Addiction
What is an addiction?
Addiction can be very hard to understand but more people struggle with it than you know. An addiction is a complex dysfunction that takes place in the brain involving reward, motivation, and memory. Your body will crave a substance or behavior in a compulsive or obsessive manner in the pursuit of a reward. This is done with no concern over the consequences for themselves or others.
How does addiction work?
There are many forms of addiction that afflict us and sometimes we never notice it in ourselves or others. People can have cravings for drugs, alcohol, working out, sex, hording, and even food.
It’s very easy in our society to see addictions towards synthetic and/or natural drugs that aren’t necessary for the body. Most people think of that form of addiction first and feel superior to those who struggle with that form of addiction. But what about the other types like excessive working out, sex, hording, and food?
In the end they’re all the same because it involves a compulsive or obsessive need for a reward with no concern for consequences. Addiction typically provides an out of body that they hope to use for an escape from reality that they’re unable to accept, cope with, or hide from.
In this case I want to focus in on food, and how it can be an escape for others. Most individuals that are addicted to or have an unhealthy relationship with food use it as a coping mechanism to feel in control. While we do need food as an energy source, it’s both needed and seen as a source of enjoyment. We like to eat. In fact, there are lots of emotions that get tied up with food through the use of memories.
When you think of food as just an energy sources, you’ll miss having your comfort or tradition foods. The emotional link to food makes certain foods hard to walk away from. Add in the feeling of control with choosing what you eat, or the loss of control when you're being told what foods to eat. Understanding that sets individuals up for an addiction to food.
Food Addiction
Food addictions are very common and easily missed. The truth is, food addictions are very real and can’t be avoided like drug addiction. We will always need to consume food and water to survive, and that is how food addictions are triggered. This can lead to health conditions that affect you physically and mentally. Physical distortion is body manipulation to look a certain way based on a perception of how a person views themselves. This leads to dangerous weight loss or weight gain.
If you notice you're struggling with food addiction; know that you're not alone. Millions of people have addictions that they struggle with in their life. Take time to ask yourself, why? Dive into the “why” and allow yourself the time to heal, accept, process, and regain control with food. You can control your life if you choose to accept that control.