Food Addiction Symptoms

While ordinary people and the medical profession have understood alcoholism and drug abuse, it is only recently accepted that individual may be addicted to food in the same way. When any substance is consumed by person in spite of its harm or in excess of need, it is considered to be abused.

Food addiction symptoms refer to compulsive craving for and consumption of food without being actually hungry. Food addicts enjoy in the anticipation and ingestion of food.

The person becomes physiologically and mentally dependent on certain substances, in this case food. The origin of food addiction is both physiological and psychological. Food addicts often have latent emotional problems.

Usually such addict does not even realize that he is addicted to food, although he is under great risk, not only because of the amount of food consumed, but the type of foods as well. A food addict deceives himself and others making excuses for the abundance of food consumed and persuades that it is a way of life and not a problem.

When the food addict loses control over food, he also loses control over life. When one is helpless over food, his life becomes ungovernable. Food addiction is a serious disorder with many adverse consequences such as obesity, anorexia, bulimia, compulsive eating, psychological disorders, diabetes, and gastric anomalies. Food addict symptoms may be such as headaches, insomnia, irritability, mood changes, and depression.

Early detection of a food addiction is highly important to recognize food addiction symptoms. So it is necessary to look for the early warning signs. These are the some food addiction symptoms:

- obsession with thoughts about food;

- eating to relieve worry or stress;

- worries or feels anxious while eating which results in more eating;

- overeating because the food is there;

- feeling guilty when addict overeats;

- hiding food so one can eat in secret away from other people.