If you’ve ever felt like you’re addicted to food, you’re not alone. Many people experience overwhelming cravings, feeling a lack of control around certain foods, or guilt after eating. These feelings can be distressing and confusing for many. Whilst the research is still out on ‘food addiction’, your emotions are around food are very real, and there is support out there.
Is Food Addiction Real?
Feeling “addicted to food” is common, but research suggests it’s often the pattern of eating, not the food itself, that causes this experience. Studies on rats have shown that cycles of restriction and binging on highly palatable foods can change brain chemistry and create compulsive-like eating behaviours. In humans, dieting and food restriction often trigger intense cravings and episodes of overeating, which can feel just like addiction.
So, while the term “food addiction” captures how overwhelming these behaviours feel, the evidence points to underlying causes like restriction, dieting, and emotional distress, not a true physiological addiction to food. Recognising this can be empowering, because it means these patterns can be addressed and changed with the right support.
Understanding the Restrict-Binge Cycle
Many individuals who feel “addicted to food” are actually caught in a cycle of restriction and binging. Here’s how it typically works:
- Restriction: You limit certain foods or follow a strict diet.
- Cravings: Your body responds to the restriction with intense cravings.
- Binging: Eventually, you give in to the cravings and overeat.
- Guilt: After binging, you feel guilty, and think restriction is the only answer.
- Repeat: The cycle continues, reinforcing the feelings of being out of control.
This pattern can create a sense of being “addicted” to food, even though the underlying issue is the cycle itself.
How Therapy Can Help Break the Cycle
Therapy provides a supportive space to explore and understand your relationship with food. Here’s how working with a therapist can help:
✨Identifying Triggers: A therapist can help you recognise emotional or situational triggers that lead to overeating or restrictive behaviours.
✨Developing Coping Strategies: Learn healthier ways to cope with emotions and stress, reducing the reliance on food as a coping mechanism.
✨Building Self-Compassion: Therapy can help you develop a kinder, more understanding relationship with yourself, reducing guilt and shame associated with eating.
✨Establishing Healthy Habits: Work with your therapist to develop sustainable, balanced eating habits that support both physical and emotional wellbeing.
How Intuitive Eating Therapy Can Help Specifically
Intuitive Eating is an evidence-based approach that focuses on rebuilding trust with your body and its natural cues. Unlike traditional dieting, Intuitive Eating encourages you to:
✨Reject Diet Mentality: Let go of the idea that there are “good” and “bad” foods.
✨Honour Your Hunger: Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re satisfied.
✨Make Peace with Food: Allow yourself to enjoy all foods without guilt.
✨Feel Your Fullness: Pay attention to your body’s signals of fullness.
✨Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness: Learn to respond to feelings like stress, sadness, or boredom in gentle, caring ways, without relying solely on food.
Working with a trained Intuitive Eating therapist can guide you through this process, helping you to break free from the diet cycle and develop a healthier relationship with food.
How to Find an Eating Therapist Near You
Finding the right therapist is an important step towards healing, but it’s also important to recognise the difference between eating disorders (such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, which may need more specialist support) and disordered eating (patterns like chronic dieting, emotional eating, or feeling out of control around food, which can still have a big impact on your life).
Whatever you’re struggling with, seeking the right support for your situation can make a huge difference. Here are some resources to help you locate a qualified eating therapist in your area:
✨British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP): Allows you to search for registered therapists by location and specialism.
✨Intuitive Eating Counsellors Directory: The official Intuitive Eating Counsellors Directory, for locating a therapist, dietician or nutritionist trained in Intuitive Eating. https://www.intuitiveeating.org/certified-counselors/
✨National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED): Offers a directory of trained therapists specialising in eating disorders. You can search for a counsellor near you and book an assessment online.
✨Beat – Eating Disorders Charity: Provides a helpline, online support, and a directory of services. They also offer guidance on how to talk to your GP about eating issues.
When looking for a therapist, it’s important to find someone whose approach feels like a good fit for you. Feeling truly understood and supported in sessions can make all the difference to your progress. It’s also worth checking that your therapist has experience with eating disorders or disordered eating, so you know they can meet your specific needs with the right knowledge and care.
Final Thoughts
If you feel “addicted to food,” it’s important to recognise that this experience is valid, and you’re not a failure. Therapy, particularly Intuitive Eating therapy, can help you break free from the cycle of restriction and binging, allowing you to develop a healthier, more balanced relationship with food.
Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you’re finding food feels overwhelming or out of control, reaching out for support can make a real difference. Whether that’s with a local therapist, a specialist service, or another trusted professional, you don’t have to go through this alone, support is always out there when you need it.