Chad--food addictions

[Guest guest]

I tend to agree that for me, food is an addiction, but not in the sense that

I have to eat all the time as an alcoholic must drink all the time. I feel

addicted in the sense that my body and mind tell me that I must have more of

something even when I have had a sufficient quantity. I can eat 2 slices of

pizza and be full but I NEED to eat more because I am not yet satisfied. I

can be following a healthy eating pattern only to become sidetracked my

something that my mind and body demands that I eat. I truly feel a

physiologic need for a certain food; sometimes it is almost overwhelming. I

have noticed that within 5 minutes of eating a meal I suddenly begin craving

something sweet--my mouth actually waters in anticipation of the sugar. I

may not even think that I want anything else, but my body tells me that I

need it. Of course, I don't always respond by eating sweets, but the

physiologic need is there. It is a very strange feeling and I am just now

beinging to understand it. Before, I probably just responded by eating more

or grabbing something different to try to curb the " need. " Now that I am

more aware of it, I am better able to deal with it. I am still pre-op, but

now that I have a better underatanding of what has been going in with my

mind and body, I think I will do much better after surgery when the " head

hunger " strikes.

T. in Oregon

[Guest guest]

Chad,

I feel like I'm addicted to food the same way a gambling addict is addicted.

It's not so much a physical addiction as it is a psychological addiction. I

used food for a lot of reasons...boredom, loneliness, saddness, happy,

angry, ....you name it. Food was giving me comfort if only in my mind. Now I

have to find ways of dealing with these situations without using food. It's

a lot easier now because I'm not feeling the physical hunger and my new

pouch can't hold very much but it still scares me that I could go back to

old habits.

[Guest guest]

Chad,

I feel like I'm addicted to food the same way a gambling addict is addicted.

It's not so much a physical addiction as it is a psychological addiction. I

used food for a lot of reasons...boredom, loneliness, saddness, happy,

angry, ....you name it. Food was giving me comfort if only in my mind. Now I

have to find ways of dealing with these situations without using food. It's

a lot easier now because I'm not feeling the physical hunger and my new

pouch can't hold very much but it still scares me that I could go back to

old habits.