What Food Addiction and Drug Addiction Have in Common

There are shocking parallels between food addiction and drug addiction. The centers of the brain that lead to drug addiction and the need for Los Angeles drug rehab are the same as what leads a person to be addicted to food. The similarities are rather frightening, yet they give treatment centers and doctors an idea of how to help patients overcome both forms of addiction.

The Brain’s Reward System Is out of Control

Both drugs and junk foods bombard the brain with dopamine, which is a feel-good neurotransmitter. Dopamine affects the pleasure centers of the brain. Over time, the brain’s structure and function can change, which leads to a reduction in dopamine receptors. While this may seem like a good thing, it isn’t. This is because a person may find food and drugs less enjoyable, but his or her mind and body still desperately crave these substances. When a person turns to Los Angeles drug rehab for help at this point, it is about retraining the brain. Some of the same techniques are used to battle food addiction.

Cravings Are Intense

When a person addicted to drugs needs a fix, he or she will experience cravings, just as a person wanting a candy bar is craving it. The cravings are very difficult to fight. Once access is given to the craved substance, the person may binge. For the drug addict, this can result in an overdose. An overdose can lead to hospitalization or death. While food doesn’t immediately lead to hospitalization or death, the effects to a person’s health can be very damaging over time. The results are heart disease, diabetes, liver problems, and digestive system issues.
Tolerance is also an issue that food addicts and drug addicts face. Tolerance is when a larger amount of the substance is needed to achieve the desired effect. Again, this is what can lead to a drug overdose. An increasing tolerance can also lead them to Los Angeles drug rehab because they realize they have a very expensive problem. Even food addicts experience financial consequences as their tolerance grows and they need more food to satisfy the cravings and their growing appetite.

Withdrawal Is Intense

Most everyone has heard about how drug withdrawal is very intense. A person addicted to drugs can experience tremors, nausea, vomiting, intense anxiety, hallucinations, intense sweating, and an inability to sleep. Food addiction can also cause a person to develop anxiety and tremors when sugary and fatty foods are taken away. This may explain why a person still eats large quantities of cookies, cakes, chips, and processed foods even when motivated to stop eating these unhealthy items.

Repeated Attempts to Quit

Something else those addicted to drugs or food have in common is the repeated attempts to stop. People addicted to drugs may find themselves in Los Angeles drug rehab more than once. People trying to stop bad eating habits may try every diet in the book. If they start a new diet and then eat poorly, they may eat more out of guilt for falling off the wagon. The attempts happen, but success seems harder to achieve each time. The fact is that success can be experienced if the right type of treatment is acquired.