As strange as this seems...I'm an actual junk food addict (or so I believe). I need help...support...something. I sat down with my parents and my husband tonight and confessed for the first time that I'm addicted to junk food and all my parents had to say was 'oh, it's just will power...don't go out and buy junk food...simple as that' 'just cook at home' or 'have a glass of water instead'. DH understood but he doesn't know how to help me. The other thing is DH and my parents are enablers. DH lets me buy take away when ever I want it...and my parents bring it to me/buy it for me. By addiction I mean I crave it, even to the point of getting angry or fidgety if I can't have it. I get upset if I want take away but can't get it. I will spend my last dollar on take away/junk. I will cook dinner, eat it, and then 2 hours later need to have takeaway. In the middle of the night, I'll get out of bed, get dressed and go to macdonalds. And I had to eat more and more to satisfy the need...at first it was a cheese burger, then it was a big mac and a cheese burger, then it was a quater pounder and a big mac, then it was all three. I can't stop myself. I hate that I do it...I eat it in secret. I hide the evidence, but most of the time DH just lets me do what ever. Does anyone else have this problem? I know I need to see a psychologist, but I can't afford it...there's a weight loss clinic in the city that has a gp, psychologist, dietician and exercise physiologist available for clients, but the program is $135 a week. Ironically...I graduate as an intern psychologist in a month...I know what to do for someone else with an addiction....but it's like since I know the deal, I know the way around it....
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Me 22 - DH 22
2 angel babies
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I understand what you mean. Although mine isn't as bad as yours. I think we need to start a Junk food Anonoumous support group! I think there is allot more peoeple out there that are afraid to admit it.
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I understand what you mean. Although mine isn't as bad as yours. I think we need to start a Junk food Anonoumous support group! I think there is allot more peoeple out there that are afraid to admit it.
Thanks for your reply . It feels better to know I'm not alone in this. I agree, a support group would be fantastic. I honestly have been afraid to admit it, although I've known in myself for quite a while. I did some research and found a study showing junk food addiction acts the same way as a heroin addiction. It's pretty serious stuff, but everyone shrugged it off when I admitted it...
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Me 22 - DH 22
2 angel babies
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I am a junk food addict. Chocolate is my weekness. Stress and boredom is what usually brings mine on. I will start seeing a nutriontist at the end of this month to help me overcome my battle. I know it will take hard work. But together we can do it. Any time you feel the urge to eat things you know you shouldn't pop on here and right about it.
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Good idea
Hi,
My name is Abbie. I'm a junk food addict. My weakness is anything takeaway (KFC, Macdonalds, Hungry Jacks). I eat emotionally when I'm upset or bored. Sometimes the craving comes from no where. I have seen 2 different dieticians who haven't helped at all. I'm going to look into the weight management clinic tomorrow to find out what my insurance will cover. I need to change. My husband looked at me yesterday with a tear in his eye and said 'please...you need to do something...you will die'. It broke my heart, which is why I admitted my addiction today. I currently weigh 308.5lbs....caused mostly by junk food addiction.
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Me 22 - DH 22
2 angel babies
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HI there, I'm no addict, but I've had my fair share of bad days when it comes to junk food. One teensy thing that can make me feel better though, like if I really must have a burger...is I ask them to leave out the cheese and mayo/sauce that comes with the burger. I know...not much, but it's something small I do...and psychologically, I beat myself up less for at least trying to "slim down" the bad food.
I don't eat junk often, but if I have just 1 frenchfry, then I'll eat the whole plate of fries (regardless of whether I'm actually hungry or not)! If I have one cookie, I'll end up eating 10. If I have one potato crisp, I'll eat the whole packet. I can't stop. For me, those are my weaknesses and I can pretty easily avoid them (don't walk down the aisle, asking hubby not to order fries with his meal - or else I'll eat them LOL).
Most of the time I run for junk food when I'm tired, skipped a meal (so need food NOW), or bored and sitting around, so there's definitely a physiological-psychological link, just like other cysters have mentioned.
It's tough, but I really wish you all luck with beating your addiction. It looks as though you will be building a nice support network here and you'll be helping each other along the way.
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31 yrs, 173 cms, cw 66 kgs, gw 59 kgs.
Metformin (Glucophage), 1700 mg, Folic Acid 800mg, Zinc 30mg, tbsp apple cider vinegar w/water 1-2 times daily
My husband looked at me yesterday with a tear in his eye and said 'please...you need to do something...you will die'. It broke my heart, which is why I admitted my addiction today. I currently weigh 308.5lbs....caused mostly by junk food addiction.
Oh sweetie, good for you for sharing with everybody. Everyone has to start somewhere and you're awesome for admitting your problem and looking for help. All the very best!
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31 yrs, 173 cms, cw 66 kgs, gw 59 kgs.
Metformin (Glucophage), 1700 mg, Folic Acid 800mg, Zinc 30mg, tbsp apple cider vinegar w/water 1-2 times daily
It's really good that you're able to acknowledge your addiction and are seeking help. Food addictions can be psychological in origin, but I also believe (from my experience) that there is a physical addiction too...
This may sound bizarre, but for about 2 years I was addicted to bread. We always had a hunk of fresh bread in the house, and I'd be nibbling at it constantly. In addition, I had to have bread with every meal, and sometimes if I was eating by myself, I'd eat nothing but bread for dinner. I could eat an entire baguette (and be hungry 2 hours later, of course). I was totally addicted.
I have since realized that insulin resistance was fueling these major cravings for carbs, and I was actually a carb addict whose "poison of choice" was bread. The solution? I stopped eating bread, pasta, sugar, and in fact all grains and starches that could fuel cravings for carbs. After about a week, I had no more cravings for bread/carbs and in fact much of my hunger disappeared.
I currently eat as much meat, veggies, eggs, and nuts as I want, but no carb-heavy food. I am a recovering carboholic and am very strict about this.
__________________ PCOS symptoms since age 11 (heavy acne & oily skin, minor weight issues & hirsutism) Irregular AF (38-45 days) after stopping BCP at age 29 Dx PCOS at age 32
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Merigreen: I think for me it started as a need for any sugar/carb...but turned into fatty fast-food addiction. I don't get the same carb cravings I used to since I've been on a high dose of metformin. I used to crave bread as well. I definitely agree addictions can be physical and psychological.
Jumping in quickly... I found David Kessler's The End of Overeating to be really, really invaluable and wish it would have been available when I first started down this path and was really struggling with food addiction. The author, who used to be the FDA Commissioner in the 90's, is a very well respected doctor, hospital administrator, and public policy consultant. He's also a junk food addict. He wrote this book because he wanted to know why junk food had such power over him. What was it that happened in his body and his brain when he ate this food and did it look like addiction? How is commercially prepared food developed and then made and how did this change food to make it an addictive substance. He then goes on to give some advice on how to go about breaking the addiction. It's just a really great book and an absolutely fascinating read.
I hope this helps!
Edited to add:
And I am going to say that a big part of breaking that addiction is both as simple and as absolutely blindingly, awfully difficult as STOPPING. At the end of the day, it is no different than quitting smoking, drinking or doing drugs. To free yourself, you've got to quit. It sucks terribly at first because you're going to go through withdrawal, both physically and emotionally. But each day it gets better and better until you feel okay. But you're likely never going to be able to eat those foods again and not trigger a desire to binge. I think it's fantastic that you're looking at tackling this from not just a physical perspective but also from the emotional perspective. But, at the end of the day, it still comes down to steeling yourself up, ensuring you are prepared to get through this and get the support you need, and QUITTING.
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Last edited by TheBumbler; 11-06-2009 at 04:08 PM.
Jumping in quickly... I found David Kessler's The End of Overeating to be really, really invaluable and wish it would have been available when I first started down this path and was really struggling with food addiction. The author, who used to be the FDA Commissioner in the 90's, is a very well respected doctor, hospital administrator, and public policy consultant. He's also a junk food addict.
TheBumbler, thanks for tip on David Kessler, I've googled him and found some great interviews. Some good ones on The Huffington Post site to start with...
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31 yrs, 173 cms, cw 66 kgs, gw 59 kgs.
Metformin (Glucophage), 1700 mg, Folic Acid 800mg, Zinc 30mg, tbsp apple cider vinegar w/water 1-2 times daily
I know exactly the addiction you all are talking about. Hi my name is Sara. I am addicted to junk food. My number one weakness is Butterfingers...so bad. I don't eat chocolate very often or even crave it. I crave Butterfingers and chips mostly. No specific kind of chips just any chips. Oh and pickles...I don't know that those count as junk food though.
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Hi Sflowe1984
I notice by your meds that you're ttc. There are a few of us over on the ttc board which have all acknowledged this problem. Feel free to join us over there....the thread is called 'very overweight and ttc' .
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Me 22 - DH 22
2 angel babies
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I have just emerged from a terrible food rut myself.
I was unaware that i was severely anemic, and i mean severely, i have a mostly healthy diet, but was propping myself up with an insane amount of sugar; 1.25-2 lts of coke per day. plus a packet of chocolate bickies or lollies (cookies and candy for our american friends :o)) every single day. I am a single stay at home mum to a very active toddler, so every time i tried to wean myself off all the sugar i would just be too exhausted.
I saw dr's and specialists 2 years ago, and even though i had all the symptoms of pcos, i had to go through a surgical d&c, before being told, not really sure whats wrong with you. Finally saw a female dr and in 5 mins she sent me for blood test etc and i was diagnosed.
I am on high dose iron sup, because my b vits were good, i start met tomorrow. I have cut the sugar from my diet, and it has been very hard.
So i have been reading about all this a lot and here is my theory;
Your addiction, like mine is definitely an addiction, i am still finding wrappers that i stashed around the place to keep my secret. BUT do you think that once you get the insulin thing under control, perhaps with medication, a lot of the cravings will disappear? Your 'food processing' plant in your body has a glitch and keeps sending you cravings because it can't recognise that it should be satisfied.
Ask your dr about 'enhanced primary care program' via this i can have 5 visits to a dietitian, and medicare will reimburse me 75% of the cost, but i found the one i will go to will entirely bulk bill me, so 5 visits will cost me nothing.
Junk food addict. 
. It feels better to know I'm not alone in this. I agree, a support group would be fantastic. I honestly have been afraid to admit it, although I've known in myself for quite a while. I did some research and found a study showing junk food addiction acts the same way as a heroin addiction. It's pretty serious stuff, but everyone shrugged it off when I admitted it...
The End of Overeating 
