Sweet and Delicious Lies: A Journey Through Sugar and Food Addiction
You Are Not Alone
Addiction is a word we often reserve for substances we deem dangerous—alcohol, tobacco, drugs.
But what about sugar and food?
We laugh about our cravings, joke about our need for a sweet fix, and indulge without a second thought. But what if sugar and food addiction is just as real, just as harmful, and just as life-altering as any other?
The Allure of Sweetness
My battle with sugar addiction didn’t start overnight. Like many, I grew up in a world where sugary treats were rewards, comfort, and a staple in daily life. I didn’t see it as a problem—just a sweet tooth, something everyone had.
The holidays were filled with cakes, pies, and my mother’s fudge platters. As a teenager, I regularly made brownies late at night with my mother’s help. Throughout high school, I ate Hostess cherry pies for breakfast. At afternoon school recesses, I bought and engulfed Hershey’s M&M’s.
At the time, none of this seemed strange or poor judgement. But then, in my defense, I was just a kid. But now I wonder, shouldn’t someone have intervened?
I guess we didn’t know THEN what we obviously know NOW.
It wasn’t until I was an adult that I noticed how much I relied on sugar to get through the day. The more I consumed, the more I needed. The occasional treat became a daily necessity, then an hourly craving.
When I was younger, the sugar affected my weight very little because I was so active. I was thin back then. But like clockwork, as I aged, I became less active, my metabolism slowed down and my weight became more and more of a problem.
And today, I struggle with weight gain and being overweight. The constant yo-yo of losing weight only to gain it back in a few months has become a realistic and stubborn feature of my life.
When I first realized I had a problem, it was subtle. I started to notice how irritable I became without sugar, how it affected my mood, and how I used it to cope with stress. I told myself it was just a bad habit, something I could quit anytime I wanted.
But every attempt to cut back was met with withdrawal-like symptoms—headaches, fatigue, and an overwhelming sense of deprivation.
The sense of deprivation is the most significant of my symptoms. It is the deep, deep feeling that I am missing out or not getting all I deserve if I don’t get the sugary treats I am craving. Then once I give in, I binge. I literally can eat a whole pie in one sitting.
The Struggles of Breaking Free
My journey to break free from sugar addiction has been anything but linear. Every time I swore off sweets, I’d find myself back at the grocery store, sneaking a candy bar into my cart, convincing myself it was just one.
But it was never just one. One led to another, and before I knew it, I was right back where I started, filled with guilt and frustration.
This addiction has been an ongoing battle, even as I transitioned to a Keto diet after my Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. While my health has improved and I’ve felt better physically, the mental and emotional grip of sugar is something I still contend with.
There are days when the cravings hit hard, and I have to remind myself why I made the change in the first place.
It’s not easy, but it’s necessary.
America’s Hidden Crisis
My story isn’t unique. Sugar addiction is a crisis in America today. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “sugar activates the brain’s reward system in much the same way as drugs like cocaine.” This activation is what makes sugar so addictive and why many, like me, struggle to control it.
Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist, has been a vocal critic of sugar’s role in our diets, calling it “the most damaging and deadly substance in the American diet today.”
He points out that sugar not only contributes to obesity but also to a host of chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. “We are quite literally killing ourselves with sugar,” he warns, emphasizing that this addiction is not just about willpower but about the biochemical changes sugar causes in our brains.
Statistics paint a grim picture. The average American consumes about 152 pounds of sugar each year. That’s nearly three pounds per week, far above the recommended limits.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over 70% of American adults are overweight or obese, with sugar consumption being a significant contributing factor.
You Are NOT Alone
Listen, I’ve been to my fair share of 12-Step Meetings and one of the most important lessons I’ve learned through this journey is that addiction doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter how educated you are, how strong-willed you think you are, or how aware you are of the dangers—addiction can still take hold.
And when it does, it’s a battle that requires constant vigilance, support, and a deep understanding of what’s at stake.
Another lesson is that healing is a process, not a destination. There’s no magic cure, no quick fix. Every day is a choice, a decision to prioritize health and well-being over the temporary comfort of a sugary treat. It’s a lesson I’m still learning, and I expect I always will be.
But perhaps the most important lesson any of us can learn is this: You not alone. In America, millions are struggling with the same addiction, facing the same battles.
We have communities like this one to give us hope. Knowing this gives us strength. It reminds us that while sugar and food addiction is a crisis, it’s one we can fight together.
The Way OUT of the Darkness
As I write this, I’m reminded that my journey is far from over. There are still days when the cravings come, when I feel the pull of sugar trying to drag me back into old habits.
Let’s face it, the temptations are everywhere. They are constantly on TV, constantly calling out to me from the aisles of the supermarket every time I go shopping.
But there are also days when I feel strong, when I resist, and when I choose health overindulgence.
Some days I feel strong and can resist. Other days are the opposite.
I don’t know if I’ll ever be completely free from the lure of sugar, but I do know that I’m committed to the fight. It’s a fight worth having, not just for myself, but for everyone who’s ever felt the grip of this hidden crisis.
And so, I continue forward, one day at a time, one choice at a time, learning, growing, and sharing my story in the hope that it will help others find their way out of the darkness too.
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