It is very common to hear people getting addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, and even phones! Of course, there is a big difference between mentioning addiction as a figure of speech (“I am totally addicted to lemon sorbet!”) and actual clinical addiction.
Food keeps us alive and healthy. But is it possible for the human body and brain to become overly dependent on one kind of food, both physiologically and psychologically? This question gives rise to even bigger questions as to whether food addiction is real. And if it is, can it be as serious as drug or alcohol addiction with negative health implications? Scared about the answers? Let’s look at the below points.
Why Do We Eat?
Before we can even begin to address the problematic question ‘is food addiction real?’, it is very important to know and understand why we eat. When you are hungry, it is a signal that the body needs nutrition and energy. So as a primal instinct, this hunger propels us to find food and eat it. Once we eat good food, the body and mind are satiated. This process is totally internal. It is based on the fact that the body required nutrition and that the food smelt and tasted good!
This euphoric feeling that comes from eating good food, is controlled by the reward system of the brain that controls appetite, hunger, mood, etc. The hormone ‘ghrelin’ induces appetite and increases an animal’s motivation to find food when hungry. It is also linked to the feel-good hormone ‘dopamine’ which enhances the reward perception by making you feel good after eating.
Now, think of addiction as the reward system of the body gone cuckoo! Appalling right? Read On!
How Addiction Works
With the upsurge of food-related disorders like obesity and Binge Eating Disorder (BED), there is a burning question in everyone’s mind! Can food be addictive just like drugs? And if so, what makes a normal requirement of the body a constant craving?
When someone is addicted to a drug, say 'heroin', it acts on the reward system of the brain and activates dopamine release. With prolonged use, the drug damages the nervous system, so much so, that the brain starts becoming desensitized to it. As a result, more and more heroin is required for dopamine release. The result is an addiction.
This mechanism of addiction has been found to be true in obese people and BED patients. Food stimulates dopamine release in the brain and due to chronic overeating, dopamine desensitization occurs. Hence, more and more food is required to keep the dopamine flowing. The reason for such aggravated eating behavior can be social, environmental, psychological, or physiological. Negative body image is also a huge culprit here!
Food Addiction-Real or Not?
Food addiction has been proven to be quite real! Let me explain it to you! Several factors govern this conclusion.
A normal, healthy person can resist cravings and eat everything in moderation. But food-addicted people crave for the food that they usually love, even when their stomachs are full, or they are not hungry at all! They continue to eat more and more of that food unabashedly because they are aware that this kind of ‘addiction’ is not going to be as dangerous as drugs. Also, such excessive eating is accompanied by guilt, which is then followed by illogical excuses to eat again. Thus, the vicious cycle continues! Moreover, a food-addict might try stopping such compulsive eating but is unable to do so.
I accept! These changes in behavior and attitude towards certain food items are really alarming! It has also been found that in some cases, people reported cravings for food items that they did not even like normally! This means the problem is deeply rooted in the physiology and psychology of the body.
Usually, people get addicted to unhealthy, junk foods high in sugar and bad fats more. Everyone knows about the horde of problems and diseases that come with ingesting excessive junk food. While caffeine addiction is not very rare, it is hard to find someone who says, “I am addicted to spinach”! Another reason why food addiction is such a serious problem! You hardly get addicted to healthy, nutritious food!
Can Food Addiction Be Alleviated?
For people who are suffering from clinical overeating disorders, medical help is the only way. It is best to consult a doctor if you or anyone you know exhibits such compulsive eating patterns or you suddenly find yourself unable to control your cravings for specific food items! Psychological counseling and lifestyle changes are very crucial.
For food-addicts, even moderate amounts of the trigger food will result in a relapse, just like drug addiction! Hence, complete abstinence is the only solution even for food addiction.
Giving up a food item or even your favorite food for life is a small price to pay for maintaining a healthy and disease-free life. So, the question to ask here is ‘Is the sacrifice worth it?”
What do you think?