Originally Posted by GRB5111

The insidious thing here is that while people are debating about how to define addiction, many have an unhealthy relationship with substances. It's similar to those who debate whether alcoholism is a disease or is caused by genetics. Those debates start to become a waste of time for those experiencing those issues. The most insidious thing about food and "carb addiction" is that those who have it never stand out from the general population. We are the normal, whether it's eating a holiday meal and never being too full to have dessert, or after dinner, going out to a supermarket to buy cake or ice cream, or having doughnuts for breakfast. Given that sugared anything lights up opioid receptors and causes cravings in the absence of the substance, I really don't care whether I had an addiction or not. What I needed to realize is that food was harming my health and was leading me down the path of a very low quality of life and a potential earlier death. That's all I needed to recognize the unhealthy relationship and change it. Dr. Robert Cywes was one of the first I read that had some sound insights into food and potential addiction. Fortunately, others have picked up the drumbeat. There's a reason I now never eat anything remotely resembling dessert or sweets even during celebrations or holidays. No exceptions. It's human poison and "everything in moderation" never worked for me.