4 ms·

At what stage, if any, are we going to call sugar an addiction? "Craving" being the word used here is very obviously an indicator of the strength here and there

At what stage, if any, are we going to call sugar an addiction? "Craving" being the word used here is very obviously an indicator of the strength here and there are negative consequences to having too much. I don't know what other leaps need to be made to formalize the addiction category.

Nasrudith 7y ago
The problem with those criteria is we would need to ask at what stage are we going to call water an addiction? It also fufills those details. Really just because it can be classified as an addiction doesn't mean it should. The real criteria of concern is "does it cause problems /in this case/". Otherwise you end up with a hysterical neo-puritanism of trying to create a perfect life by excision of all vices.
- rv-de 7y ago
  if it isn't bad for you then it's not an addiction. addictive behavior is by definition always harmful. drinking water is hence not an addiction but a necessity.
  - nradov 7y ago
    Water intoxication will kill you. Almost anything can be harmful in excessive quantities.
    - mvid 7y ago
      That is pedantic. There is no realistic scenario where your brain will compel you to consume so much water you suffer long term detriment
      - stronglikedan 7y ago
        > There is no realistic scenario Admittedly pedantic, but apparently a contest to win a Wii is one such realistic scenario. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-14-me-water14-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-14-me-water...
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
      - emmelaich 7y ago
        People _have_ consumed so much water they've died or gone into coma. But of course it's nothing like an "addiction"
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- johnkpaul 7y ago
  I don't agree, but I also don't know the formalisms around addiction to articulate my argument precisely. I have never heard of water intoxication happening with growing frequency over decades. I have also not heard of water intoxication having support groups, nor of water being described as a craving. Additionally, there are no humans that have lived without water for years of their life. I have lived without sucrose for years of my life and I expect that there are others as well.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - johnkpaul 7y ago
    I really wish the downvoters would comment as well. I don't know what I said here that was so wrong. I am very open to critique here. I want to learn what other people think to refine how I think about it.
Wohlf 7y ago
Because this will likely open the floodgates. If sugar is an addiction, then maybe all food is an addiction, and from there lots of normal behavior can be considered an addiction so the term becomes meaningless. I agree that sugar and food in general consumed in excess should probably be considered an addiction, but I can respect the argument for not watering down the term.
SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
I get cravings for brisket as well, and there are negative consequences for having too much of that, but you can pry that out of my cold, dead, bbq covered hands.

Nasrudith 7y ago

The problem with those criteria is we would need to ask at what stage are we going to call water an addiction? It also fufills those details. Really just because it can be classified as an addiction doesn't mean it should. The real criteria of concern is "does it cause problems /in this case/". Otherwise you end up with a hysterical neo-puritanism of trying to create a perfect life by excision of all vices.

rv-de 7y ago
if it isn't bad for you then it's not an addiction. addictive behavior is by definition always harmful. drinking water is hence not an addiction but a necessity.
- nradov 7y ago
  Water intoxication will kill you. Almost anything can be harmful in excessive quantities.
  - mvid 7y ago
    That is pedantic. There is no realistic scenario where your brain will compel you to consume so much water you suffer long term detriment
    - stronglikedan 7y ago
      > There is no realistic scenario Admittedly pedantic, but apparently a contest to win a Wii is one such realistic scenario. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-14-me-water14-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-14-me-water...
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
    - emmelaich 7y ago
      People _have_ consumed so much water they've died or gone into coma. But of course it's nothing like an "addiction"
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
johnkpaul 7y ago
I don't agree, but I also don't know the formalisms around addiction to articulate my argument precisely. I have never heard of water intoxication happening with growing frequency over decades. I have also not heard of water intoxication having support groups, nor of water being described as a craving. Additionally, there are no humans that have lived without water for years of their life. I have lived without sucrose for years of my life and I expect that there are others as well.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- johnkpaul 7y ago
  I really wish the downvoters would comment as well. I don't know what I said here that was so wrong. I am very open to critique here. I want to learn what other people think to refine how I think about it.

Wohlf 7y ago

Because this will likely open the floodgates. If sugar is an addiction, then maybe all food is an addiction, and from there lots of normal behavior can be considered an addiction so the term becomes meaningless. I agree that sugar and food in general consumed in excess should probably be considered an addiction, but I can respect the argument for not watering down the term.

SketchySeaBeast 7y ago

I get cravings for brisket as well, and there are negative consequences for having too much of that, but you can pry that out of my cold, dead, bbq covered hands.