Even though food itself may fit the qualifications set forth to determine its addictive properties, not all foods are addictive!  The truth is, no matter how overweight you may be, food itself is never the problem. You’re probably thinking, “What? You just said I’m addicted to food; now you‘re telling me that’s not my problem?”  Yes, you heard me correctly.  Food in general is not your problem; only certain foods are.  Consider this scenario:

It’s been a long day, and now you’ve been stuck in rush-hour traffic for two hours with two million percent humidity and temperature soaring to a sweltering ninety degrees. When you arrive home to a sink overflowing with crusty dishes, you don’t feel much happier.  You’ve become accustomed to the fact that no one rises to greet you, and you’re lucky to get a muttered, “Hi, Mom.”  It’s the demanding tone in, “What’s for dinner?  I thought you’d never get here,” that kicks off the dull ache in your right temple.  Clothing strewn about the floor causes near-catastrophe as the new high heels become entangled, causing a not-so-graceful flight toward the coffee table.  And yes, the fall actually smarts!  This brings roaring laughter from the house animals, yet somehow you don’t share their sense of what’s funny right now.  Being the sweet, sensitive type, you wouldn’t dream of raising your voice to the teenagers.  Not even as the fifteen-year-old bangs everyone and everything with imaginary drumsticks, and the two daughters are screeching “Mom, make him shut up!”  Starving for thirty-five years on a never-ending diet seems to agitate the entire situation, until you finally pop. 

I can tell you what you’re probably not going to say in this situation: “I can’t take it any more!  Kids, order a pizza for yourselves; I’m going to sit and eat broiled fish until I can’t eat any longer.  I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks, I deserve it.  Broiled fish, here I come!”  Gleefully, with eyes aglow and mouth salivating, you grab a pan to cook the broiled fish.  If this is you – if you eat broiled fish when upset – put down this book.  You do not need my advice!

If food itself were your problem, then when facing a heinous day, any type of food would make you feel better.  When is the last time you said, “I cannot believe the day I’ve had!  I’m so upset.  I just can’t handle things any more.  I am just going to lock myself in my room and eat baked chicken all day.” Am I making the point? Food is not your problem; there are particular foods that are your problem, hence the reason for craving them when upset, mad, bored, or frustrated.  Think about it.  Faced with an emotionally charged situation, nothing seems to hit the spot like something sweet, or potato chips!  When running on emotions, rather than sensibilities, carbohydrates are grabbed first.

Narcotics such as morphine, cocaine, and heroin are consumed and ingested into the body.  Immediately these narcotics turn to sugar and release the same brain chemicals that simple carbohydrates do.  Another drug, alcohol, converts to sugar immediately within the body; it also releases the same brain chemicals. Another common drug, tobacco, contains sugar too.  If heroin, morphine, alcohol, cocaine, and simple carbohydrates all convert to sugar, what is the one true addictive substance?