I'm a food addict and I'm coming off a three-day binge.
Since I've had gastric bypass this doesn't involve as much food as it used to. But that's not the point. The point is the amount of control I let food have in my life.
Usually, people consider addiction to be something the user has no control over. I'm not sure I agree with this, especially where food is concerned. I mean, really, it can't prepare itself or force it's own way down my throat.
Sure, there are times when I mindlessly eat. But there are also times when I stand there, in front of either the fridge or cabinet, trying to decide if I want something to eat. I have the argument in my head: should I or shouldn't I? Am I really hungry or just bored, lonely, angry, etc? At those moments, I make a choice. It doesn't just overcome me.
For someone who doesn't struggle with this issue, this will make no sense. People say "just stop". It's not that simple. Food is necessary for life. And following bypass your life is focused on it, which only compounds the issue. I'd prefer not to think about it, to have a body that works properly, and accurately tells me whn I am hungry and when I am full. But those meters stopped working long ago. Sure, they have been somewhat reset by my surgery, and I am learning how to work with my body. But it's a process.
