Food Addiction

The food that we consume daily is very important for our survival and our overall wellness and health. What we eat directly impacts how we feel: very often we feel gratification from the many smells, textures, and tastes that our favourite foods have to offer.

But can too much of a good thing be bad for us? Absolutely. Surprisingly, food can become an addictive substance for many people who struggle and seek help for this condition.

What Is Food Addiction?

When we consume foods that we enjoy, our brains trigger a chemical reaction where we feel pleasure and satisfaction. By activating the brain’s reward centre, a food addict can be comparable to a drug addict who also feels the same pleasurable reaction when consuming drugs or alcohol. 

The problem with food addiction is that most people crave the satisfying feeling of consuming food to the point where they stop caring about their health and wellbeing. As a result of food addiction, individuals can suffer from the following physical, emotional, and social  consequences:

• Digestive issues.
• Obesity.
• Heart disease.
• Depression.
• Low self-esteem.
• Isolation from others.

Causes Of Food Addiction

There are several causes that contribute to the disorder of food addiction and these include: biological, psychological, and social.

• Biological: these causes can include hormonal imbalances, abnormalities in certain brain structures, medication use side effects, or having family members who suffer from food addiction.  
• Psychological: these causes can include emotional or sexual abuse, surviving a traumatic event, not being unable to healthily cope with negative emotions, going through grieff or loss, or suffering from low self-esteem. Clearly, many people who suffer from food addiction treat food as a coping mechanism for their emotional trauma.
• Social: these causes can include disturbances in family functions, pressure from peers and society, lack of social support, stress, child abuse, and isolation.

It is highly recommended by health professionals that people with food addiction get help with this disorder. Not addressing food addiction can result in further problems down the line, such as eating disorders, other health disorders, and substance abuse.

Signs And Symptoms Of Food Addiction

There are many signs and symptoms that point to those individuals who suffer from food addiction. These include the following:

• Eating more food than one can physically tolerate (gorging).
• Eating to the point of feeling sick.
• Going out of your way to obtain certain foods (e.g. driving across town for your favourite fast food).
• Eating food even when no longer hungry. 
• Avoiding people, places and functions to spend time eating certain foods. 
• Eating in secret or isolation
• Finding difficulty in doing one’s job due to decreased efficiency.
• Decreased energy, chronic fatigue and an overall difficulty concentrating.
• Restlessness, irritability, headaches.
• Digestive disorders.
• Depression, low self-esteem, suicidal ideation, and other mental health problems.

If you or your loved one has been experiencing any of these above symptoms as a result of food addiction and would like to seek out professional help, please contact us today so that we can help you attain your wellbeing again.