Addicted to chewing and eating ice

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Believe it or not, chewing excessive amounts of ice is not only damaging to your teeth, but it also is a real condition called Pagophagia. Pagophagia is a form of pica , and this is the name of this particular type of condition. There are some indications that chewing copious amounts of ice is the result of an iron deficiency called anemia.

Treatment for this type of addiction may be in the form of addressing the iron deficiency. An iron deficiency test can be taken by visiting your doctor and having blood drawn to ascertain the iron levels in your blood. However, if anemia is ruled out then the treatment necessary may involve going to see a specialist in the field of OCD. OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and this could be the culprit. Other causes that have been cited for ice chewing and eating including stress.

Chewing ice, while not necessarily life threatening, can have terrible consequences to your teeth and can in some cases crack your teeth causing permanent damage. Addressing the problem early assures you will have a better smile tomorrow. Keep in mind as well, that many people suffering from one form of Pica, often suffer from another so be sure to make sure that you address each and every addiction and/or compulsive behavior you may have to assure you do no long term damage.
For help with your Pica, see: Eating disorder referral

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Addicted to eating corn starch

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If you suffer from addiction and you live in South Carolina please see: Addiction Treatment Centers in South Carolina.

Any time you are addicted to any substance there is usually an underlying issue at hand. When you are addicted to consuming non food items the condition is called Pica.

Pica is a condition marked by the continual eating of non nutritive items and the list is long and varied. Eating disorders like Pica need to be medically addressed, and it is usually a red flag of a deficiency in your bodies delicate mineral balance. If you are addicted to eating corn starch then you certainly need to address the problem with your family doctor who may be able to treat your condition or refer you to a specialist that can help.

 In many cases a person suffers from more than one addiction, even in Pica there is a chance you are eating other items which aren't commonly thought of as appropriate for a diet. Simple blood tests can be examined to see if there is an underlying deficiency that can be addressed. In some Pica cases, the patience addiction or craving leads to intestinal blockages, and serious health consequences.

A person that is engaged in any form of Pica needs to understand that even seemingly non dangerous or toxic items are not always manufactured in sterile conditions, nor are they regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Many non nutritive items manufactured in factories have impurities and trace contaminates that you may not want in your body.

Some trace contaminants can be insect parts, mice excrement and body parts, traces of chemicals used in pesticides as well as petroleum based products. If your body is subjected to these long enough there could be health issues as a result. For help with your Pica, see: Eating disorder referral

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Online support groups for those suffering from pica

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These are contents found in the stomach of someone suffering from pica

Addictions of any kind are a serious matter. If you live in South Carolina, you can seek information and help on addiction here: The William J. McCord Center

There are many different types of addictions that people suffer from. Some of the conventional addictions are alcohol and drugs, however there are addictions that don't fit into that category. There are non food addictions that people also suffer from. This is a disorder called pica.

Pica (pronounced PY-kah) is a medical disorder characterized by an appetite for substances largely non-nutritive (e.g. metal, clay, coal, sand, dirt, soil, feces, chalk, pens and pencils, paper, batteries, spoons, toothbrushes, soap, mucus, ash, gum,or an abnormal appetite for food ingredients (e.g. flour, raw potato, raw rice, starch, ice cubes, salt). For these actions to be considered pica, they must persist for more than one month at an age where eating such objects is considered developmentally inappropriate.

Many people with this disorder have a hard time quitting and so it has some of the familiar earmarks of addiction seen in drug use or alcoholism. Sufferers often do not think they are in any real harm however, non food items are not manufactured under strict conditions like food is, and therefore there are great quantities of impurities in the products. These impurities can be anything from dangerous pesticides and chemicals to rodent and insect body parts and fecal matter. There are a few support groups out there that can be seen by those suffering from this disorder. Here is a list of online pica support groups:

Pica Support Club

Bizarremedical.com

Experience Project

It is important that you seek medical supervision and help for your pica disorder. A medical doctor may be able to do certain blood tests to determine if your disorder is a deficiency that can be easily treated.

For other addictions, information and support, see: The Addicted Family

Addiction to non food items

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Chalky composed of kaolinite with traces of quartz ingested by a patient with pica.

This condition is referred to as Pica, and it involves the inability to resist eating a wide variety of non food items. It is diagnosed only if it is determined that the sufferer is unable to stop eating non food items, usually after a month of continued eating. There are a wide variety of items that a person suffering from Pica will ingest.

Substances  include but are not limited to dirt, chalk,clay, feces, hair,detergent,laundry starch, fingernails, paint chips, cigarette butts, wire, burnt matches, animal excrement, string, erasers, needles, ice, lead, and rocks.

Pica is a rather common occurrence and does not always signify an ongoing problem as most people have gone through bouts of Pica symptomatic behavior at some point in their lives. In some instances it is a curiosity factor, and can be a subconscious behavior that can stem from hunger or boredom. Pica becomes a disorder that needs additional tests and treatment when the urge to consume dangerous items is compulsive and can not be stopped. Many times it can be a significant sign of a malnutrition that is going on in the sufferers body and blood tests to determine deficiencies may be in order. Many Pica sufferers have an iron deficiency.

There are a large number of those suffering from Pica that have a predisposition to the condition brought on by developmental abnormalities, living in economically depressed areas of the world, mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorders. The key thing to observe in any person feared to suffer from this condition is the amount of time they have been indulging in the behavior.

All those partaking in any addictive behavior should as a rule of thumb, seek medical treatment to rule out physical problems that may be underlying. Consuming even items that seem to be harmless can still have physically negative effects on the body, because non consumable items are often manufactured in warehouses that do not have to follow the same guidelines that food manufacturers do. Once blood tests are done, if no underlying medical conditions are present, it is a good idea to ask your medical professional to suggest  what appropriate therapy to seek out.

Addicted to eating chalk

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Addiction to any substance whether it is considered non threatening or deadly is cause for concern. While some people may indulge in addictions that are well known, such as alcohol or various drugs, there are other addictions, less well known. One such addiction that has recently become newsworthy has been the constant craving and consumption of chalk. This is considered not only an addictive behavior but also an eating disorder called Pica. Pica is a pattern of eating non food items and/or craving them.

Many Internet researches claim that chalk is generally a non poisonous item, consisting mostly of calcium. However this information is not complete and those seeking information should be forewarned. Chalk also has been shown to have lead in them. Those that indulge in eating copious amounts of chalk need to know that Internet information is lacking. Do not assume the first source of information is correct. It took three Internet inquiries just to find out whether chalk had any dangerous ingredients. The first two inquiries made said no poisonous ingredients are found in chalk. This is misleading and should be disregarded. Unfortunately many sites claiming to give the general information, give false and inaccurate information. Be wary of them and never accept the first answer you find.
It is not natural or normal to eat non nutritive items, whether it is chalk, paper, dirt, clay, etc. Consuming these items on a regular basis with the inability to quit makes it an addiction. What makes it an unsafe practice is that most non food substances are not manufactured under the strict guidelines food is. With that in mind, it is not uncommon for many non food items to contain a wide variety of contaminants such as roach and insect body parts, feces and rodent droppings, dust, dirt, urine, and other unclean elements.

Any time your body is craving a non food item, and consumes of it regularly you are in need of having medical care. Although many think this is just an illness or disorder to be treated by a psychiatrist or psychologist, any medical professional that fails to order up a complete blood work up in addition to their treatment is falling short of their responsibility as a caregiver. There could very well be deficiencies to blame for the unnatural cravings, as well as damage that has already taken place inside the body.  For more information on Pica, see:  AllRefer.com Health

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