Recently I did some Internet research on sugar addiction when the subject cropped up in a workshop. Can a person really be addicted to sugar? If so, does that mean she can never eat it and/or that if she does, she’s bound to go overboard and binge? How do you know if you’re addicted or if you only believe you are?
I encourage you all to do your own research on sugar addiction, although the jury appears to be out on the subject. Some evidence indicates that rats seem to become addicted to sugar water based on specific criteria related to increased tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms, while other studies conclude that the problem is better defined in terms of psychological dependence than physical addiction. Perhaps some day we’ll have a definitive answer and a better understanding of how sugar affects our biochemistry. For now, each of us has to assess the issue for ourselves.
Even if it is found that some individuals are addicted to sugar, how would each of us know if we were one of them? Some people become physically addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, while others appear to be addicted, but are only psychologically/emotionally dependent. This kind of dependence is often stress-induced and situational. Moreover, there’s a thin line between physical and psychological dependence. Because an addict shoots up after being clean, does that mean that he must continue to use? If an alcoholic takes a drink after being abstinent, will a bender and re-addiction inevitably follow? If a smoker sneaks a few puffs, is he destined to go on to finish the pack?
Addiction or not, the answer to all three questions is not necessarily. Being addicted or having been addicted to a substance—sugar, alcohol, heroin, cigarettes—does not mean that a person cannot refrain from or stop using it. People give up addictions all the time; they relapse and quit all over again until they remain substance-free. Do they work hard to fight their addiction? You bet: mind over matter. Do some of them ultimately find that they can have an occasional drink or cigarette? Yes to that question as well.
We simply do not know enough about sugar and chemical dependency to say for certain that sugar is a bona fide addiction and we certainly can’t ascertain who among us is truly addicted. Whether or not you have a sugar addiction, you’ll benefit from practicing the first and fourth rules of “normal” eating—eating only when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full and/or satisfied. Remember, even if you are addicted to sugar, you can still say no. You always have a choice.
Best,
Karen
www.eatingnormal.com
www.squidoo.com/eatnormalnow
Visit the message board exclusively devoted to my new book, The Food and Feelings Workbook, athttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/foodandfeelings.
PLEASE NOTE: I encourage you to comment on my blogs and will do my best to address topics/questions you raise in future blogs. Unfortunately, however, due to time constraints, I cannot provide individual responses.
Recently I did some Internet research on sugar addiction when the subject cropped up in a workshop. Can a person really be addicted to sugar? If so, does that mean she can never eat it and/or that if she does, she’s bound to go overboard and binge? How do you know if you’re addicted or if you only believe you are?
I encourage you all to do your own research on sugar addiction, although the jury appears to be out on the subject. Some evidence indicates that rats seem to become addicted to sugar water based on specific criteria related to increased tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms, while other studies conclude that the problem is better defined in terms of psychological dependence than physical addiction. Perhaps some day we’ll have a definitive answer and a better understanding of how sugar affects our biochemistry. For now, each of us has to assess the issue for ourselves.
Even if it is found that some individuals are addicted to sugar, how would each of us know if we were one of them? Some people become physically addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, while others appear to be addicted, but are only psychologically/emotionally dependent. This kind of dependence is often stress-induced and situational. Moreover, there’s a thin line between physical and psychological dependence. Because an addict shoots up after being clean, does that mean that he must continue to use? If an alcoholic takes a drink after being abstinent, will a bender and re-addiction inevitably follow? If a smoker sneaks a few puffs, is he destined to go on to finish the pack?
Addiction or not, the answer to all three questions is not necessarily. Being addicted or having been addicted to a substance—sugar, alcohol, heroin, cigarettes—does not mean that a person cannot refrain from or stop using it. People give up addictions all the time; they relapse and quit all over again until they remain substance-free. Do they work hard to fight their addiction? You bet: mind over matter. Do some of them ultimately find that they can have an occasional drink or cigarette? Yes to that question as well.
We simply do not know enough about sugar and chemical dependency to say for certain that sugar is a bona fide addiction and we certainly can’t ascertain who among us is truly addicted. Whether or not you have a sugar addiction, you’ll benefit from practicing the first and fourth rules of “normal” eating—eating only when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full and/or satisfied. Remember, even if you are addicted to sugar, you can still say no. You always have a choice.
Best,
Karen
www.eatingnormal.com
www.squidoo.com/eatnormalnow
Visit the message board exclusively devoted to my new book, The Food and Feelings Workbook, athttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/foodandfeelings.
PLEASE NOTE: I encourage you to comment on my blogs and will do my best to address topics/questions you raise in future blogs. Unfortunately, however, due to time constraints, I cannot provide individual responses.