Are you a food addict?

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What is a food addict?
People who are addicted to food tend to display many of the characteristics of addicts and alcoholics. Food addicts develop a physical, mental, emotional craving and chemical addiction to food. The characteristics of food addicts can include:

Food addicts come equally from all age, race, and gender groups. They are overweight, underweight, and some of normal weight.

There are many forms of unhealthy addictions, not all involve chemical substances. Food addiction is a serious illness that has certain criteria that must be met before it can be diagnosed. If you are a food addict, this means it goes far beyond just "loving" food. Here are 20 key questions to ask yourself if you feel you are a food addict:
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1. Have you ever wanted to stop eating and found you just couldn't?
2. Do you think about food or your weight constantly?
3. Do you find yourself attempting one diet or food plan after another, with no lasting success?
4. Do you binge and then "get rid of the binge" through vomiting, exercise, laxatives, or other forms of purging?
5. Do you eat differently in private than you do in front of other people?
6. Has a doctor or family member ever approached you with concern about your eating habits or weight?
7. Do you eat large quantities of food at one time (binge)?
8. Is your weight problem due to your "nibbling" all day long?
9. Do you eat to escape from your feelings?
10. Do you eat when you're not hungry?
11. Have you ever discarded food, only to retrieve and eat it later?
12. Do you eat in secret?
13. Do you fast or severely restrict your food intake?
14. Have you ever stolen other people's food?
15. Have you ever hidden food to make sure you have "enough?"
16. Do you feel driven to exercise excessively to control your weight?
17. Do you obsessively calculate the calories you've burned against the calories you've eaten?
18. Do you frequently feel guilty or ashamed about what you've eaten?
19. Are you waiting for your life to begin "when you lose the weight?"
20. Do you feel hopeless about your relationship with food?

Food addiction can lead to lifelong health issues such as diabetes and heart disease to name a few. If you feel you may be a food addict, you can find additional help and resources by visiting, ACORN Food Dependency Recovery Services.