Guest guest Posted February 9, 2006 Report Posted February 9, 2006 Causes for Food Addiction By K. Buffington, Ph.D. Millions of Americans suffer from addictions involving alcohol, nicotine, and drugs. For some individuals, food is also an addiction. Recent studies found that food addiction, drug abuse, and other self-destructive behaviors have similar underlying neurochemical and behavioral characteristics. One of the most common behavioral characteristics of individuals suffering from self-destructive addictions (overeating, drinking, smoking, using drugs, etc.) is a feeling of `not being good enough'. Feelings of low self-worth, in turn, may cause low self-esteem, a poor body image, depression, anxiety, a need to overachieve, and an intense and chronic fear of failure. The `addict' not only has negative feelings regarding themselves, but also has failed to develop appropriate stress coping behavior to deal with such feelings. Instead of confronting life stressors directly or finding healthy ways to manage emotions (exercise, journaling, relaxation, spiritual care, therapy, etc.), the `addict' seeks to avoid unpleasant feelings by eating, drinking alcohol, smoking, using drugs, gambling, and various other ways of escaping from reality. Emotional distress and avoidance stress coping behavior can produce neurochemical changes in the limbic system of the brain, which is the area of the brain that controls mood and basic functions such as eating. The addict often has overactive stress hormone responses within the limbic system that impair the actions of specific brain messengers, (i.e. serotonin, dopamine) that, in turn, cause depression, food cravings (particularly for carbohydrates), overeating, compulsive behaviors (such as binge eating), substance dependencies, and an increased risk for multiple addictions. Reduced mood, caused by such neurochemical defects, can be reversed, at least temporarily, by eating certain foods or by using alcohol, nicotine, and drugs. Eating carbohydrates (sweets in particular) helps to improve mood by increasing the neurochemical messenger, serotonin. And, eating sweets, fat, or even smelling one's favorite food improves mood by enhancing the actions of another neurochemical, dopamine, which is also responsible for the `good feelings' associated with drugs and alcohol. The food `addict' may, therefore, be overeating in an attempt to improve their mood. But, overeating may, similar to frequent use of drugs or alcohol, blunt the responses of these `feel good' neurochemical pathways to food, requiring the individual to eat more to achieve satisfaction. At this point, the individual not only eats in an effort to establish emotional stability but also has a physical need to do so and, thereby, feels powerless over food. Abstinence from the abused substance helps to reverse or improve many of the neurochemical defects associated with addictions. Bariatric surgery, by limiting the amount of food and type of food that can be consumed, and by enhancing mood through the joy of weight loss, is also effective in improving neurochemical defects contributing to addictive behavior. However, such improvements are often short-lived. Food cravings, as well as depression, may reoccur over time, along with weight gain. The neurochemical defects contributing to food dependency among post- bariatric surgical patients may reappear over time because the behaviors responsible for initiating the cascade of events leading to such defects are not resolved by the surgery, those being low self-worth and poor stress coping skills. It is, therefore, of utmost importance for the overall wellbeing and long-term weight loss success of the bariatric patient that aftercare bariatric programs be designed to help individuals recognize their own self- worth and learn healthful ways of dealing with emotional stress. Quote
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2006 Report Posted February 9, 2006 WOW! sure hits the nail on the head! i never did drugs... (at least thats ever been proven in a court of law) ;-) but i can relate to the fact that food was every bit as affective as any drug for making me feel better at the end of the day i KNEW my best friend would be waitng for me. and all i hate to do was open the fridge door..or pop open a bag of chips....then as soon as my snacks made me feel better,....THEN i would eat dinner!! :-/ i still miss my food buddies... but its getting easier every day!~:-D its just that right now im bored with what pouchie can tolerate yogurt,cheese sticks,soups and popsicles...day after day after day!! TODD lap rny 09/08/05 375/255/190 > > Causes for Food Addiction > By K. Buffington, Ph.D. > > Millions of Americans suffer from addictions involving alcohol, > nicotine, and drugs. For some individuals, food is also an > addiction. Recent studies found that food addiction, drug abuse, and > other self-destructive behaviors have similar underlying > neurochemical and behavioral characteristics. > One of the most common behavioral characteristics of individuals > suffering from self-destructive addictions (overeating, drinking, > smoking, using drugs, etc.) is a feeling of `not being good enough'. > Feelings of low self-worth, in turn, may cause low self-esteem, a > poor body image, depression, anxiety, a need to overachieve, and an > intense and chronic fear of failure. > > The `addict' not only has negative feelings regarding themselves, > but also has failed to develop appropriate stress coping behavior to > deal with such feelings. Instead of confronting life stressors > directly or finding healthy ways to manage emotions (exercise, > journaling, relaxation, spiritual care, therapy, etc.), the `addict' > seeks to avoid unpleasant feelings by eating, drinking alcohol, > smoking, using drugs, gambling, and various other ways of escaping > from reality. > > Emotional distress and avoidance stress coping behavior can produce > neurochemical changes in the limbic system of the brain, which is > the area of the brain that controls mood and basic functions such as > eating. The addict often has overactive stress hormone responses > within the limbic system that impair the actions of specific brain > messengers, (i.e. serotonin, dopamine) that, in turn, cause > depression, food cravings (particularly for carbohydrates), > overeating, compulsive behaviors (such as binge eating), substance > dependencies, and an increased risk for multiple addictions. > Reduced mood, caused by such neurochemical defects, can be reversed, > at least temporarily, by eating certain foods or by using alcohol, > nicotine, and drugs. Eating carbohydrates (sweets in particular) > helps to improve mood by increasing the neurochemical messenger, > serotonin. And, eating sweets, fat, or even smelling one's favorite > food improves mood by enhancing the actions of another > neurochemical, dopamine, which is also responsible for the `good > feelings' associated with drugs and alcohol. > > The food `addict' may, therefore, be overeating in an attempt to > improve their mood. But, overeating may, similar to frequent use of > drugs or alcohol, blunt the responses of these `feel good' > neurochemical pathways to food, requiring the individual to eat more > to achieve satisfaction. At this point, the individual not only eats > in an effort to establish emotional stability but also has a > physical need to do so and, thereby, feels powerless over food. > Abstinence from the abused substance helps to reverse or improve > many of the neurochemical defects associated with addictions. > Bariatric surgery, by limiting the amount of food and type of food > that can be consumed, and by enhancing mood through the joy of > weight loss, is also effective in improving neurochemical defects > contributing to addictive behavior. However, such improvements are > often short-lived. Food cravings, as well as depression, may reoccur > over time, along with weight gain. > > The neurochemical defects contributing to food dependency among post- > bariatric surgical patients may reappear over time because the > behaviors responsible for initiating the cascade of events leading > to such defects are not resolved by the surgery, those being low > self-worth and poor stress coping skills. It is, therefore, of > utmost importance for the overall wellbeing and long-term weight > loss success of the bariatric patient that aftercare bariatric > programs be designed to help individuals recognize their own self- > worth and learn healthful ways of dealing with emotional stress. > Quote
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