Human behavior is a fascinating thing to watch and try to understand. How people respond to external influences such as parents, peers, siblings and even strangers. I have been watching this show on the A&E channel called “Intervention”. I am sure you can imagine what the show is about just by reading the title but let me give some more explanation. Each episode begins by introducing the addict and explains to the viewer what their addiction is. We have seen alcoholics, meth, cocaine, heroin, prescription pills, aerosol spray and even people with eating disorders. The show unfolds and there is ALWAYS a reason for the addiction. No I am not saying excuse, I am saying reason. In some cases it is one single traumatic event, other times it is a series of ongoing abusive situations that cause the person to turn to a chemical release from their internal agony. Some cases, though, are what seem to be small events over time that add up to the person being in such turmoil they also turn to some fort of relief from their own struggle with life. Each and every addict that has been on the show, all the triggers and tragedy have occurred in childhood. Each and every single situation has been a direct result of something in their childhood. Something as small as being in a Christian home and town and being homosexual to growing up watching your mother be beaten by your father day in and out can lead these people down a very destructive path when they grow up. They are all running away from, burying, hiding and trying to destroy their own self to get an escape when they begin their destructive behaviors and eventually the drugs take over and they are now a victim to the chemical.

This show makes me think about my children and my relationship with them. I think about how our minds and emotional health develop and mature and really just how fragile children are. I also see the same pattern in these drug addicts that we also see in food addicts. That, to me, was fascinating to connect. The voice inside of you which drives you to eat the foods you know are not on your current “diet” but the pull to eat them is very strong. How many of you can hear Oreos or chips if they are in the cupboard? How many of you have an emotional trigger from certain foods and you just love them even though you know they will not allow you to lose weight. Sure some people are thinking “Ok my mom’s apple pie is fine for me to eat, Moe. I am not an addict” and you are most likely right. There are others who know I mean a deeper draw to food than just a fond memory of apple pie scent and warm crust. I am talking about almost the blind eating we can do when we have that certain food or even group of foods that trigger our food addiction. So, this leads me to think….where did the food addiction begin? For me, and for you, what started it? I know my childhood events and really at times I feel it is nothing short of a miracle to not have been a featured person on Intervention. I am lucky that I am not and my path took a different turn when I was just 16 years old. Though, that is the same age where my relationship with food really began. I would starve, I would binge I would exercise till 2 in the morning. I have done almost every diet and have tried every junk food that came near my mouth. I have eaten in private and hid the food wrappers. I have felt shame from not being able to control my urge to eat the foods I have eaten and I have purged food out of guilt as well.

Internally, that is where my work is. It has nothing to do with the food or the diet I pick or the exercise because if I do not work on myself internally then I will still be fighting an addiction to something vs. curing my own emotional response. I needed to stop the self abusive pattern with food and diet and learn to address the injuries of my past. Is that where you are? Are you in denial of a food addiction and still believe you just have no will power or that there is something wrong with you? Do you look for food as an escape from something? I know when I am deeply stressed I still want to eat junk food for that chemical reaction in my body and if I had all I could eat dangerous amounts of donuts could be devoured. Sounds funny when worded that way but thinking logically about it…..that is an addiction. So I am asking you..if you have an emotional reaction to food that HAS and IS holding you from your fitness and health are you possibly fighting an addiction alone?

Here are a few none and listed symptoms of food addiction.
• Obsessed with thoughts about food.
• Eats to relieve worry or stress.
• Feels anxious while eating.
• Worries or feels anxious while eating which results in more eating.
• Feels guilty when they overeat.
• Hides food so they can eat in secret away from other people.
• Goes on a food binge after dieting or after trying to cut back.
• Sees food as something to be avoided or as harmful.


If you feel any of this applies to you I would encourage you to seek counseling and support to get to the heart of the matter. You can be free from your internal dialogue of guilt and anger and self abuse. You can find a way to be happy and healthy and stop struggling with food every time you open the fridge or head to the super market.

I am an email away if you want or need to talk to someone about anything.