Comments on: Heroin = Cigarettes = Sugar ?!?!

By: Louisa

Louisa — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:28:18 +0000

This is a hard one as I think that because sugar is socially acceptable (compared to heroin!) people will say they’re addicted to it without trying to see if they get withdrawal symptoms.

I don’t think people are always necessarily addicted to it, these people just don’t want to try and give up sugar. For those who want to give up sugar but are having physical symptoms of addiction I can only wish them the best of luck with their addiction.

By: South Beach Steve

South Beach Steve — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:29:00 +0000

While I think you are probably right in many cases, and in many cases people use addiction as an excuse, I do think there are people addicted to sugar. For example, when my wife attempted to totally come off of sugar, she began physically shaking and had incredible headaches. Does that mean it is as addictive as heroin? I don’t think so, but I still think there was evidence her body was/is addicted.

By: ihatetoweight

ihatetoweight — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:42:40 +0000

we need food, so i kind of put it in a different category. i don’t know if sugar is addictive (who can eat just one little bite of chocolate without hungering for more?) but giving up sugar is not like giving up heroin.

heroin gets at our opiate sensors and changes them, so we will want the feeling of heroin forever more.

in recovery for all, i’ve seriously used crack, alcohol, klonopin, sleeping pills and occasionally painkillers.

and i’ve been anorexic, bulimic, a compulsive eater and now rattle around with my ED.

coming off klonopin was very, miserably physical and just plain miserable in its way. for me, that was the only one that was clearly something i was addicted to as the drug left my system. i didn’t take enough vicodin to have a physical reaction when i stopped using. with crack, i just slept a lot and was really, really cranky for a day or too.

i know cigarettes are terribly addictive, but i have a feeling it’s the nicotine and not the sugar. alcohol has a lot of sugar and alcoholics tend to crave it when they’re in recovery, but i just haven’t hear that about cigarettes.

but who knows, julie. by the way, i just woke up from a nap. hope this doesn’t ramble!

By: liz

liz — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:56:41 +0000

julie, i agree that we need to be careful about what is labeled addiction. addiction is serious and requires treatment and lifelong commitment to recovery. you and your other commenters have delved much farther into the technicalities of the definition than i am qualified to do. interesting reading! and thank you for stopping by my blog.

By: RA

RA — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:11:59 +0000

Hey Julie! I just stopped by to say Happy December 25th, or x-mas if you celebrate. Great blog. I don’t believe I have any addictions (co-dependency yes, addiction- not so much!) so I can’t chime in. Interesting as always. RA

By: Diane Fit to the Finish

Diane Fit to the Finish — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:01:02 +0000

I am still not sure how I feel about a food addiction. I’m not a scientist, but for me, I was addicted to the pleasure and feelings I got from eating certain foods. Carrots didn’t do a thing for me, but chocolate sure did.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:42:18 +0000

I got news for you - sugar IS addictive! In her book ANATOMY OF A FOOD ADDICTION, Anne Katherine cites many studies describing how the neurochemistry of your brain changes when using an addictive substance. Not everyone is addicted to sugar (and refined grains), just like not everyone is addicted to alcohol and cocaine. But the brains of long term sugar users begin to resemble those of cocaine users. Sugar changes your mood and has truly awful impacts on your health - just like any of those street drugs do. BODA weight loss

By: Geosomin

Geosomin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:51:44 +0000

I personally think there has been a great disservice done to us as a culture by making things addictions that arent’.Some things are addictive – heroin & nicotine. Some are addictive to some, like alcohol. Some people are more addictive personalities. Some are not…I think a lot of it is will power and confidence.
I think a lack of willpower and constant indulgence in things because our culture says it’s OK to treat ourselves all the time can be the base of the problem. People begin to see any restriction as a hardship. And if it’s always been that way, we can blame others for our shortcomings. Sometimes it’s true, but sometimes it’s us that has to kick our own asses to change things. We live in a culture where food is designed and marketed to appeal to us in every way, and not just to be good for us. We are a global marketplace…we must exercise our choices and do waht is best for us.
I’ve been lucky in that I’ve not started smoking, and never been lured in by addictive drugs. For me, it was a sedentary lifestyle and really bad diet that were my problems. I had to face the fact that if I did nothing and eat crappy food all day you will be fat, and feel crappy. I have trouble with food, but if I exert myself I can resist. Slowly, I’ve changed my life. It’s an every day thing. I don’t think it makes me addicted to bad food or sugar. It just means I like it, and there’s nothign wrong with that. It just means moderation is the new rule of my life now.
Some animal studies with salty and sweet foods have actually shown addictive properties for some of them, but not all. I’d rather be addicted to feeling good. I get a bit of an endorphine high from exercise. I like feeling good. It’s what keeps me going. I won’t lie that sometimes it helps me keep at it.

By: bobbie

bobbie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:28:14 +0000

Julie – about owning a dog. My life is lived in 4 hour increments. I always have to make sure that I or one of my family members is home to let the dog out and play with him. I don’t think it’s right to own a dog and be gone 8-10 hours a day… unless you put it in a doggy day care. Just my opinion.

By: bobbie

bobbie — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:26:01 +0000

Great Blog!! All I can say is that when I start eating sugar in quantity, I’m a cranky, bitchy, constantly wanting to take a nap, craving more sugar person. The sugar high doesn’t last very long and then I’m looking for someplace to put my head down because I can hardly keep my eyes open. Sugar is a drug in the sense that you crave it, overdose on it, want it when you know it’s not “good” for you in the quanitities you eat it, and it changes your personality. Now, onto cigarettes. There was never any sugar in my ciggies, I would have tasted it. Truthfully, the need, desire, habit of smoking replaced and/or substituted for my desire to eat. I wanted to be thin and so I smoked instead. I really like smoking and I think that’s one of the reasons it was so hard to quit. I didn’t physically crave it – it was just more an enjoyable habit that became part of my life – socially, emotionally, etc. I just wanted to smoke. It was hard to quit, but the third try was it – Thank God. I wouldn’t want to have to go through that again nor the 40 lbs I put on. Perhaps that’s why I was able to finally give it up. I didn’t need cigarettes. I do need food. Splitting hairs on the type of food I eat is another matter.