Food Addiction Symptoms

The health problem of food addiction is a disorder in which one feels obsessed with food. Other health problems associated with eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, compulsive eating and bulimia nervosa. It is obvious that food addicts are more obsessed with food itself. However, other things/factors which play into their mind are body weight and self-image. It means that they are also concerned about weight gain and how it changes their appearance. Food addicts in many cases are not even aware of the problem which is affecting their body system. Addiction to food is a way of life for these people. The ingestion of food and even the knowledge of availability of food leads to the feeling of pleasure for these addicts. The food addicts try to find ways to gather and consume food in excess. Once a person becomes addicted to food, he/she starts feeling irritable, lethargic and depressed. There are many other food addiction symptoms; these symptoms are studied in the following paragraphs of this write-up.

Symptoms of Food Addiction

The symptoms of food addiction given below should help in becoming aware of this health problem in the early stages. Food addiction treatment thereby, becomes easy to carry out. The problem of food addiction is not given much importance in early stages. However, it can become a habit and result into dire consequences. Taking timely precautions is therefore, necessary.

• A food addict is obsessed with thoughts related to food. The fact that one is always occupied with thoughts about food is the reason behind the development of a kind of guilty conscience. It also causes the patient to suffer from low self-esteem.
• Over-eating is used as a means to overcome stress and other problems like worrying by those addicted to food.
• The pace/speed of eating in people with binge eating disorder is greater than what is considered as normal. This habit of eating faster than normal is due to the need of eating more.
• Over-eating is one of the commonly observed signs of food addiction. However, food addicts can go to the extent of eating so much that they feel sick.
• The habit of eating everything on the plate even after feeling full is observed in food addicts. This is again due to excessive food cravings.
• Addiction to food leads to the development of feelings such as worry, anxiety, shame, etc. It leads to the food addict getting trapped in a vicious cycle of eating followed by experiencing stress.
• Food addicts often attempt to go on a diet program in order to control the habit of over-eating. However, it has also been observed that following such a diet program increases the cravings for food; it is observed that cravings cause the person to go back to the habit of binge eating.
• The behavior of hiding food can also be observed in food addicts. Development of this habit results from the need to eat secretly.
• Addiction of food causes the addicts to feel nauseous and repelled even with the sight/thought of food. The food addicts therefore, hate the feeling of being hungry.
• Providing excuses for over-eating is a common behavioral trait observed in these people. They also go to the extent of rationalizing this kind of behavior.

The food addiction symptoms listed in this article should help in understanding the problem in a better manner. The problem of food addiction should be understood not only from the point of overeating, but also in the context of the type of foods one consumes. It is not that difficult to overcome this health problem, provided that one is determined and ready to take the right treatment measures. Treatment measures for this kind of addiction can be initiated if you possess the knowhow of signs and symptoms of addiction.