How Overeating Is Similar To Drug Addiction

By Author: mohitt martt
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Understanding How Overeating Is Similar To Drug Addiction

Many people who are not overweight or have not suffered from the effects accompanying obesity do not understand how overeating is similar to drug addiction. It is often times an imbalance in both mind and body that causes it. People tend to think that those who are obese are just fat and lazy and don't want to change when in truth, it is all these people usually think about. Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/SR00032) has done many studies on the subject and have found that the two are indeed connected.

For over eaters, food is a drug. It is the thing you go to when you are having an emotional imbalance. Many people who overeat also suffer from some sort of clinical depression. It is important, when getting someone to understand their eating issues, that not only their physical issues are dealt with, but the emotional aspects of why they overeat needs to be addressed.

All in all depression and overeating run in a viscous cycle. People overeat because they are depressed and they are depressed because ...
... they constantly overeat, causing them to overeat again. And the cycle keeps going until that person can find the trigger for their depression and why they overeat. Both need to be treated simultaneously.

Dopamine in the brain controls our feel good factors. When these levels get out of balance, it can cause depression. When caught, it can be balanced with medications. However, many people simply choose to ignore the depressing feelings they are experiencing, thinking they are strong enough to override the feelings or that they aren't really suffering from depression.

The rich foods that people indulge in when they overeat not only affects their waistline, but it also affects the dopamine levels in the brain. Over eaters do not indulge in foods that are healthy for them, instead they choose foods high in fat, calories or sugar. As with drugs, the food causes a high for these people. But also like drugs, it causes a crash which sends the over eater into a low and depressed state where their only chance at getting that high again is to go for those rich foods.

Ignoring the symptoms will not make them go away. In fact, ignoring them will only escalate the problem and for many people this is what turns them to food for comfort and what leads to overindulging in food. By beginning this cycle, they are putting their health in jeopardy, both their emotional and physical health.

The physical problems can vary. Some may experience cardiovascular problems due to their obesity. The extra stress on your heart can cause all kinds of irreversible problems, even death. Type two diabetes is also having a huge resurgence because of the obesity problem. This is a completely preventable disease. Of course, depression is just as serious as any disease because if it is left untreated, it can also lead to death.

Once people understand how overeating is similar to drug addiction, they can begin to work through their problems and start to heal. This will not only help their physical health, but it will lessen their bouts of depression and they can live a better, more satisfying life.