Imagine an average healthy person. They are not very into sports. Probably take a couple of walks during the week but not a fitness fanatic. Nothing wrong with their insulin levels. They are clearly not diabetic or don’t have any chronic health conditions. They are not skinny but not overweight also. But they do have a problem. It seems they can’t stop eating sweets. Is that really a problem?

When I say they can’t stop eating sweets I mean that every single day they will eat some. Some days they will eat a lot. Some days just a little. But we all have been in that position. We, women, will blame the PMS for the whole chocolate missing. We will blame hormonal cravings for that brownie disappearing. But what if. And I am being completely serious about this. Did you ever consider that there is such a thing as sugar addiction? For a similar topic check our The Integrity Of Companies – Should We Care?

Difference between an addiction and a craving

Craving is something that happens from time to time. Usually, if we are hungry and see a food commercial on the TV of course craving will form in our mind. If we are hot, we will crave a cold drink. Cravings can be caused by our environment, people around us, and things we see, hear, and feel. They will come and go. They are not a constant in our lives. People crave different things. They are not focused on one thing. We can crave food, company, clothes, music, and many other things. In most cases, cravings will disrupt our lives for a short amount of time and once we are back in control they will be gone. Forgotten.

The simplest definition of an addiction is an inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a behavior even though it is causing psychological and physical harm. So if we put it correctly for the sake of discussion sugar addiction would be the inability to stop consuming sugar even though it is causing psychological and physical harm to our imaginary person. Is it a real thing?

If you have ever been addicted to something in your life such as cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, or any other things. You clearly know how hard it is to quit. To break the circle and try to move forward. The brain is a powerful thing. It will play tricks on you. You will start dreaming that you are drinking, smoking, and gambling. Cravings will not leave you alone even in your sleep. For the first couple of months, your hands will shake. your mind will focus only on getting the things that you have given up. And if you slip only for a second to have that drink, or smoke only one cigarette, the next time when you try to quit it will be way harder than the first time.

Why sugar addiction sounds like an excuse?

How many times have you heard? If you want to lose weight just stop eating sweets. Cut down on the chocolate and you will fit in that dress. Sugar after carbs is probably the worst enemy of a healthy diet. And people still think that it’s easy to stop eating it just like that. Take a moment and imagine yourself in the shoes of a person who eats sugar each day, not because they are hungry, or they have an eating disorder. They are eating because they are addicted to it. They are not able to stop eating it even though they know it’s not good for them.

Would you still treat them the same? Would you still tell them it’s easy you just need to quit? Even for a cigarette addict, we can provide nicotine patches, gums, hypnotherapy, and other tools to address the problem. People who struggle with sugar are not taken seriously. We don’t offer any support. There are no Facebook groups, there is no helpline, or psychological support. If you go to your doctor and admit to being a sugar addict, they will laugh at your face.

So how is it that we can help someone who is clearly struggling? How we can support people that are not able to stop eating sugar? They are risking their long-term health. They are also suffering from an addiction that nobody seems ready to acknowledge.

Houston, we have a problem

As a substance that is readily available all around us for very cheap prices, I can’t be optimistic about this. I look around and see children from a very small age being stuffed with sugar on daily basis. Rewarded for good behavior with such a thing that should not be offered so often. I see sugar being added to bread, milk, yogurt and so many other things it has no business being in. But it does make everything taste better, sweeter.

So for me, it is very possible that there could be such a thing as sugar addiction. When I realize there are too many other things that have been recognized as addiction disorders it makes me wonder why sugar is not one of them. It should be on top of the list. It should be screamed from the rooftops and it should already have certain tools in place to help people manage when they are brave enough to seek help. I mean if the tobacco industry has to put a warning on every pack about the dangers of smoking. If the alcohol industry has to warn people to drink responsibly. Why can’t we at least have some recognition that it is very possible and extremely probable to be addicted to sugar? No warning. No labels on products. Just a confirmation. A study in some medical journal. A health professional who will not laugh at our faces but maybe produce a pamphlet with a number we can call. Is that too much to ask?