Naltrexone for Food Addiction Silver Spring, MD

Every human needs food in order to live. Not only is food essential to our survival, but food also brings us enjoyment. For some people, this pleasure and enjoyment of food becomes an addiction, one that can be just as serious as an alcohol or drug addiction. And just like success in other types of addictions, naltrexone for food addiction Silver Spring, MD patients use has proven to be helpful for food addiction. If you live in Maryland, contact Atlantis Medical Wellness Center to find out how we can help.

When a person suffers from food addiction, foods that are high in sugar, salt, and/or fat trigger chemical reactions in the person’s brain. These reactions then trigger feelings of pleasure. This reaction is similar to how a drug addict’s brain reacts to the drug the person is addicted to (i.e. heroin, cocaine, etc.).

The person begins to become dependent on the good feelings they feel while they are eating certain foods and they will often feel the need to eat – not because they are hungry but because they are craving those good feelings. And so begins the cycle of food addiction. The longer the addiction goes on, the more food the person eats, often way beyond what is needed for normal nutrition.

The consequences of this cycle of food addiction can be devastating, leaving the person to struggle with medical issues, such as obesity, heart disease, and digestive issues. They also often suffer from emotional issues, including low self-esteem, isolation, and depression.

Symptoms of Food Addiction

There are certain signs that can indicate that a person is struggling with a food addiction. Some of the more common include:

Avoiding social interactions
Binging on more food that a person can physically handle
Chronic fatigue
Continuing to eat even though the person is no longer hungry
Decreased energy
Difficulty concentrating
Digestive issues
Eating to the point of feeling sick
Having difficulty functioning at work
Headaches
Insomnia
Irritability
Restlessness
Sleeping too much
Spending significant sums of money purchasing food, especially food the person binges on
Thoughts of suicide

Physical Impact of a Food Addiction

It is critical for a person with an eating disorder or food addiction to seek help. Not only does a food addiction have a significant negative impact on the person’s emotional and social life, but it can have a catastrophic impact on a person’s physical health. Some of the health issues include:

Arthritis
Chronic fatigue
Chronic pain
Diabetes
Digestive problems
Headaches
Heart disease
Kidney disease
Lethargy
Liver disease
Malnutrition
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Reduced sex drive
Sleep disorders
Stroke

You Are Not Alone

If you are suffering from a food addiction or if you suspect a loved one is struggling, naltrexone for food addiction in Silver Spring, MD may be a solution. Professional help is only a phone call away. Contact Atlantis Medical Wellness Center today.

While many people are aware of addiction to substances such as alcohol or drugs, they may not realize that some people may struggle with food addiction. Food addiction is a fairly recent recognized issue and presents the same type of embarrassment, feelings of shame, and loss of control for food addicts that other types of addictions do. But there is hope for the issue, including naltrexone for food addiction Silver Spring, MD patients recommend available at Atlantis Medical Wellness Center.

What Triggers Food Addiction?

Food addiction typically involves foods that are high in carbohydrates, fat, salt, and sugars. These are also referred to as highly palatable foods. When a person eats these types of foods, the brain’s pleasure center is triggered, and this causes the release of serotonin, dopamine, and other feel-good brain chemicals. These are the same brain chemicals that are released when alcohol, drugs, tobacco, gambling, or other addictions are engaged in.

But that feeling these chemicals create is only temporary, so the brain and body begin to crave those foods that will trigger the process over and over again. This repetitive process also results in the need to eat more and more of these highly palatable foods in order to keep obtaining these feelings.

Do I Have a Food Addiction?

There are many different signs that can be warnings of food addiction. Some of the signs include:

Binge eating
Eating for pleasure
Intense cravings
Stress eating
Sugar, salt, or fat cravings

If a person suspects they have a food addiction, they should ask themselves the following questions:

Do you worry about food?
Are there certain foods that trigger overeating?
Do you keep eating even if you are no longer hungry?
Do you continue to eat until you are too full or too sick to continue?

The more a person deeper into the addiction the person falls, the less pleasure they get out of food as they begin to build up a tolerance for it. Thus, a vicious cycle begins as this often triggers even more overeating. Appetite suppressants do not always work in food addictions because being hungry is not the reason the person is overeating. But naltrexone for food addiction in Silver Spring, MD may be an option.

Naltrexone is a medication is used to help the cravings of people with alcohol or drug addictions. Multiple studies have shown it to also be an effective treatment for people with food addictions. Naltrexone blocks the brain’s opioid receptors, resulting in the blocking of those food cravings.

If you are struggling with food addiction, contact Atlantis Medical Wellness Center to schedule a consultation to find out if naltrexone for food addiction in Silver Spring, MD may be the solution you need. Our clinic also provides a wide array of nutritional support. Call our office today.

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