The fact that a food addiction, written hundreds of articles. This is particularly a problem for us, women, because of our desire and lose weight, and eat a candy bar at a time. Of course, the food takes an important place in our lives and it is absolutely indispensable. But where is the line beyond which the love of chocolate or a hamburger turns into dependence on food? And what to do if you notice at first alarming signs? Is it possible to get rid of food addiction? How can we get rid of it? These and other aspects of food depending on the subject of this article.
As there is a dependence on food?
Agree to eating a lot of people are not indifferent, however, depending on the food it is only in a small percentage of cases. What's the difference? Food addiction - a condition in which a person does not eat because of the physiological need for food, but in order to solve their psychological problems, and the causes of these problems may be different. It may be trying to cope with the excitement and anxiety, find something to do or to have fun. Typically, a person accesses the food when can achieve these objectives by any other means.
Psychology food addiction is always associated with a feeling of emptiness within. His inner reality is perceived as "empty" or "unfilled" and body signals about the emptiness of the body read the signals of hunger. And if it is hungry, it is always possible to blunt via food. As a result, one of the fastest ways to fill the void, and pleasure becomes food. After eating, people change their perceptions, bringing comfort to the internal reality. So there is food addiction.
Psychologists describe a number of reasons contributing to the emergence of food addiction:
The lack of purpose and meaning in life. There is an attempt to fill the void by eating food, because it is much easier than finding the real meaning and purpose of life.
Situations of loss and disappointment - a divorce or, conversely, when a woman marries and "aim" is "achieved".
The critical state. There is a significant risk associated with the achievement of an important goal or calling into question its importance. Examples of such situations are awkward age, the struggle for love and attention of parents, the threat of dismissal, etc. ...
Food as a means to achieve other goals. For example, a small child tends to eat anything, even if he did not want to - so he gets the love and approval of their parents. Then the behavior of this option is fixed for life.
No matter what the reason is at the origin of food addiction, then a man, a new inner reality. She is a fatty layer protects a person from anxiety, emptiness and psychological discomfort. And that it changes the relationship with food, turning it into the meaning of life. So begins "love affair with food."
Everything connected with food, weight, taste the pleasures, is important, it causes excitement and joy. All that is not related to food, thrown out of life, including everything that has unpleasant content. First of all, with the help of food a person tries to "digest" the negative emotions. In general, it suppressed all that indicates problems and help solve them. The choice narrows down to the food and is determined only by its desirability and affordability. Eating becomes a substitute of life and its purpose, core values.
New inner reality characterized by the following features:
Tranquility, the absence of anxiety and psychological discomfort.
Enjoyment, search of fun and celebration of diversity.
The illusion of interaction, the contact with others, exchange relations with people on the relationship with food.
The sense of chosenness, wealth and elitism of the traditions and culture of eating food.
The desire to return to childhood, especially in infancy, when the food is the main occupation and purpose. Through him, the child learns the world meets the desire to make and maintain relationships with people, especially with his mother.
A distorted view of their body. A man may not perceive signals from your body, to exclude him from the new internal reality.
Food dependency peculiar to children from difficult families
. As a rule, they are oppressive, overwhelming initiative or cold, unloving, inattentive parents
. The family is often a ban on the expression of emotions, especially negative
. For example, the child is the expression of anger or contempt is punished
. Of particular importance in the development of eating behaviors playing relationship with his mother
. Punishing or encouraging child feeding, the mother teaches him to manipulation, distorting the process of feeding
. By imposing the rhythm of feeding against the wishes of the child, the mother imposes on him the most distrust of himself and the world around
. The desire to force the child to "eat everything" forms the habit of overeating
. Food intake in response to stress occurs in childhood and becomes a habit, which negates the search more productive method of dealing with stress
. As a result, overeating occurs not at very hungry, and in situations of anxiety, stress and discomfort
.
Women are more likely than men characterized by food addiction. There are several reasons. Firstly, the food in a woman's life takes up more space than in a man's life (that we often becomes the mistress of the house, buying and preparing food). Secondly, because of the greater custody subjugate women are more passive in childhood and, accordingly, are more prone to addiction (food addiction is one of the least blameworthy in modern society, at least for women).
Symptoms of food addiction:
constant thoughts about food - what delicious cook, what would today have a meal;
impulsive eating behavior - in passing, a person is required to eat candy left on the table;
problems with self-control in relation to food - one can not help but do not eat the entire box instead of one or two chocolates;
the desire to console myself, "tasty" in an unpleasant or difficult situation;
lack of pet food leads a person to a state close to the "breaking" - he becomes irritable, he observed unpleasant bodily sensations;
the desire to be alone with the food;
lie about how much he ate today - hides too much or too little food;
feelings of guilt after eating;
unwillingness to share a favorite food;
Types of eating disorders
You may think that when we talk about food addiction, we are mainly talking about eating and about gluttony. However, this is not the only option distorted relationship with food. Psychologists and psychiatrists are sometimes describe several options, depending on the food when the man thinks that eating relieves it of inner discomfort:
Taste addiction - an addiction to the taste of a particular product
When we focus on the pleasant taste in an unpleasant situation, it helps to remove the negative experiences of consciousness. We are talking about "special" products - coffee, tea, sushi and the most common variant, chocolate. Dependence is caused by the fact that chocolate brings great pleasure to the person who eats it, and use it for food often turns into a game.
Fasting
Typically, it is a consequence of failure of the food to change the appearance. In some cases, it reaches a deplorable degree of mental disorder - anorexia nervosa. Her psychological symptoms include avoidance of the food, which, according to the girl, her "full", distorted perception of their own body (the girl think she's fat, although this is not the case), the denial of the problem, panic recover. The person becomes irritable, depressed and touchy. There is a sudden interest in everything connected with food (cooking classes, reading relevant literature, interest in diet, etc ...).
There comes a change in behavior and relationships with others: the girl is not in the meetings and family dinners, stops to chat with relatives, aims to work out a long time away from home, or sitting in the bathroom. As risk factors psychologists call adolescence and early adulthood (unstable self-esteem, which are exposed from the side), poor psychological climate in the family, perfectionism, inferiority complex, a sense of self-doubt and inadequacy of others.
Bulimia Nervosa
Girls suffering from it, paroxysmal absorb huge amounts of food to eat continuously without interruption even at night. Hunger pangs usually painful and is characterized by a sharp increase in appetite, general weakness, pain in the epigastric region. Girls suffering from bulimia, often used to control weight by vomiting or using laxatives. Bulimia nervosa and anorexia are often combined because they have similar causes and mechanisms of emergence.
Psychological counseling
In the case of anorexia, bulimia and other food addiction, interfere with your normal life, you must immediately contact a specialist (psychotherapist or psychiatrist), since this is a serious mental disorder that in the absence of appropriate treatment can lead to serious physical illness. It's better we do not exacerbate the problem and get rid of it by a specialist!
If you "hear" only the first alarm bells and confident in their volitional faculties, our advice can be a good answer to the question of how to get rid of the food depending on their own:
Honestly answer yourself that gives you the current habit and appearance. Rather, it is an opportunity to dissociate itself from the outside world, a reason to do nothing or attempting to elicit sympathy and sympathy. Decide what you really want at a time when it is hungry.
Strive to changes in life, but not in appearance. Realize that you have the ability to change and think of yourself as a new person in the process of changing.
Identify worthy goal you want to achieve - what you get when you change your appearance. Use the "positive" key words "love", "love", "become", and any other pleasant and attractive images. Avoid words like "lose weight", "get rid of" and "recover".
Relive the goal. Imagine yourself with a new look in detail: his body, his face, self-awareness, new clothes. Feel the positive emotions associated with the new appearance: joy, comfort, pleasure. Periodically plunge into a pleasant state and presents itself like this.
Define relationships with people - do not eat when you want to love and communication for status and politeness. Communicate instead of there.
Practice proper food habits and behavior. Eat only in cases of true hunger (nonphysical greedy hunger is satisfied not just food, but something sweet or fatty). In the case of negative emotions seek to express emotion, and not "seize" it. End the meal after the disappearance of hunger.
Work your negative thoughts and attitudes. Find them and make a list of "behind" in their favor and a list of "against" them. Read the lists and take a rational decision.
