The concept of “food addiction” might sound ridiculous to some, but a growing body of research suggests that people can become addicted to foods just as easily as they might become addicted to substances like heroin or alcohol. That’s because some foods stimulate the brain to produce dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to feelings of pleasure. These foods typically include sweets, fatty foods, and salty foods.

If you’re suffering from food addiction, South Florida clinics like the Delray Center can help. But first, you have to recognize that you have a problem.  Because food addiction is a newly recognized addiction, you may not even be aware that you suffer from it, much less that it’s time to seek the help of food addiction South Florida clinics like ours. Signs that you need treatment from food addiction South Florida clinics include:

• Loss of control. You want to stop yourself from overeating sweet, salty or fatty foods, but you can’t.
• Feeling sick from overeating.
• Eating your foods of choice when you aren’t hungry.
• Going to a lot of trouble to get your foods of choice.
• Anxiety about your eating. You worry about the types and amounts of foods you eat and about not cutting back.
• Withdrawal symptoms. Just like with drug or alcohol addiction, food addiction causes withdrawal symptoms like agitation, anxiety and physical discomfort.
• Guilt. You feel ashamed, depressed, or worried about your eating, but you keep doing it anyway.
• Tolerance. You need to keep eating more and more food to feel the same effects.

You’ll also know it’s time to get help from our food addiction South Florida clinics by the way food and eating affects your personal life and your relationships. Are you:

• Avoiding social situations where your foods of choice are available, so you won’t overeat in front of others?
• Having problems at work or school because of your eating?
• Blowing off family, friends, hobbies or responsibilities to eat instead?

If you answered yes to these questions, it’s time to consider getting help in our food addiction South Florida clinic. The specialists at our food addiction South Florida clinic can help you address the deep-seated causes of your food addiction, to bring about lasting change. If you’re ready to take back your life, call our food addiction South Florida clinic at the Delray Center for Healing now at 888-699-5679.