Lance M. Dodes, M.D.

Hello Dr. Dodes,

I wonder whether you might like to write a blog entry related to this book (Mika Brzezinki's "Obsessed"), unpacking some of the issues related to so-called food addiction. I haven't read the book, but my sense from the advance publicity is that the author has some sensitivity to the psychological dimension of addiction, but also tends to endow certain substances (fat, sugar, salt) with quasi-magical powers that make them "addictive". My memory of your book(s) is that you make the point that addiction is about the person, not the target; and yet substances that induce physical changes (alcohol, drugs) make great addictive targets, since the whole point of the addictive behavior is to change the way the person feels. So maybe there are foods (like ones heavy in salt/sugar/fat) that do induce physiological changes that make them good addictive targets, for folks whose psychodynamics incline them toward addictive/compulsive behavior. But my guess is that you would say that lots of disordered eating and/or overeating doesn't meet criteria for "true addiction"--it is more about habit, environment, lack of structure, etc., and it is not helpful to conflate these factors with those driving "true addiction". Anyhow, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this!

Best wishes,
Margaret Peterson

Thank you for your post. I agree that physiological effects may contribute to the attractiveness of certain addictive focuses (e.g. drugs), though many addictions have no physical component. I also agree that there is nothing "addictive" about fat, sugar or salt. I do think that food is a frequent target of true addiction, however, and this is not surprising given its central importance in all our lives.