Addiction to Food

While researching the subject of emotional eating - which happens to be my biggest obstacle to losing and keeping the weight off - I came across this particularly insightful passage discussing the Twelve Step program for compulsive over-eaters:

The third step of the Twelve Steps suggests that “we made a decision to turn our lives and our will over to the care” of a Higher Power. Compulsive eaters may believe that they are relying on their will power in all aspects of their lives other than in their relationship with food. However, if challenges and obstacles in day to day life are encountered, the likely source of comfort may continue to be food, not the illusory “willpower.” Recognition that food has become the default Higher Power in all of our decision making processes is a profoundly humbling experience. Therefore, surrender may entail the realization that the preoccupation with food has a much greater degree of influence in making decisions that seem at first glance to have little to do with mealtimes or waistlines.

- source Rudd Sound Bites

Without a doubt I use food as an emotional crutch. I can't explain why. I know when it started - as a young teen but I can't understand why. I guess some people become needy and hang on to others for emotional support ( I mean the crippling neediness that some exhibit), others find comfort in a bottle of whiskey or drugs - my addiction is to food. Eating when I'm not even hungry. Eating when I'm stressed, eating when i'm happy, eating when i'm sad and eating for every moment I feel that my life is spinning out of control. I just eat and in a crazy sort of fashion it brings me comfort even while I despair about my weight and my health.