There is no such thing as sugar addiction.

[Cozytoesandtoast00]

If I read or here this again, I will scream.
I am a sugar addict. I cannot control myself around the substance but frequently trick myself into believing that I can have a little on special occasions. I can't. This thinking leads to sugar binge eating.
I've just eaten four ice-cream's. A bag of chocolate chips, spoons of maple syrup and lots of biscuits. I would have eaten more but all the other sweet stuff has been hidden by my husband (at my request) I don't binge on anything else.
I've previously eaten my children's Easter eggs, S'more sets which were meant for camping and ingredients for a granola recipe for my children.
Once I start, I can't stop.
I've just finished searching the house for the hidden chocolate and have given up.
I'm now crashing on sugar and feel hopeless and depressed.
It wasn't always like this. I gave up for 30 days once and felt amazing. I didn't even want anything sweet and felt like I'd conquered this obsession. I then had a slice of cake at a birthday party and the hell spiral continues.
I'm now crying. I'm going on holiday tomorrow and know I won't have the strength to say no.
I lost a lot of weight on Ozempic but now I'm going back to my old ways.
If anyone has any words of wisdom. I would really appreciate it.
Thanks x

I hate saying I've got a sugar addiction as it sounds so pathetic (to me) but it's so real.

I've got away with it physically by a certain extent by being young. Now I am not so young and am terrified of what I am doing to my body. Also very fat now too. Also had difficult pregnancies because of my eating. Also broke because constantly buying food.

Really not sure where it stemmed from. Normal childhood etc although introverted which was a bit of a struggle - lots more understanding now about different personality types. But I would invent reasons to get close to sugary food e.g mum do you want to go to the cinema? Just because I know I could access chocolate/popcorn there.

When I became an adult and had access to money/shops, all hell broke loose and I would say I daily consume probably 2 chocolate cakes worth of sugar. Literally 2 whole chocolate cakes, not slices. Drives me mad when people say, 'oh I have such a sweet tooth, I ate a whole big bar of chocolate the other night!' When I've probably eaten 2 of those already that day. And the day before. And the day before.

Will eat anything around the house that remotely resembles something sugary. Hide packets / lie to people. Honestly I feel so pathetic, I can't even really explain the feeling it gives me and why I do it.

Not sure why I have posted really as have no advice and my post was very self absorbed but I guess - solidarity!

I was trying to communicate (probably not very well!) That I have heard this many times and it's simply not true.
I think it should be regarded as an addiction and it's not taken seriously. Such as gambling or shopping.
I feel like I can't control myself and I feelphysically terrible afterwards (shaky and anxious) and low in mood. I became obese after being a healthy weight for most of my life and lost three teeth! You wouldn't know after dental work.
Otherwise I have a great life. I'm generally happy. I just can't shake this thing. And when I'm in the throes of it. I feel despair and depression.

Thank you. I will.

I hear you.

I'm shocked that it hadn't occured to anyone on this thread that you binge on it because you restrict?

One of the most common reason for binging is restricting. They go hand in hand.

I used to think like you, now my cupboards are stuffed with sweets and I can take it or leave it. But that didn't change while I kept telling myself I'm a sugar addict and restricting. you're putting these foods on a pedestal & assigning shame - another key reason for binging.

You know in theory I agree with everything you've just said. I'm a therapist myself and I know this works for some with binge eating issues.
However, I'm 46 years old and I've tried this approach many times with no success.
I know I feel 'free' and 'unrestricted' when I give up sugar (although not initially) as I eat what I like (apart from sugar).
I enjoy cooking and preparing food and get such joy from this when I'm not trapped in the cycle of sugar addiction.

@MatchaTea there is a lot of truth in what you say - processed food addiction. I read once that fat and sugar do not exist in combination in nature apart from in milk for new born mammals. Makes you think! The food Industry struck gold with it.

It’s very real. No question.

Years ago, I was really unwell and western medicine couldn’t do anything so I turned to a naturopath. Long story short, I went on a prescribed diet where, at first, I didn’t even eat so much as a carrot, sugar-wise (although I did have some carbs which obviously convert to sugar) - it was much more extreme than what most people mean by sugar-free anyway.

Anyway, for the first few days I shook and shivered and cried. It was absolutely crazy and I was shocked by the physical reaction I had. I couldn’t concentrate and got sent home from work a few days in when I had to schmooze at a catered event.

On a positive note…It got easier after about a week and I started to slowly add in low-sugar fruit and sweet potato, etc. and I ended up eating a more restricted version of what people on here tend to mean by sugar-free for about 3 years. Very happily, I might add. You just have to get through that horrific first bit.

I need to do it again but have yet to find the self-restraint to override my ADHD-driven dopamine chasing.

My almost 70 year old mum goes through almost s tub of salted caramel Haagan Daaz at about 3 in the morning, sometimes she doesn’t even remember. Definitely a huge struggle for he 💔

I was going to post to say that I know that feeling of steadily working my way through all the sugary foods in the house. It really is addictive.

However, your addiction is on another level, I think you do need professional help.

What may be helpful is low carbing. As you’re only allowed a limited number of carbs (20-50g per day), you end up choosing your carbs carefully, and you lose most of the sugar cravings. Today I had a chocolate Hobnob which had 12g of carbs in it. Apart from that the rest of day I only had vegetables, fish and feta cheese and a coffee. Just a few months, I would have demolished the whole pack of chocolate hobnobs in one sitting with tea.

This is really interesting.
Last time I gave up I followed Dr Huberman's (Harvard neuroscientist) method of going cold turkey for 30 days as a re-set. He explained that the first 10 days are the hardest and then it gets easier. I used a chart to tick off the days.
The first 10 days were hard but then I got through it and felt great.
I can't seem to get beyond 7 days at the moment but probably need to try again.

@Cozytoesandtoast00 let me know how you get on I was like cookie monster just a few months ago I didn't realise how much thought energy was going into trying not to eat crap! I feel an easy peace now after the book I'm honestly excited for you Sorry if that sounds so weird xxxxx

Thank you Lottle.
I'll let you know x

😥

Thank you.
I know my posts sound awful but it's not like that every day. I have cycles on and off.
I've had professional help and it hasn't helped so far.

I'm generally a very positive person and so I'm always keen to try another approach.
I think I'll get there.

I’ve just tried EMDR for childhood cPTSD. I have found it very helpful.

I have no idea if sugar is actually addictive in the way that, say, opiates are. I haven’t read up on it and I’m not interested in the science, really. I just know that sugary stuff and to a lesser extent refined carbs - make me want more, more, more and induce a sort of binge eating trance. They make me feel and behave like an addict.

I don’t get that with ‘proper’, unprocessed food.

So, I hear you OP! It’s a struggle. There is no such thing as one biscuit for me. Or one chocolate bar. Or one piece of cake.

I did suggest this when I saw a psychologist. He said it wouldn't be appropriate for me as I'd had many smaller traumatic events rather than one significant PTSD event.

Exactly this.
I've written therapy notes to myself so when I have a craving I can refer to them.
As you say, I go into some sort of trance and hardly ever have the conscious drive to read them.

I'm similar with sugar. I'm so bad in the evenings. Think I'll just have one cookie, but as soon as I taste the sugar it becomes a pack. Then I'm eating the white chocolate I bought for my ds. I don't even like white chocolate! I feel pathetic.

Don't feel pathetic.
It's such a strong innate drive. For some people it's so difficult to overcome.

One of the most common reason for binging is restricting. They go hand in hand.

So much this! When fixing my eating disorder, my first task was to stuff the kitchen with more of my 'treats' (crisps & chocolate) than anyone could possibly eat in the biggest binge ever. And keep those cupboards stocked!

This was accompanied by gentle reminders to self that I could have chocolate & crisps any time I wanted, I owned them, it isn't against the law and it's a morally neutral choice - I still NEVER refer to foods or eating as good or bad. The other part of the gentle reminder is that the second piece of chocolate tastes exactly like the first. I could still have all the pieces I wanted, but the thing is to taste it - eat it mindfully, if you like. Then taste the next one, if you have it. You've got a kitchen full of the stuff, no need to cram it all in at once (you couldn't anyway - that's why there has to be so much of it).

The next task was to 'listen' to what I wanted to eat - and have it. This did sometimes mean going out at 3am to buy smoked salmon, and often cooking 'restaurant' dinners at home when I might normally have shoved something quick in the oven. The purpose of this bit is to get back in touch with what we really want to eat, and to learn we are worth the effort. Women in particular are prone to forgetting how to say "I want". We definitely deserve to know what we ant and, as far as possible, to have it.

The rest was mainly understanding what I was doing, unlearning a few pointless rules about finishing the plate & not wasting food, and getting used to the genuine feelings of hunger, appetite and sufficiency.

That was 40 years ago. I do still sometimes binge, but now it's no big deal. I know my appetite will sort me out over the next few days; my weight hardly changes from year to year.

And there's always chocolate in my fridge!

I once had to replace a box of chocolates five times that my DS had bought other DS for his birthday!

Although I’m fifty now and starting to have serious worries about diabetes. I’ve still had a mini Magnum, four squares of chocolate and three jelly babies. I always want more (which makes eating it kind of pointless) but I can stop if I really try. Sometimes when I want something sweet I try to pretend that I’ve already eaten the thing because I crave it whether I’ve eaten it or not. If you see what I mean.

I'm similar OP. It's pathetic, I'm 46 too. I have even driven from shop to shop buying 2 or 3 items so they won't think I'm a pig. It directly relates to stress with me, I get a sugar high then a terrible crash but I get dopey so I don't feel stressed and then I literally fall asleep at the kitchen table or whatever. When I wake up I'm headachy but kind of woozy too so not bothered about whatever was troubling me. I sometimes think I'd be better off drinking more alcohol as I wouldn't be so fat.

I'm not too bad these days I've been working hard to reduce it by eating protein supplements and breathing techniques etc. I've stopped gaining weight but haven't lost any yet. The 'little and often' doesn't work for me. I have to eliminate. Starchy foods trigger my craving so cereals, breads etc have to be avoided to. Natural yoghurt or egg for breakfast only. I have gotten advice from a dietitian but follow it only about half the time. I try really hard though!

Sounds exactly like what I did!

Life is so much easier now. I regularly forget I have ice cream in the freezer, have half a pastry, etc.

When it's there all the time, available, no guilt, the pull just isn't as strong. That's why I believe sugar addiction doesn't exist, as I struggled with bingeing and feeling like many posters for a decade but can eat sugar without an issue now. The problem is not with what we eat but with the why/how.