Dealing With An Addiction To Food? How To Get Help With Your Struggle To Break Free
If you're suffering from an addiction to food, you're not alone. A recent report found that roughly 70 million people in the United States suffer from a food addiction. Unfortunately, food addiction can lead to obesity, which can lead to a variety of other medical problems. Not to mention the emotional problems that can be present with an addiction to food. If you suffer from a food addiction, help is available. The first thing you need to do is locate a treatment center near you. With proper treatment, you can overcome your addiction to food. In addition, here are four other steps you can take to help you on your path to recovery.
Reprogram Your Brain
You might not realize this, but if you have an addiction to food, you'll need to reprogram your brain. You see, with an addiction, your brain is programmed to look at food differently. Before the invention of fast food and processed sweet-treats, the human brain looked at food differently. It saw foods like berries, apples and oranges as enjoyable sweet treats. However, fast food and processed sweet-treats changed all that. The ingredients in all those processed foods make your brain go on hyper-drive, which encourages you to eat more food and find more treats. By reprogramming your brain to see fresh fruit as a sweet treat, you'll not only be healthier, but you'll have an easier time overcoming your addiction to food.
Know What Your Triggers Are
When you suffer from food addiction, your brain has a set of triggers that set off a chain reaction that gets you looking for food. Some triggers might include stress, boredom, fatigue, or sadness. You might not realize this, but guilt over your food addiction can also be a trigger. As soon as you think about food, you feel guilty, which makes you want food even more. It can become a never-ending cycle. However, if you know what your triggers are, you can learn how to overcome them. The best way to identify your triggers is to keep a journal. Each time you think about food, write down what you were doing – or feeling – when the thought entered your mind.
Join an Addiction Recovery Support Group
Now that you're seeking treatment for your addiction to food, you need to join an addiction treatment support group. You're going to need help as you proceed through treatment, and a support group is a great place to get that help. You'll find people who are going through the same struggles as you are, which can provide you with the support you need to overcome your addiction.
