FOOD ADDICTION: What it is, Symptoms, Causes, Consequences and Treatment

During the last decades, a model of food addiction has gained a lot of weight in our society, through controversial debates that revolve around the question of whether certain foods that have a high calorie content or certain ingredients, such as sugar, have an addictive potential similar to that of substances in abuse. Many people with eating disorders such as obesity or binge eating disorders may have eating patterns that have addictive characteristics, that is, they bear some resemblance to drug use disorders, on a biological and behavioral.

Food addiction has not yet been recognized by diagnostic manuals. However, due to the observation of these patterns in an important part of the population, the evaluation scale was created Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). This psychological test helps diagnose food addiction disorders when three addiction symptoms occur and significant discomfort or impairment occurs.

If you are interested in learning about food addiction disorder, in this Psychology-Online article we will present the

Index

1. Food addiction: what is it?
2. Compulsive eaters
3. Causes of food addiction
4. Symptoms of food addiction
5. Consequences of food addiction
6. How to overcome food addiction: treatment
7. Food addiction: summary

What is food addiction? Food addiction is understood as a chronic and recurrent disease, with brain implications. The definition of food addiction consists of the the urge to compulsively seek and consume certain foods, without taking into account the harmful consequences it presents, such as the health implications of foods high in sugar or fat.

These addictive behaviors can appear in different eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, bulimia nervous system or obesity, and although it is related to obesity, people of normal weight can also suffer from addiction to food. Have been recognized neurobiological mechanisms involved in these addictive patterns, however, food addiction has not yet been considered an independent disorder.

People who suffer from food addiction, compulsive eaters, have the need to be eating compulsively and when they are not, they think about the next meal, constantly craving certain food. These people, the compulsive eaters, eat large amounts of food for very short periods of time and subsequently, they feel guilty thus.

It should be noted that the behavior of compulsive eaters has a high emotional content, because food is the compensation for negative emotionssuch as sadness or anxiety. However, not to satisfy the discomfort with food should you consider yourself a person addicted to food, this need is product of neurobiological mechanisms, since certain foods influence brain systems involved in the wellness. However, these foods can contain certain addictive components, causing the development of food addiction.

The causes of food addiction have been linked to neurobiological mechanisms. The reward systems of the Central Nervous System they are controlled by neurotransmitters responsible for learned behaviors and responsible for responding to pleasant or unpleasant factors. There are certain addictive substances that produce a effect on the limbic system, producing an artificial association of pleasure. If these substances or foods are consumed regularly, they directly affect the limbic system, thereby producing the beginning of the addiction process. Some foods that can affect this system are sugars or fats. Addictive behaviors affect brain circuits, such as the dopaminergic, opioid, serotonergic, and glutamate systems, leading to pleasurable sensations.

On the other hand, it should be noted that anxiety plays a fundamental role in the causes of food addiction. When the person is stressed or anxious, their consumption increases and they prefer foods that contain many sugars, high content in fat or salt. This set of food produces a feeling of well-being since its action is similar to that of endorphins. When this feeling of well-being diminishes, the anxiety appears again due to the guilt of the binge and the person has the need to eat again, thereby creating a vicious cycle. Therefore, the causes of food addiction are:

• Manage anxiety through food.
• The effect of consuming these foods on the brain's reward system.
• Guilt feelings.

The symptoms of food addiction serve to identify this disorder. The symptoms that compulsive eaters present are the following:

• Eat in large quantities on a recurring basis, at least twice a week for a period of six months or more. Binge eaters can eat until they feel uncomfortably full.
• Loss of control. During the binge eating, the person feels that they cannot control the action.
• Eating excessively fast during the binge. The feeling of loss of control is a typical symptom of addictions.
• Eat without real hunger. Eating food even when you are not hungry or full is another symptom of food addiction.
• Eat secretly or alone. This symptom of food addiction is due to feelings of guilt and shame.
• Gastrointestinal disorders. After the binge, bloating, gas pains, diarrhea, indigestion or abdominal cramps may appear.
• Culpability. Binge eating can cause binge eaters to later feel guilty, depressed, or disappointed.
• Anxiety. The compulsive behavior generates anguish, but the person cannot stop doing it. This is one of the most characteristic food addiction symptoms.
• Attempts to brake unsuccessful behavior. Carrying out frequent diets, usually without weight variations.

The consequences of food addiction are diverse and can be differentiated into psychological consequences and physical consequences.

Regarding the consequences of physical food addiction, the main disease that can be derived from binge eating is obesity. Food addiction and obesity can lead to heart problems, the onset of type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases and certain respiratory disorders can appear.

On the other hand, the consequences of psychological food addiction are various. In addition to generating high peaks of stress, anxiety and guilt, food addiction has been linked to the appearance of mood disorders, such as depressive disorders and bipolar, anxiety disorders and with the onset of substance use.

The treatment of food addiction must be carried out from its complete approach. As we have previously established, food addiction is not based solely on factors biological factors, but there is a great implication of psychological factors associated with the behavior food. Therefore, its treatment cannot be stipulated solely on a diet to limit behavior and improve lifestyle.

First of all, food addiction treatment must be tailored to the individual needs and characteristics of each person, collecting the information necessary to help us understand the root of the addiction and what are the factors that are currently maintaining said addiction conduct. Once the focus of the problem has been identified, different types of psychotherapy can be used to address it, such as EMDR therapy, mindfulness or the techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy, among other.

How to overcome food addiction? Yes anxiety and stress are predisposing factors to these behaviors of food abuse, it will be necessary to work on these two factors. For this, it will be necessary to establish the causes that generate said anxiety and stress, work on them and contribute to the person strategies to manage these emotions with healthier alternatives, such as physical exercise, relaxation exercises or breathing.

Learn to manage anxiety and stress is very relevant because they can trigger psychological disorders such as mood disorders or anxiety disorders. In addition, compulsive behaviors with food generate great feelings of guilt and shame, which must be addressed in order to work self-esteem of the person during food addiction treatment.

On the other hand, in addition to the psychological problems triggered by food addiction, major complications can appear physical, so that it is essential to draw up a food diet, with dietary and nutritional aspects carried out by a professional. The goal of this part of food addiction treatment is to teach the person Healthy habits, addictive foods to avoid (such as carbohydrates) and combine the diet with precursor foods and supplements dopamine Y serotonin. It will be necessary to carry out a psychoeducational process regarding food, teaching the person to differentiate between the sensations of "hunger" and "appetite" and foods whose content has principles addictive.

Finally, it should be noted that the therapies that are carried out for the remission of the behavior can be carried out at the individual level and very commonly it is usually treated in group therapy, which contributes to sharing experiences and thereby reducing shame and guilt in the face of the problem.

Next, we show a graphic summary which explains the creation and maintenance of food addiction.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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