle. I compared it to my H's addiction, and as you may know, alcohol addiction is a highly recognized issue. A lot of things were similar. Can't stop. Using food to stop pain, hurt, loneliness, etc. Feeling guilt but still not stopping. I gained nearly all 60 pounds I'm trying to lose when my H's addiction and subsequent quitting of his job, going to rehab, etc. turned our lives upside down last year. I realized how much I was stuffing my face trying to get rid of the pain, stress, anger.

Talk to your doctor. Use any tools or literature he gives you. Contact Overeater's Anonymous. They have a library of information on their website that you may find helpful. It also appears they have a ton of online support/meetings (I haven't done one of those, I think I would prefer an in-person meeting).

[btay]

Definitely talk to your doctor, if they don't want to help you, find a doctor who will. My H was a food addict who turned to alcohol as a replacement after gastric bypass because he didn't properly treat the addiction. It works like any other addiction.

[flex]

I have friends active in Overeaters Anonymous. It's been a godsend for them. Look into meetings in your area.

And your doctor should turn in his license if he made you feel like overeating is just in your mind. Most doctors nowadays know better than that.

[phoenixrising]

I absolutely deal with food addiction. There are two DSM-V diagnoses that cover this - one is Binge Eating Disorder, and the other is OSFED (Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder). My diagnosis is OSFED because my symptoms include things outside of the BED diagnosis. I see a therapist every other week, and I also recently joined an adult eating disorders group that my therapist facilitates, which meets every other week. OA is another option. Do you work for a company or organization that has an employee assistance program? If so, maybe you could seek out an appointment with a therapist. Often, the solution to food addiction is NOT just going on a diet. There is a lot of work involved, as in any addiction, in dealing with the reasons behind the addiction. However, since you can't just go off food forever, some people (including my therapist) think it's one of the hardest addictions to break.

Another good resource... www.bingeeatingdisorder.com/

I also really like Geneen Roth's books. My favorites are When Food is Love and Feeding the Hungry Heart.

[phoenixrising]

Another good book is Food, the Good Girl's Drug by Sunny Sea Gold.

[toastie]

I thought I did. Turns out my brain is wired differently. My brain gets very easily addicted to sugars, even from carbs. Maybe it's my anxiety? So once I start eating breads or sugar I get that high, which causes my brain to need another high, etc.

2 years ago, I somehow found out about Whole30. I read it starts with food and it was amazing. I went from being controlled by food to in charge. When diet tips were to wait 15 min for a craving to pass, they didn't undestand. It was like serious withdrawal, and 15 minutes never got a craving to pass. Now, I see something and say mm, that looks good, but I can easily pass it up and the feeling is fleeting.

Paleo for me is the only answer. I am not trying to trivialize your struggles, but after I went through, your will power may not be to blame.