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I don't think you're like my dad at all if that's the extent of your weakness for food. My dad will eat the three bags of cookies, then go rummaging through the

I don't think you're like my dad at all if that's the extent of your weakness for food. My dad will eat the three bags of cookies, then go rummaging through the fridge for ice cream, eat a whole half gallon, then get in his car and go to Krispy Kreme until his craving is satisfied. As bad as this is, his alcoholism was even worse while he was drinking. He's slowly, slowly getting better, year after year. One one hand it's a difference in degree and not in kind, on the other it's so much of a degree that it's effectively a difference in kind.

StavrosK 7y ago
Possibly, but I still find it hard to believe that some people will get addicted to anything addictive. Maybe some people are more likely to get addicted, in general, but I don't think there are people who can't even eg use Instagram for fear of becoming addicted to it. Is there any research towards this?
- vinceguidry 7y ago
  It's not the thing that's addictive, it's the mind that gets addicted. And the mind has to like something about it first, once it does, it goes to immense extremes to get as much of it as humanly possible. Before looking to research, maybe ask a few addicts what it's like to be them first? For my father it's about finding healthy outlets for his addictive tendencies. He likes no-carb because it allows him to not have to exercise willpower to stop eating, he can just eat as much as his stomach will allow, and not trigger an insulin response. He knows it's not going to cause him to lose a ton of weight because he's still eating a ton of calories, but the little wins are important to him. Slowly he acquires more willpower in a context of a lifestyle where he doesn't have to be making those decisions all the time.
- kungtotte 7y ago
  There's a great documentary by Russell Brand (From Addiction to Recovery, it's on Netflix) where he visits a neurological research facility in Britain where they've seen pretty clear evidence that a percentage of the population are more prone to become addicted; to anything that is. They are the kinds of people who could get addicted to Instagram due to the dopamine hit.
- DougN7 7y ago
  I highly suggest reading In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Mate(?). Fantastic eye-opening book. Addiction is very often about past trauma, and as few have any control over that, it might as well be considered the “addictive brain” in my opinion. Really a great book that opened my mind to new views.

StavrosK 7y ago

Possibly, but I still find it hard to believe that some people will get addicted to anything addictive. Maybe some people are more likely to get addicted, in general, but I don't think there are people who can't even eg use Instagram for fear of becoming addicted to it. Is there any research towards this?

vinceguidry 7y ago
It's not the thing that's addictive, it's the mind that gets addicted. And the mind has to like something about it first, once it does, it goes to immense extremes to get as much of it as humanly possible. Before looking to research, maybe ask a few addicts what it's like to be them first? For my father it's about finding healthy outlets for his addictive tendencies. He likes no-carb because it allows him to not have to exercise willpower to stop eating, he can just eat as much as his stomach will allow, and not trigger an insulin response. He knows it's not going to cause him to lose a ton of weight because he's still eating a ton of calories, but the little wins are important to him. Slowly he acquires more willpower in a context of a lifestyle where he doesn't have to be making those decisions all the time.
kungtotte 7y ago
There's a great documentary by Russell Brand (From Addiction to Recovery, it's on Netflix) where he visits a neurological research facility in Britain where they've seen pretty clear evidence that a percentage of the population are more prone to become addicted; to anything that is. They are the kinds of people who could get addicted to Instagram due to the dopamine hit.
DougN7 7y ago
I highly suggest reading In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Mate(?). Fantastic eye-opening book. Addiction is very often about past trauma, and as few have any control over that, it might as well be considered the “addictive brain” in my opinion. Really a great book that opened my mind to new views.