Psychiatrist Says If You’re Addicted to Food You Must Stop Eating Immediately

(PRWEB) April 5, 2005

Leading Addictions Psychiatrist and diet book author, Anthony J. Burlay, M.D., challenges common ideas surrounding many people’s feelings that they are addicted to certain foods in his article “Diet and Addiction.” He says, for those overweight and obese, the implications of characterizing food as an addictive substance would require, by most models of treatment, abstinence.

“Though there may be people addicted to a particular food, that characterization by most people provides a label– an excuse, if you will– which allows them to go off of their diet plan or move from one plan to the next without feeling as guilty when they fail to lose weight,” says Dr. Burlay.

Dr. Burlay concedes that in a strictly definitional sense, addiction or dependence to a substance can include food. The generally accepted definition of addiction is continued use despite negative consequences, loss of control, and significant distress or impairment due to the use of the substance. Certainly, under these parameters, many obese and overweight persons could say that they are addicted to food. “There are some similarities between addiction and eating behaviors connected to being overweight or obese… [t]he implications for treatment of obesity are more important,” he says.

Treatment for addiction and dependence disorders usually requires abstinence, as those familiar with substance treatment programs know. “This is not possible with food. Everyone must eat everyday, several times per day,” says Dr. Burlay.

Dr. Burlay suggests those that feel addicted to food take some lessons from traditional addiction programs without characterizing their eating as an addiction. Identifying triggers, finding supports, and learning how your body is designed to eat can have a significant effect on weight loss success.

The full text of Dr. Burlay’s article, “Diet and Addiction” is available at http://www.foundationdiet.com/dietandaddiction.htm

About Dr. Anthony J. Burlay:

Anthony J. Burlay, M.D. attended medical school completed his Psychiatric Residency at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. He is Board Certified in General and Addictions Psychiatry and is the author of “The Foundation Diet: Your Body Was Designed to Eat,” (Zen-Fusion Publishing, $22.95) a plan he designed after losing and keeping off over 50 pounds. Copies are available at Amazon.com and major booksellers. Learn more about how your body works at http://www.FoundationDiet.com.

Media: To schedule an interview, request a press kit, or to receive a review copy of The Foundation Diet, please contact Candice Pascal. A press kit and high resolution, print quality graphic of The Foundation Diet dust jacket (file size 3433286) is available for download at http://www.foundationdiet.com/media.htm.

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