Just Can't Get Enough?

 

When you enjoy something so much – whether it’s that glass of wine after work or that irresistible piece of chocolate – when does taking too much turn into an addiction?

According to Stanton Peele, author and America’s foremost critic of addiction treatments, argues that addiction is not defined by excess, but the severity of its consequences. I tend to agree with him.

It’s so easy to diagnose compulsions of our modern life as diseases, but some of these diseases are really not what they seem on the surface. For instance, an individual’s alcohol problem may be as a result of complex factors relating to self worth, work pressures or a dysfunctional family. It’s hard for someone to look inside and face these things; much easier to see drinking as a disease, look in as a passive victim and let the prescription take care of them instead.

An addict can feel like they have no control, yet the healing lies with the individual themselves. A patient came to me for her stomach problems and opened up about living with an alcoholic and the stress she has to go through when things get really bad. I asked her why she stays and she says she loves him.

There are many people I treat who also suffer from eating disorders, often leading to multiple symptoms and sometimes depression. Having suffered as a teenager for many years myself, I know the mindset and the feelings that can take over. You can get through these - many people do, with treatment or many do so entirely on their own. Until you get that inner connection with yourself or come to some self realization these addictive patterns can be quite destructive and stay around for years.

So, if that glass of wine becomes a bottle every night or that piece of chocolate becomes several bars later, that could be a sign for you to begin to look a little deeper and maybe nip it in the bud before it gets you. And let’s not forget you don’t need to give up the pleasures, just keep them in check.

Rumana is launching her audio health downloads starting with Weight Loss Essentials. You will find these at her website www.rumanahealth.com in the New Year.

Rumana Zahn is a Naturopath and Medical Herbalist and runs clinics in Newcastle (within a GPs practice), Yarm and a Walk-In Clinic at Kingston Park Tesco. She is a leader within the field of Natural Medicine, writes and speaks extensively on the subject. She can be contacted on 0845 680 1418 or www.rumanahealth.com

Rumana is a member of the British Register of Complementary Practitioners.

 

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