Most of us love sweet, sugary food but some of us are addicted to it. Research reports "A junk food addiction is a lot more like a drug addiction than researchers previously thought. They now claim sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine." EIGHT times more!!! Where are the Public Service Announcements about this??? Oh, right, it's a legal drug.
If you, like me, struggle with sugar, maybe you are addicted to it. I got this list from Medical News Today.
- The person takes the substance and cannot stop - I went to a family buffet/BBQ and did not have 1 dessert because I knew I would have 10....not a figurative 10 but an actual 10! Was just lucky to be having a strong day and decided before hand not to have any. I still had a goodly amount of yummy old cheese instead...sure I racked up the calories but still count it as a win!
- Withdrawal symptoms - I remember one of the many times I gave up sugar. I was in high sugar consumption mode for months, I was so sick with headaches and body aches that I had to go to bed for 3 days.
- Addiction continues despite health problem awareness - In my opinion nothing makes the weight jump up like consuming sugar because it's also a gateway food for me. I need to eat lots of fat and starch to balance me out how crappy the sugar is making me feel. I'n sure there is a upper/drowner correlation here but thankfully I can say I don't know it.
- Social and/or recreational sacrifices - I'm either excited to go to an event, usually when I'm "using" or dread it, usually when I'm "on the wagon". If there is food involved, rarely am I able to just attend an event and enjoy.
- Maintaining a good supply - I never have sugar in the house anymore....NEVER, EVER. Does a cocaine addict Okay to just get a bit in for the weekend? Even when I buy a bag of chips, it is with the intent of eating them immediately, but I can be one and done with them....IF I don't keep bringing them into the house. Then they would, and have, become a drug for me.
- Dealing with problems - Nothing makes our problems seem to melt away like stuffing our faces with large amounts of sugary crap. Ya, that ends shortly after the last wrapper is ripped open. Do you want one problem or two, right?
- Obsession - It amazes me how much time I have spent/still spend on thinking about food. I even dream about it. I had a WW dream last night: We were entertaining the Costa Rican WW membership and the "salad" we gave each person was a huge, honkin' bowl of mashed potatoes with 4 whole green peppers thrown on it, and the dessert table...like a church bake sale! I woke up in the sweat.
- Secrecy and solitude - Man, does this take a lot of planning! I used to hide my intake, which meant buying and consuming and destroying the container/wrapper evidence. The secret is to always buy two so you can quickly replace what disappeared. Sad but true.
- Denial - I knew from a very young age, thank you Cosmopolitan, I had a problem. Living in a grocery store certainly didn't help. Imagine an alcoholic living at the Liquor Store. Also, thank you Cosmopolitan for telling me every month I was not up to par and for showing me the many ways I could improve myself. Ummm, I wonder if there is a lawsuit there?
- Excess consumption - Again, more amazement. People are amazed at how many pieces of pie I can eat. I tell them it's because I don't eat bread and potatoes. I still tell myself I will have just one piece of pie and I think I really believe this will be the time that will be true. It has never happened....it's all or nothing....usually all.
- Dropping hobbies and activities - I've never not taken part in a hobby or activity because there may or may not be food. I have done so because I've been afraid of not being good enough.
- Having stashes - The fear of not having a fix available if needed drives us to put sugary bits in our grocery cart and pray we don't run into someone we know. The trick is to cover it up with large leafy vegetables and toilet paper. You know you have done it too.
- Relationship problems - The biggest blow back from my sugar addiction was the shame, disappointment and lack of self control I felt within myself. And when you feel that level of failure it has to spill over onto the people you love.
So where are you on the sugar addiction scale? Do any of the above ring true for you?
I know this is cute, but don't let this happen to you!
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