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Originally Posted by watcher16
The idea that fat people have sometimes a distorted vision of reality and canīt stop eating the wrong things, eat for emotional relief etc. etc. fuel the idea that it is an addiction like any other.
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In order to answer that it might be a good idea to first take a look at what defines an 'addiction':
http://balder.prohosting.com/~adhpage/dsm.html
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A maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:
(1) Tolerance, as defined by either of the following:
a. A need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect.
b. Markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance.
(2) Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:
a. The characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance
b. The same (or a closely related) substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
(3) The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended (loss of control).
(4) There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use (loss of control).
(5) A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance, use the substance, or recover from its effects (preoccupation).
(6) Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use (continuation despite adverse consequences).
(7) The substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance. (adverse consequences).
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What you are referring to, Watcher, is not a true 'addiction', but more of a disordered relationship with food (eating for comfort, entertainment, to relieve stress, boredom, etc...).
Some people do use food to soothe emotions or avoid dealing with them head-on, but this does not an addiction make nor does it apply to all overweight individuals.
Having said that, sugar does fit many of the criteria for an addictive substance: alteration of neurochemical production in the brain, Increased tolerance; the need for more and more to achieve the same effect that less once did, loss of control and withdrawal symptoms when the user ceases using the substance.
Even if the idea that many are addicted to sugar was accepted (and it isn't), it doesn't prove that all overweight individuals are sugar junkies (just as not everyone who socially drinks alcohol is an alcoholic) or relieve the responsibility of the addict to do something about it once they are aware of the problem. As my DH who works in addiction recovery is known to say, "An addict may not be responsible for having become addicted. They
are however responsible for their behavior and their recovery."
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I reckon lots of folk will disagree with me, but I think the word "addiction" has suffered from overuse during our generation.
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I agree, mammac-5. But rather than overuse, I think the term has been abused as means to avoid accepting responsibility for behavior (as in "I can't help it...I'm addicted").
