Food Addiction

Submitted by Gary Wilson on Tue, 12/07/2010 - 20:02
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Why do we have a section on food addiction? Porn addiction is a behavioral addiction like food addiction First of all, it is a behavioral addiction, like porn addiction. Second, food and sex are the two primary natural reinforcers that stimulate the dopamine release and the reward circuitry. Third, the brains of animals have been studied, unlike with porn addiction.

Research reveals a simple truth: Highly palatable food (and gambling, video game playing and Internet addiction) can alter the brain in ways similar to addictive drugs, so it is inconceivable that superstimulating Internet porn cannot do the same. Sexual activity releases far more dopamine than does food; and unlike food, there is no limit to consumption. Once you have eaten the dopamine drops, but porn users can keep dopamine levels elevated for hours.

This section contains both lay articles for the general public, and research articles. If you are not an expert in addiction, I suggest starting with the lay articles. They are marked with an "L"

‹ Prefrontal/accumbal catecholamine system processes high motivational salience (2012) up (L) Can Food Really Be Addictive? Yes, Says Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2012) ›