Dear Meli,

I am currently in recovery for food addiction. I’ve tried lots of drugs over the years, but no substance seems to have as much sway over me as sugar. That said, I also follow a spiritual practice that says that I can control my life with my thoughts. So wouldn’t it technically be possible for me to alter my thoughts in a way that would allow me to eat sugar? I know it’s probably my addict that’s wondering this, but I’m curious to hear your take on this.

Swayed by Sugar

Dear Swayed,

Ahhh, yes. Oh how very deeply familiar I find this line of questioning! As a drug addict in recovery (and one whose first drug of choice was food), I can totally relate to your inquiry. I’m sure there are many who can, so thanks for asking!

I am something of a fundamentalist when it comes to believing we can control our beliefs, and thus our lives, with our mind. And I can’t tell you that it is absolutely not possible to change this aspect of your being. I believe anything is possible.

But I can tell you that I am powerful and successful when it comes to manifesting. And I have tried for many a decade to transform my relationship with food in order to not react addictively, especially when it comes to sugar!

After years of struggle and suffering, I came to a freeing (though challenging) realization. It was a two-part realization. The concepts go like this:

1) If I could change this about myself, how much time and energy might it take? (This is an important question, given that I had already spent countless hours in conscious creative work, meditation, and prayer in an attempt to change my consciousness around food. And it hadn’t budged.)

2) Is it worth it for me to spend all the time it would take (IF it would ever work, of course) on this? How much do I really care about being able to eat those foods that trigger me? And, if I care enough to think that all that time and energy would be worth it, isn’t that alone a sign that these are addictive substances? Might it not make more sense to simply avoid eating foods that trigger addictive behavior?

3) When I quit using drugs, I thought about using every single day. At first, I thought about it every moment of every single day. Today (29 years later), it hardly ever comes to mind.

People who tend to over-use substances have a particular wiring in the brain. We need more stimulation than non-addicts to create a response of pleasure in our brains. Combine that with the fact that refined sugar (like cocaine and heroine) is not a substance found in nature. This means almost no one has a brain that allows for eating it and not having it trigger a very specific series of responses. These responses inevitably lead back to the one word so familiar to addicts: More.

Some people point out that there are some people who can manage their sugar intake. These are people who don’t have an addictive response to sugar. They are the minority. Just look at the general population of America, and our expanding waistlines. Enough said!

I highly recommend two books that have helped me to become free of the madness, one day at a time. Each of these speak directly to the brain’s response to food. Reading these books helped me to feel less like a failure. They supported me in understanding why I can’t seem to “manage” my sugar-eating. The books are ‘The Pleasure Trap’ by Dr’s Lisle & Goldhamer, and ‘Bright Line Eating’ by Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD. Each of these were life-changers for me in my long and winding road with food.

Blessings and Love to you in all you do!

In Joy,

Melissa

What is your experience with addiction and spirituality? Share your comments below!