Bariatric Surgery and it's Relationship with "Food as an Addiction"

I cannot say that I would ever wish to switch my addiction to food for an addiction to drugs or alcohol, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that once in a while, while at my heaviest, that I did not wish to be shipped off to some rehabilitation facility. People can be sentenced to rehab as a substitute for serving time in prison after being arrested with a drug or alcohol charge. And, even for people with Anorexia or Bulimia, there is a point where many people can check into a treatment facility when it becomes a medical issue.

For people who struggle with obesity though, there is a different stigma. It is difficult to articulate it sometimes, but I just have to say that I do feel like people who are overweight or obese are usually considered differently than people who have other addictions or other eating disorders. There is a belief by some that people who are overweight or obese are simply lazy and out of control eaters. Like I mentioned before, it is spell of truth, considering “calories in, calories out”, but to assume that all people who have weight and eating issues are the same is a fallacy.

Just as those who quit alcohol or drugs cold turkey run the risk of relapse, anyone who simply loses weight, and does not first (or simultaneously) deal their food addictions also run the risk of a relapse. Pretty much most people that try to diet and lose weight will fill. It is a harsh reality. The method of weight loss that pretty much is the most drastic and dangerous of all methods is Bariatric Surgery.

Bariatric Surgery is an extreme option for those suffering from BED who have unsuccessfully attempted weight loss. Patients have gone through some initial counseling before making their decision to choose surgery as their option. Some variants of bariatric surgery include Gastric Bypass and Gastric Banding. This option is seen as controversial since it involves an elective surgery that could result in serious medical complications.

I know very well that this could be a category to discuss on it’s own. However, I decided to label it under “Food as an Addiction” in this arena, because of a new trend that has gained some headlines over the past few years that helps the case that food indeed can be addiction. I learned of it first on an episode of “Oprah” (OAD 10/24/06). “Addiction Transfer” is a newly coined term that has begun to affect many past Bariatric Surgery patients (It is believed by some to be affecting approximately 30% of BS patients).

Using bypass as a “quick fix” vs. dealing with issues regarding one’s obesity is a dangerous risk. When someone does not properly deal with the origins of their food addiction before their surgery (as with any weight loss methods), they run the risk of relapsing, with a weight gain as a painful result. The problems that people face who have had bariatric surgery are that now they initially cannot overeat, and if they try, they run the risk of much gastric discomfort! There is a risk of weight gain after surgery if the patient does not keep up with changes. As some people know, there are plenty of calorie dense foods that are small in size.  If you just make your stomach smaller, and don't go through any behavior modification or lifestyle changes (as w/any 'normal' attempts to lose weight), there is the likelihood of relapse through the result of a stretched out stomach. With the desire to not overeat anmore, many of these people are now finding themselves turning to other addictions, such as alcohol, drugs, gambling or increased promiscuity. With alcohol specifically, patients of Gastric Bypass find themselves getting drunk almost instantaneously