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There is much information to be found on the topic of drug addiction, or alcohol abuse. But for the person who overeats, and is addicted to food, there is a very limited amount of information to be found. Being fat, although frowned upon, is however acceptable to society - except of course, to the overeater who suffers despair and pain at their condition. The effects and results of drug addiction, or alcoholism are well known to many people. When someone they know becomes addicted to drugs, or depends too much on alcohol, people get worried, tongues are clicked, heads are shaken in sorrow. But mention a person who overeats, or is addicted to food, and immediate judgment will rain down upon the poor individual - "Yes, she eats like a pig. Of course she is going to get as fat as a house!" Or "He should stop stuffing his face with burgers", or "She is so lazy, no wonder she is so fat!" Do they think anyone wants to be fat? For goodness sake, obesity brings a wealth of health problems to the table, that although may not entirely ruin the overeater's life as it would a drug addict or alcoholic, may very well lead to their very death! So if overeating is just as devastating, why is it not put on the same crisis level as drug addiction or alcohol abuse? Or if not crisis level, why is there not enough information on it? Mind you, if you are anorexic, that's a different story - you will still get concern. But a fat person - well, a fat person is just judged to be "fat and lazy". Shame on us. Let's take a look at a comparison between someone who is addicted to substances, and those who overeat, or are addicted to food: Drug addiction and food addiction each result from habits that persist and become stronger despite the threat of terribly negative consequences. Both give a temporary "reward" to the addict. Stress influences both food intake and the propensity for drugs. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of nicotine dependency in the offspring. It also increases their risk for obesity. Similarly, early exposure to certain diets in fetal life and the immediate postnatal period may influence food preferences later on in life. Addictive drugs, like addictive foods, activate brain circuitry involved in motivation, reward and decision making. Interestingly, it seems almost as if the brain responds to the drug as it would respond to food under conditions of severe deprivation. Abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex could enhance either drug oriented or food oriented behaviours, depending on the already established habits of the individual. On 30 March 2010, CNN reported that "fatty foods may cause cocaine-like addiction." In a study with rats, it was found that high-fat, high-calorie foods affect the brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin. When rats consume these foods in great enough quantities, it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction. And there's growing evidence that eating too much of these foods can cause long-term changes in the brain circuits that control eating behavior. Professor Kessler, ex-commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), claims that manufacturers have created combinations of fat, sugar and salt that are so tasty many people cannot stop eating them even when full. Some of the most addictive foods on the market today:
The differences between the treatment of drug addiction or alcoholism and food addiction, or overeating, is that while a substance can be given up entirely, food is essential for survival. It therefore makes sense for the overeater to consider eliminating the junk-foods that cause overeating. Author: Claire Carradice If you are an overeater and would like help to stop overeating, please visit http://www.get-thin-for-good.com, or go to our blog at http://www.get-thin-for-good.com/wordpress. View Count: 113
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