Addiction and Morbid Obesity

The March 2088 Newsweek features an engrossing piece about addiction and the current research seeking solutions, on biochemical levels, towards developing new medications and possibly a vaccine. I picked up the magazine waiting for an appointment, and, throughout this week, several points from the article have echoed in my brain. The piece stated that, addiction is a "biological, psychological, social and spiritual" disease. And, unless the individual working for recovery has support on all those levels, they probably won't succeed. It took a huge sea change in the medical community and society to stop perceiving alcoholism as a "moral failing" and recognize it as a disease that demanded more attention and resources. Isn't the same change needed towards morbid obesity?

While food doesn't act on brain receptors as strongly as heroin, I do think that addiction to food is a reality, and, that it contributes to the disease of morbid obesity. There is still a perception in society that being overweight is, like previous attitudes toward alcoholism, a moral failing or personal weakness. I couldn't begin to count the number of times my Dad told me that all I needed was a "little willpower" to lose weight. Oh, that losing weight was so simple. If there is an inner switch to flip, that permanently shuts off years of intertwining food and emotion, and erases the isolation and feeling of being terribly flawed being obese brings, I haven't found it.

Like substance addiction, morbid obesity is also a biological, psychological, social, and spiritual disease. Our biology can be impacted by genetic and metabolic differences that predispose us to gaining weight. Our society equates a thin body with beauty, putting tremendous pressure on individuals to attain a mostly impossible, arbitrary standard of beauty, leaving us alone to deal with the emotional fallout from not reaching that standard. Commercial weight loss programs focus on what not eat and only marginally touch on the psychological and emotional components of weight loss. The spiritual side, which the 12 Step world recognizes, is probably the most overlooked aspect in the dieting world.

When I look back on my healthy journey to date, I recognize, through no conscious choice, that I am working on all those aspects of the disease. Yes, food, portions and healthy choices are key. But, if I hadn't started seeing a therapist for depression, and, for the first time in my life began speaking aloud about a lifetime of fighting obesity, I wouldn't have lost 60 plus pounds, or, would never be here writing about the process to the world. And, rekindling my spiritual life has been a tremendous aid towards a healthy body. As far as social support, I suspect that if I hadn't met a man who loved me despite my size, I never would have begin working at all this. I met Sweetie when my hair was falling out from chemotherapy and was an emotional basket case from fighting breast cancer. I figured that any man who fell in love with me through all that was a keeper! Plus, I've found wonderful social support here, in the weight loss blogging community.

Only recently has the medical world begun to recognize obesity as a disease. Unfortunately, I don't think there will ever be a drug or miracle plan to heal it. But, the work and effort can be done by anyone. Finding physical, psychological, social and spiritual healing begins with recognizing the problem and seeking help for solutions. And, one step on the healthy path to get going.