Tag: overeating

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Media Article: Stress Eating and the Microbiome

photo of a woman holding her stomach

What is this?

The Psychology Today article, “Stress Eating and the Microbiome,” investigates the intricate relationship between gut bacteria, mood, and eating habits. It highlights that microbial dysfunction, rather than character weakness, may be the true underlying issue behind stress eating. The article emphasizes the bidirectional communication between the brain and the gut, illustrating how stress can disrupt the microbiome and lead to unhealthy food cravings. This resource provides valuable insights into how our gut health may influence our eating behaviors and emotional well-being.

How can this help?

If you’re struggling with food addiction, this article offers a new perspective on the drivers behind your cravings. By understanding the link between stress, your gut microbiome, and your eating behaviors, you can begin to explore strategies for rebalancing your gut health. While not a cure, this knowledge can empower you to make informed choices about your diet and lifestyle, potentially reducing the intensity of stress-related cravings and supporting your journey to recovery.

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Media Article: How Mom’s vs. Dad’s BMI May Affect Their Children

What is this?

This Psychology Today article (https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/your-brain-on-food/202502/how-moms-vs-dads-bmi-may-affect-their-children) explores the complex relationship between parental BMI and children’s weight, highlighting neural differences in food responses. Research suggests that children of overweight parents show altered brain activity when exposed to food cues. Specifically, children at higher obesity risk exhibited reduced neural responses to high-energy-density food cues in brain areas associated with attention and self-regulation. This insight adds depth to our understanding of the intricate interplay of brain function, environment, and learned behaviors.

How can this help me?

For those battling food addiction, this article offers valuable neurological insights that can be empowering. Understanding that children of obese parents show altered brain responses to food cues helps explain why some individuals struggle more with food regulation. This knowledge shifts the focus from personal failure to recognizing the complex biological factors at play. Armed with this information, food addicts can work with healthcare professionals to develop targeted strategies that address these neural patterns. This might include cognitive behavioral techniques to rewire responses to food cues, or exploring medications that influence relevant brain pathways. Recognizing these neurological underpinnings can also reduce shame and self-blame, potentially improving treatment outcomes and overall well-being.

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Research Paper: Psychological differences in food addiction and binge eating in a general Polish population

What is this?

Is binge eating a form of food addiction? Or is food addiction a sub-type of binge eating? Are they the same disorder or are they distinct? This study, published in the prestigious journal Nature, compares and contrasts the characteristics of these two disorders in the Polish population. The research reveals that while both disorders involve “eating a large quantity of food in a short amount of time,” they differ in crucial aspects. For example, “Patients with BED [binge eating disorder] typically exhibit episodes of disturbed behavior whereas patients with FA tend to show a continuous pattern of disturbed behavior”. By comparing and contrasting these two conditions, the research offers a fresh perspective on the complex relationship between psychology and eating behaviors.

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-87057-w

How can this help me?

For those battling food addiction, this study offers validation and clarity. It provides scientific evidence that the struggles of food addicts are real and cannot be explained by a simple lack of willpower.

This paper defines food addiction as follows:

“[…] increased compulsive food intake, which in turn may lead to the loss of its hedonic value – a reduction in the enjoyment or pleasure derived from eating. Similar to other types of addiction, individuals with FA [food addiction] often consume larger amounts of food than intended and experience cravings, urges, or a strong desire to eat. They often report spending large amounts of time obtaining food, eating, or recovering from eating. Additionally, they mention a persistent desire for food and unsuccessful attempts to cut down on eating. They may report the necessity to eat more to reduce negative emotions or to increase pleasure, as well as withdrawal symptoms such as experiencing negative affect or physical symptoms when they stop eating. As with any addiction, FA causes clinically significant impairment and distress,”

By highlighting the psychological factors associated with food addiction, this study offers food addicts a deeper understanding of the condition. For example, the research distinguishes food addiction from BED, noting that food addicts “show tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, as well as the neglect of social connections, abandonment of other activities, and other symptoms.” This knowledge can be empowering, potentially leading to more effective treatment options and helping to explain the realities of food addiction to skeptics.

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Video: A Food Addict’s Lesson

What is this?

This is a TEDx Talk by Michelle Petties, a self-described food addict in recovery. In her talk, Petties shares her personal journey with food addiction, highlighting her struggles with emotional overeating and yo-yo dieting over 40 years. She discusses the confusion she experienced around food and its purpose, which led to her food addiction. Petties also recounts a pivotal story about her uncle and a watermelon that gave her clarity about the connection between food and feelings. She emphasizes that food is just fuel, not a source of happiness or comfort.

How can this help me?

Michelle’s talk can help a suffering food addict by offering hope and clarity. Her story shows that it is possible to find peace with food and overcome addiction. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the emotional connection to food and how this impacts eating habits. She also shares key questions that she asks herself before eating, such as “Why am I eating this now? and “Am I hungry or am I something else?”. The talk promotes the idea that it’s possible to access feelings without using food as a crutch.

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Podcast Episode: Not Alone Anymore

What is this?

This is an episode of the Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) podcast (https://foodaddicts.podbean.com/e/not-alone-anymore/). Here is the synopsis of this episode.

Always feeling she wasn’t enough, this food addict struggled, ate, covered up her eating, tried to exercise it off…and repeat. When she heard people in Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) talk about food the way she thought about it, she knew she was home.

How can this help me?

Podcasts by food addicts in recovery offer a powerful resource for those struggling with food addiction. These audio experiences provide hope, education, and support by sharing personal recovery journeys, discussing addiction mechanisms, and exploring effective treatment strategies. Listeners benefit from hearing authentic stories of overcoming food addiction, learning coping mechanisms, and gaining insights from recovered individuals. By creating a sense of community and demonstrating that recovery is possible, these podcasts can motivate suffering food addicts to seek help, understand their condition, and take positive steps towards healing and transformation.

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Story: MORE!

How was it then?

I always wanted MORE. I could never feel satisfied with what I had. If something was good or enjoyable, I wanted more of it. I wanted it to never end. There is no amount that could be considered “enough”.

One more bite. Okay, just one more. Well, might as well make it an even three. Wait, three is an odd number. Better make it four. Oh, four is unlucky, so it pretty much has to be five. Okay, I have probably had enough now. But there are still some left in the bag. I should probably just finish these up.

This happened with food, but also with time (just a few more minutes) or activities that I was doing (just one more game). Whatever I was doing, I just wanted to do that thing and never stop.

~ A Food Addict

How is it now?

When I started on my program of recovery, this feeling was still very much there, so I struggled with eating just what I had committed to eating and no more. It didn’t seem like it would be enough. But after a few days of “ordered eating” (instead of disordered eating), I started to recognize what “enough” looked like and felt like. Now, I feel satisfied after my meals, and I know that there is another one coming, so that keeps the “MORE!” monster at bay.

This has carried over to the rest of my life, and now I am able to look objectively at what I am doing and come to a more rational decision about what is “enough” of any one thing. The most remarkable place that this has had an impact is with my bedtime. Because I was always chasing “more”, I always ended up staying up too late, and well past reasonable hours. Now that my food is in its right place, I can keep other things in my life in their right place too, which means that when it is time for bed, I can just get myself to go to bed without arguments. The child inside me doesn’t scream for a later bedtime every night!

~ A Recovering Food Addict