To say there is such a thing as a sugar addiction?

[Crimblecrumble1990]

I am braving AIBU for the first time...

For nearly 20 years I have what I would call a sugar addiction. In particular, chocolate. It's normally the first thing I think about when I wake up to the last thing at night. I will go out of my way to get it, hide it, eat it. Suggest entire meals out when I don't even want to see people just because they have a good dessert menu.

I am beyond miserable. It is wrecking my life and my health. I have always gotten away with being a bit chubby but I've now tipped into fat, high blood pressure etc. I've detested the way I look since I was pre teen. The one thing that could have changed it easily would be me stopping eating chocolate, why on earth haven't I done it??

It's a running joke in my friends and family that I eat so much of it - endless themed bday presents and I want to cry with shame every time I receive one. I've tried hypnotism and CBT as well as trying to not eat the stuff. I literally don't know what's wrong with me. I eat when I'm happy, sad, stressed, whenever. I adore the taste of it.

This sounds like a joke writing it all down but sadly this has been my life for nearly 2 decades. I made my son very poorly by consuming so much sugar while I was pregnant with him yet the utter horror of that has still not stopped me. I live with a smoker who loves me but cannot compare my 'addiction' with a 'proper' addiction like cigarettes, drugs, alcohol etc.

I guess I am wondering if I am alone??? Is there anyone else who feels the same way? Or if there are people who think this is not an addiction then please I would like to hear your thoughts also.

YABU - no such thing as sugar addiction
YANBU - yes there is such a thing as sugar addiction

Sorry for the long read.

I agree.
Both me and DH crave chocolate after we’ve eaten a big meal.
And the other day I suddenly felt unbelievably tired. I had 4 chunks of it and felt better.

I'm the same @GoodnightGrandma. I love savoury food, but I feel as though I have to have something sweet after a meal, especially my main meal.

Behaviours can be addictive or compulsions without an addictive substance involved. Like OCD or gambling. Humans find a way to trigger a dopamine response from lots of things.

I don't believe that you adore the taste of it, OP. Rather you use the habit to avoid uncomfortable feelings in other areas of life. You're describing a dependency not something you adore.

Another sugar addict here 😟 Desperately want to stop, everything I've tried has failed. So hard, especially as it means no alcohol too.

I'm afraid I do absolutely adore the taste as well as the 'high'

I definitely have sugar addiction. I binge on it though rather than having chocolate every day.
Its very hard to kick and to be honest I've never seriously considered giving up although I know people do.
I'm a healthy weight though, but its probably still not great.

OMG I love chocolate out of the fridge, particularly a chunk or two of Galaxy 😋

Read 'Potatoes Not Prozac'.

It changed my life.

It's not a diet but I've followed it since April and I've lost 15kg, sleep better and most importantly don't want to touch chocolate or sweets 95% of the time. When I do I have a 'normal person' helping i.e a small chocolate bar rather than a giant one from the corner shop.

You're not unreasonable and there is a way out!

It's absolutely real. The only way I've ever been able to combat it is to cut unhealthy sugars out of my diet completely. After a while, you do stop craving them .. but then if I had a couple of pieces of chocolate I'd be wanting the rest of the bar.

Thanks again for the replies. Interesting to hear your thoughts.

I've definitely heard of all the science behind sugar addiction, I know it is a thing. But I can't think of a single person in real life where when I say 'I'm struggling eating too much chocolate, I can't control it and it's affecting me' they don't just go 'mmm yes I love chocolate, I just have 2 tiny squares of dark chocolate a day to curb the cravings'. Or something along those lines.

Whereas if I said to someone - I'm drinking too much every day, it's affecting my life. Those same people would say 'that sounds tough Crumble, I think it's time you got some help'.

So I guess maybe what I am asking is if sugar addiction is seen as real.

Have you tried going cold turkey? I did once, the first week was hard but I was amazed how quickly I stopped craving it. Much easier to break the habit than smoking or caffeine in my personal experience if you just manage a whole week without.

Of course it is a very real addiction, it is tough, too much of anything that is doing more damage than good will lead to addiction.
It is an all or none situation like every addiction - Many people have given up sugar altogether so there is hope.
I use 2 spoonfuls x 10 cups of tea daily. 🤮

My husband was raised to worship sugar. At his peak, he was hiding it, and eating massive amounts. People would give him huge chocolate gifts for birthdays and Christmas and treat it like a joke, even though I'd begged them not to. It really was like giving alcohol to an alcoholic. It was that bad.

To quit, he read books & watched docos ('Sweet Poison', 'I Quit Sugar', 'That Sugar Film'). He learnt about the addiction & strategies to quit.

It's tough. Years on and he still struggles. He doesn't get support, especially from his parents who are horrified he's quit sugar & try to undermine it constantly (I've had to stop unsupervised DC contact for same reason). Everywhere we go people are shoving it in his face and keep asking 'are you sure?' It was much more difficult than when I quit smoking as you feel fantastic after you quit that one as it's pretty gross, really!!

I don't want to make it sound horrible, but it IS worth it. His health is much better and he lost weight. That's how he keeps on top of it. I w

I'm afraid I do absolutely adore the taste as well as the 'high'
So do smokers, alcoholics, heroin addicts, from opening up the wrapper and putting it in their body.

I agree with watching the films suggested above. Also start looking at where all the hidden sugars are in the processed foods you eat - you will be surprised at how much it features.

For example, the Tesco Finest ready meal Shepherds Pie - has four different types of sugar in it - in a meal that has to intention of tasting sweet at all.

If you also read Why We Eat Too Much - it talks a lot about just how processed our foods are, including the addition of sugar, you will also feel more aware.

For me it's been this education that's finally helped me lower my intake. I visited Cadbury World and was appalled at the amount of travelling and processing that went into one bar - it actually put me off - such is the switch in my thinking.

This makes me sound virtuous, I'm not, but I'm trying and that's a start.

YANBU. I am one (and working on it)

Whereas if I said to someone - I'm drinking too much every day, it's affecting my life. Those same people would say 'that sounds tough Crumble, I think it's time you got some help'

Generally becayse people don’t need help, they go cold Turkey ans break addiction, no it’s not easy but it’s not like being an alcoholic or a heroin addict.

Have you even tried to stop? Like properly? There’s an element of lack of personal responsibility in your post. Like it’s not your fault, you’re addicted sort of thing,

Many of us have been there, but if you don’t make a proper effort to stop then no one can help you. It’s you who has to do it.

I guess I was just briefly outlining in my post my experience to see if other people were in the same boat and whether or not there was a consensus that it is a 'proper' addiction (or not as you imply @Bluntness100 ) thanks all

It can definitely be an addiction. And like any addiction, there are environmental and mental factors that make 'just make a proper effort to stop' a rather incomplete bit of advice.

Yes, you should absolutely try and put things into place to help yourself stop - like an alcoholic should probably avoid pubs (esp in early sobriety) or a gambler should get registered with GamStop, you should identify your triggers (after a meal - can you replace chocolate with fruit or even just 'less chocolate' initially? Can you buy one of those Killa Vanilla sticks?), set yourself a goal (no sweet stuff before Monday) and extend it as you go, train yourself to respond to the craving with a particular action (if you reach for the Galaxy, make yourself wait 10 minutes and repeat why you don't want to do that any more to yourself out loud, go and do 30 starjumps, go and drink a pint of water, whatever is a breaking of your original course of action and makes you step back from the craving > eating process).

But addictions have a mental component and it's also something you should seek help for. Without that, you're fighting an ingrained mental 'default' that's been there a long time and it'll be harder (not impossible - god knows I've seen heroin addicts kick it with nothing other than grim determination! - but harder).

And you need to change your life. Genuinely. You need to fulfil yourself and provide yourself with healthy scenarios that don't threaten your recovery. Sounds dramatic for 'a bit of chocolate', but you wouldn't expect a crack addict who got clean but stayed living with 3 crack addict friends, only friends with users, and didn't have a job or anything different in their lives, to find it easy to stay clean. So stop the shame spiral that helps you convince yourself you're a lost cause and adds to the mental burden (no 'jokey' presents off friends and family - be firm!). You need to stop buying it - get your partner to do the shopping if needs be. You need to wake up in the morning divert your thoughts immediately, every day until it becomes habit - make a peppermint tea and do some wanky journalling, do some yoga, go and feed the dog, whatever. Remind yourself you are in charge of what you do - the addiction 'wants' you to feel as though you're not to satisfy the craving.
What Bluntness is not very tactfully saying, I think, is that you have to reach the point where you are actively fighting back against the addiction instead of assuming you have no power.

It won't be easy, but you do have agency and choice and you need to position the addiction as something you're working against, not under the power of (as well as getting external help).

@Crimblecrumble1990

I guess I was just briefly outlining in my post my experience to see if other people were in the same boat and whether or not there was a consensus that it is a 'proper' addiction (or not as you imply *@Bluntness100* ) thanks all

Did you get the wrong poster? I specifically and clearly stated it was a thing.

The combination of fat and sugar (e.g. chocolate) and the pleasure receptors it fires in your brain are what you're addicted to.

The slightly good news is that it's not a physical addiction, more psychological, so you won't experience awful withdrawal symptoms if you stop. That's not to say it will be easy.

I would suggest that instead of seeking support from friends who haven't been particularly understanding or sympathetic, you look at joining an overeating support group such as overeaters anonymous. You can explore the emotional issues behind your binges.

Good luck

I remember Davina McCall when she gave up sugar, she created sugar free range of yummy treats to help her overcome her sugar craving.
You might find some of her recipes on line.

I think what you're asking is "Is sugar addiction a medically recognised addiction?" because you feel you need help and support?

If so, then yes it comes under the umbrella of an eating disorder. There is help through the NHS. Look at NHS overeaters support or BEAT. There are also meetings you can attend and online support groups. You just need to take the first step in seeking help.

Sugar is more addictive than crack.

Crack is moreish.

Well that's silly, I wouldn't say it's more addictive than crack; it's not physically addictive and you won't go through a withdrawal with paranoia, hallucinations, shaking, sweating and extreme changes in mood. You wouldn't prostitute yourself to fund your chocolate habit.

If you're quoting Super Hans then love that show but it's not really a reliable source for facts on addiction.

Yes I'm quoting Superhans