The Top 4 Treatment Options for Food Addiction
The Top 4 Treatment Options for Food Addiction
Fortunately, several
programs and therapies may provide treatment.
This
article lists the 4 most common food addiction treatment options.
1. 12-step programs
One way
to address food addiction is to find a good 12-step program.
These are
almost identical to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) — except the substance of
addiction is different.
Social
support can make a big impact when dealing with food addiction. Finding people
who share similar experiences and are willing to help can be beneficial to
recovery.
In
addition, 12-step programs are free and usually available worldwide.
There are several different programs to choose from.
Overeaters
Anonymous (OA) is the largest and most popular option, with
regular meetings across the world.
Greysheeters
Anonymous (GSA) is similar to OA, except they provide a meal
plan that involves weighing and measuring three meals per day. While they’re
not as widespread as OA, they offer phone and Skype meetings.
Other
groups include Food Addicts Anonymous (FAA) and Food Addicts in
Recovery Anonymous (FA).
These
groups are designed to provide a welcoming, nonjudgmental space.
2. Cognitive behavioral therapy
A
psychological approach called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown
great promise in treating various eating disorders, such as binge eating disorder and bulimia.
These
conditions share many of the same symptoms as food addiction.
3. Commercial treatment programs
Twelve-step
programs are usually free, but several commercial treatment programs also offer
effective treatments for feeding and eating disorders.
Major
ones include:
- ACORN:
They offer several treatment options, mostly in the United States.
- Milestones
in Recovery: Located in Florida, they offer long-term treatment
for food addiction.
- COR Retreat:
Located in Minnesota, they offer a 5-day program.
- The Turning
Point: Based in Florida, they have options for several feeding
and eating disorders.
- Shades of
Hope: Located in Texas, they offer both 6- and 42-day programs.
- PROMIS: Based in the UK, they offer
treatment for various feeding and eating disorders.
- Bittens
Addiction: They offer various options for those with feeding
and eating disorders in Sweden.
This webpage lists
numerous individual health professionals across the globe who have experience
treating food addiction.
4. Psychiatrists and drug therapy
While the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any drugs for the treatment
of food addiction, medication is another option to consider.
That
said, medications are not guaranteed to work for feeding and eating disorders
and tend to have side effects.
One drug
to consider is approved by the FDA to aid weight loss and contains bupropion and naltrexone. It’s marketed
under the brand name Contrave in the United States and Mysimba in Europe.
This drug
directly targets some of the brain pathways involved in the addictive nature of
food. Studies suggest that it may be effective, especially when combined with
healthy lifestyle changes.In many cases, depression and anxiety may contribute to
feeding and eating disorders. Taking antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication
could help relieve some of those symptoms.
Antidepressant
and anti-anxiety medications do not cure food addiction, but they may be a
useful tool to help ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. This can allow a
person to focus on recovering from a feeding or eating disorder.
A
psychiatrist can explain the different options available and make a
recommendation based on an individual’s circumstance or specific treatment
plan.
The bottom line
Food
addiction is a mental health issue in which a person becomes addicted to food,
especially processed junk foods.
Numerous
scientific studies confirm that food addiction involves the same brain areas as
drug addiction.
Because food addiction does not resolve on its
own, it’s best to pursue a treatment option to live healthfully.
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