sugar addiction, should I go in therapy?

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I have some problems in my life, but I have a good psychiatrist I go all 6 weeks to for approx. 20 min. and for the last half year that was enough. I've some moodpropblems, but not heavy and so it was enough going there just all 6 weeks.

But now I realized I have another problem I don't know right how to handle by my own and I'm thinking about psychotherapy.
I believe I've a strong sugar addiction and I don't know how to stop it. I read about it today, but I feel overwhelmed.

I can survive a day without sugar, but after that, after 2 or 3 days it is getting extremly difficult.
I don't have any other drug problems. I occationally smoke, but not much and not in an addictive way (I can come out without smoking for weeks), I hardly drink alcohol or any coffee. I'm also a bit too much on the internet.
So I've just some addiction potentional I guess, also there is noone in my family with an addiction problem, but the sugar thing became a huge problem for me.
Sometimes I try to stop and than I find myself late at night in the supermarket and buying something with lots of sugar in it.
Sometimes even several times a week.

Sadly very often sugar addiction isn't taking serious in our society, but I believe for me it's a problems since allready a long time.

Could therapy help me with that?

Last edited by Raziel on 16 Apr 2013, 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sugar is highly addictional! It goes right into the reward-center of the brain, it is comforting, but it also drives you hyper!
You must cut sugar completely! - for a start.Take a cold turkey!
No Coke, no fruit, no sugary cakes,no sugary goodies, - no bisquits!.
Take one week at a time, making each week a project in itself. Write down how you feel, - not only the bad stuff, but also anything good coming out of your effort.
Find something not sugary to snack; nuts, raw carrots, fine new raw peas, berries, coffee, cocoa with artificial sweetener.
Later, you can use sugar at a resonable level.

Last edited by Jensen on 16 Apr 2013, 10:28 am, edited 2 times in total.

There is no reason to annex sugar completely unless you either need to drastically reduce your calorie intact, or have a certain health condition.

Can you describe how much sugar we're talking about here? What happens when you don't have it? Also you don't need to avoid it completely, moderation is the key.

As you probably know there are sugar metabolism disorders like diabetes, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, etc. and if you think there is something more serious going on then you may want to talk with your physician and get some tests done. Of course you are also putting yourself at risk of type 2 diabetes by consuming too much sugar -- that really won't be fun if you enjoy sweet things.

Also, are you eating properly? That encompasses lots of things like eating breakfast every day with complex carbohydrates, avoiding snacking or if you must then snack on cheese strings or nuts, etc. Exercise is also important and improves appetite.

Hi Raziel, I'm glad you are back.

I don't know how much sugar you are taking every day. I was once really worried about taking too much sugar to the point of having to stop using sugar in my coffee etc. But I realize that some other people's intake of sugar is even more extreme and they don't even think it's bad.

I suggest that you start having other things instead, such as nuts, celery etc that are easy to eat (not much preparation required) and sugarfree candies etc.

I also strongly suggest that you use xylitol or stevia instead of sugar. They are both natural sweeteners. They are sweet, but are far healthier than sugar. Xylitol is actually good for your teeth, too. Xylitol tastes a bit better than stevia IMO. Because they are natural extracts from plants, they are not bad for health.

Other than that, I guess you need to consult your psychiatrist.

My advice is first to get yourself seen by a doctor, since craving sugar can be a sign of a metabolic issue such as hypoglycemia.

Depending on what your doctor says, you probably will want to cut back on sugar. My advice is to talk to a dietitian about how to manage your diet better.

It is possible to have a genuine sugar addiction, in the psychological sense, but more often it's a physiological dependence instead of a psychological issue. However, if you find yourself eating sugar to manage your mood, you may want to talk to a group such as Overeaters Anonymous (a spin-off of AA for eating disorders).

Usually approx. 200 g Gummi candy a day, sometimes less. I tryed to stop and ended up drinking soft drinks instead.



I eat properly, and also besides the sugar not too much.
I have a breakfast in the morning with bread, cheese, jam and an egg. Something normal for lunch and as dinner very often a soup. I don't really like salad, but besides that it's allright.
But I have a tendency that I NEED to snack.



Thanks.



I will anyway. I'm there at april 26th and it's on my list of problems I want to give him.

I don't really think there is physically anything wrong with me. I had an operation in february and before that I had a health test and everything was fine.



I dunno, but I've the feeling it's more an addiction kind of thing.

Well, now I have a therapist but also because of other problems.
On friday I'll see my psychiatrist again and he has to sign it with my therapy.

I'm free of sugar now, ecxept for the jelly in the morning, but when it's empty I also wouldn't have this anymore.
Now I'm seven days mostly sugar free and since today I'm slightly depressed again, but nothing serious until now. So it's alright.

I want to stay totally sugar free for a while then, that I come out of the sugar addiction.

Have you had a physical checkup? If you've been eating a lot of sugar (I would call it a "bad habit" rather than an "addiction", personally), it could have been taking a physical toll. You eat lots of pure sugar, it goes straight to your bloodstream, your blood sugar goes way up and then way down... long term, wear and tear, maybe in years and decades makes you vulnerable to hypoglycemia/diabetes.

Just cutting out white sugar shouldn't require you to re-balance your diet, considering you can get sugar from fruits and honey and such. But if you are actually trying to get rid of sugar in general, maybe you should consider not being so extreme. Unless you're diabetic, sugar isn't bad for you--it's too much sugar that causes problems.

Re. addiction to sugar: I guess you could get addicted, psychologically? Kind of the way people get addicted to gambling, say. But I still think it is more like breaking a bad habit.

BTW: If you still have a sweet tooth, go and buy yourself some dried fruit. Sure it has sugar in it, but also vitamins and fiber--not empty calories like gummy bears would be. Some dried fruit has added sugar, some not.

I had a physical check up in february befor my operation, including a blood test and everything was fine.

If you can you should stop today, find other stuff to eat when you are hungry, i mean even fruits have some kind of sugar. That can help.

Else go down less and less every day.

ofcourse it is addictive. There is a reason why fastfood has lots of sugar, more so than normal soda. and they have cheese, i believe there is a third thing as well, cant remember. all highly addictive.

The huge part of the world isnt obese, because they want to. You do get addictive to the s**t.

Ive been to soda my self as a kid. i would drink like 3 x 1.5 liter cola each day. One day i took some cola that was warm, it tasted really crappy. That was the time i say stop.

The first few weeks tap water takes like crap. because you body accepts, it wants better and better tasting stuff, but as time goes by your body adapts. Suddenly tap water is actually pretty amazing, I never drink soda ever, i dont even like it anymore. always get the hiccups if i drink some of it.

Its actually the same with food, the longer you go without all the candy and stuff the better fruit and stuff will taste. ive tested the multiple times. If i eat some candy over a week suddenly the fruit tasts way way worse than it use too.

It might just be me, but i doubt it. again lots of people are fighing these addictions and sadly loosing.

Not to mention healthy food is actually more expensive that doesnt help. but i guess it makes sense, quality costs after all.

You should try watching some of those motivation videos on youtube with Arnold Schwarzenegger. that man can inspire anyone if we can just learn a fraction of that will power to take control . then you can do a lot.

The longer you stay away from sugar the easier it gets, so remember that everyday you go without it gets on step easier. And never EVER go freaking shopping when you are hungry ever. then you come hope with all the sugary stuff haha ive learned that lesson a few times.