Food Addiction Symptoms

Are You a Food Addict?

What is Food Addiction?

Food addiction is a pathological disorder involving the excessive craving and compulsive consumption of food. People with a food addiction put themselves at great risk, not only because of the amount of food consumed, but the type of foods themselves.

Research continually shows that food addiction is in many ways similar to alcoholism and drug addiction. When a person abuses a substance to the point of being physiologically and mentally dependent on it, they are said to be addicted. This is what happens to people who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, or in this case, food.

If you suspect that you are exhibiting food addiction symptoms, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you eat when you are not hungry or when you feel depressed or low?
• Do you consume inordinate amounts of food and then purge later with vomiting or laxatives to get rid of the excess?
• Do you eat in secret or eat differently in front of others than when you’re alone?
• Are there foods that you know are harmful to you, but you eat them anyway?
• After eating, do you feel guilty or shameful?

If you can answer yes to a few of these questions then you may be suffering from a food addiction, which is similar to other eating disorders such as compulsive eating or binge eating disorder.

Food Addiction – Who is Affected?

Like other addictions, food addiction is about a loss of control. People with a food addiction realize that their eating behaviors are destructive, but they continue the harmful cycle. Food addiction has both physiological and psychological components.

Food addiction can affect men and women of all ages and races. Surprisingly, people addicted to food are not always obese or overweight; they can be underweight or normal weight. What they all share in common is an unhealthy obsession with food.

The obese individual with a food addiction may be lethargic and sedentary, unable to move comfortably or freely. The underweight person might be bulimic, purging their food to avoid weight gain. The personal with a food addiction may even experience periods of anorexia where they severely restrict their food intake. The person that appears to be at a healthy, normal weight, may in fact, be completely obsessed with food and their weight. For this person, eating is not enjoyable, it is a misery, involving a fixation on calories, fat and body image.

Food Addiction Symptoms and Signs

Food addiction can accompany eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating. Food addicts are obsessed with consuming food. They are preoccupied with their body weight and image.

Food addiction can have dire health consequences, so early detection and treatment is vital. Here are some early warning food addiction symptoms and signs to look for:

• An obsession with thoughts about food.
• Eating food as a way to relieve stress or worries.
• Consuming large quantities of food to the point of being sick.
• Anxiousness during or after eating, resulting in more eating.
• Overeating simply because food is available.
• Eating fast so they can eat more.
• Eating large quantities even when they feel full.
• Guilt and shame after overeating.
• Hiding food so they can later eat alone in secret.
• Bingeing on food after dieting.
• Views food as something to be avoided or as harmful.

These are just a few of the most common food addiction symptoms. Even if you or someone you know exhibits some of these behaviors, they may not have a food addiction. Accurate diagnosis, and subsequent treatment, should come from a doctor or other health professional. For help locating a qualified food addiction professional, please call our 24-hour toll free eating disorder helpline at 1-800-542-4610.

Food Addiction Treatment – Recovery is Possible!

People with a food addiction can experience many adverse health conditions including:

• Obesity
• Psychological disorders
• Gastric abnormalities
• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Hypertension
• Heart attack

Fortunately, with the right kind of treatment, recovery is possible. Generally speaking, food addiction recovery encompasses the following steps:

• The person must realize and accept that they have a food addiction problem.
• Medically, the person must identify which foods are their "trigger foods," that is the foods that cause their cravings.
• Guided by professionals, the person must begin to modify their eating patterns and lifestyle.
• The person should begin a manageable exercise program.

Breaking an individual’s psychological and physiological dependency of food is most effective once the person recognizes that they are powerless to combat the food addiction by themselves. If you have a food addiction, it is always suggested that you contact an eating disorder professional or eating disorder program for an evaluation and to determine what treatment protocol will best benefit you. Research has proven that people attending inpatient eating disorder treatment programs derive better results than individuals attending outpatient programs. Inpatient programs provide more structure than outpatient facilities and feature around-the-clock medical and psychological support.