#It starts with one thing tv#

“It can be hard to get over those deeply held beliefs, but research shows that if you eat what you deem a ‘bad’ food, you’re more likely to overeat afterward.” “Food is food - it’s not ‘good’ or ‘bad,’” Kanarek says. “Labeling yourself can become a self-fulfilling prophecy in terms of continuing the cycle.” “Understand that you’re not a bad person doing bad things,” May says. Working with a counselor can help you uncover the psychological triggers - like a negative body image - that may be driving your behavior.Īvoid labels. Kanarek, PhD, professor of psychology at Tufts University. It can be hard to stop overeating on your own, particularly if there are deep-rooted emotional problems involved, says Robin B. Some researchers have even stated that the term “eating addiction” is a more accurate term than “food addiction.” How can I control compulsive eating? There’s evidence that it’s actually the behavior - the restrict/binge cycle - that causes the signs of dependency, not the food itself,” she says. “But that doesn’t make food an addictive substance. There’s no doubt that eating can stimulate the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain, Hudnall says. “From that standpoint, it’s counterproductive to label certain foods as negative.” Also, “dieting is a very strong component of the binge eating cycle,” May says. For one thing, the standard treatment for addiction is abstinence, and that’s not possible with food. Studies in animals have shown that rats that binge on sugar, for example, can develop signs of dependency.īut the idea of food addiction is controversial. Those researchers say that certain foods high in fat, sugar, and salt are addictive, causing changes in the brain similar to those made by drugs. In recent years, food addiction has become a popular idea among some scientists. “But when you have a substance that is naturally appealing and soothing and comforting, and you make it off-limits, it just becomes more attractive.” Can people be “addicted” to food? “Even people who say they’re not on a diet often have ingrained ideas about ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods,” says Marsha Hudnall, president of Green Mountain at Fox Run in Vermont, a center for women who struggle with overeating. Eventually, you hit a breaking point and binge on “forbidden” foods, and then the guilt and shame set in, and the restrictions begin again. You might begin a diet because you feel bad about your weight or size but find that it’s too hard to stick to - especially if you use food as a coping tool. May calls it the “eat, repent, repeat” cycle. Having a negative body image can play a big role.įor many people, compulsive overeating is part of a cycle that starts with a restrictive diet. But oftentimes, it’s the result of underlying emotional problems.

#It starts with one thing tv#

In some cases, people simply overeat out of mindless habit, like always sitting down with a bag of chips in front of the TV at night. And you might not do it regularly, but only when you’re feeling stressed, lonely, or upset. You might eat a lot of food throughout the day, rather than all in one sitting.

And they do so often: at least once a week over a period of at least 3 months. People with BED compulsively eat large amounts of food in a short amount of time and feel guilt or shame afterward. Some people who overeat have a clinical disorder called binge eating disorder (BED). “You might feel full, and you might regret having had that last slice of pie, but you’re not consumed with shame.” “That’s very different from what someone feels after, say, eating a big Thanksgiving meal,” May says. They think about food all the time and feel guilty, ashamed, or depressed after eating. As a result, they often feel that their eating is out of control. People who compulsively overeat, though, may use food as their only way of coping with negative emotions. “From the moment we’re born, we’re nurtured with food, rewarded with food, and so emotional connections to food are normal,” says Michelle May, MD, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat. Were you tearing into a huge cake to celebrate a friend’s birthday? Loading up on turkey and sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving? Or were you at home alone, maybe at the end of a tough day? How did you feel afterward - simply annoyed that you gave yourself a stomachache? Or were you tormented by guilt or shame?Įating too much every once in a while is normal. Think back to the last time you ate so much you felt absolutely stuffed.