I've been told there's mention of Naltrexone in this Radio programme. Folks not in the UK may not be able to access it, but basically it's a programme discussing food addiction. Some of the people in the programme explain their behaviours with food and they are so similar to alcoholics and drug addicts. One bloke says he'd go to the chip shop (british takeaway food!) for his family, order an extra meal which he'd shovel down on the way home, then eat his 'proper' meal with the family. Others talk about stealing food, and digging food out of bins.

I would guess the idea of Naltrexone therapy is just like TSM in that it's aiming to block the high people feel when they gorge on food, especially of the junk variety.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s4g7v

I was sorta thinking about that last night. I went to Sam's (warehouse wholesale store in the US), got gas and sorta felt like a drink after work and all the way home. But before getting gas I went inside and got some Gummi Bears (4 pounds) and Skittles (3 pounds). Eating them on the way home, once you eat 1 handful, and you gotta keep snacking all the way home, plus I was hungry for dinner waiting at home. I was thinking that the Nal probably would squash a bit if you were addicted to sweets.

This is very interesting as I am afraid of replacing the evening alcohol with sweets. I have noticed this happening and justify it by telling myself that it is more important to get the alcohol under control. This doesn't set very well since I suffered from eating disorders before turning to alcohol. Perhaps I will take the Nal and try to wait the hour before hitting the pantry. I suppose finding other things to do like reading a book would also help. Just trying to get healthy! Keek

Mine did return whenever I quit drinking but attempting to get it under control is various ways, including use of TSM with it in a similar way to alcohol. When I've achieved that my plan is to explore where this 'need' comes from.

UK, I think this "need" stems from thinking we have to be and look a certain way in order to be loved. Right now I am trying to convince myself that there are far more important things in life, but it's hard to let go of something that has been with me since my teens. Who knows where this mindset stems from, but it probably has something to do with how we were raised. I think my emotional maturity was stunted at age 11 (for reasons I don't care to go into just yet). As far as you are concerned, I and I assume many others appreciate all of your help and feedback on this forum. You seem to have your s#$t together from this vantage point and even if you don't, it's good to know you are helping others while at the same time helping yourself. This forum is awesome as a form of therapy for me and I really think it helps to post all of my insecurities. That being said, I would like to send a cyber hug out to you and everyone on this forum who are just trying to be better human beings. xxxxx's keek

Hmm, I looked at this a long time ago and I'm afraid for me it's not about looks - even when I know I look good have a need to 'fill a hole' be it healthy vegetables or junk food, to be doing something with hands and mouth, and have my stomach full to bursting even when not hungry. I've also had a problem with sugar free chewing gum and had to give that up because I was munching through packs of the stuff each day. I can also identify triggers, the same triggers as for drinking - stressful conversation, feeling annoyed or frustrated and the urge to go stuff my face comes over me.

Been reading some psychology stuff and some psychotherapists did identify a need in some people to 'fill a hole', which they'd do in a variety of ways in the meantime they would suffer from depression. I wouldn't say I'm depressed as such, and I have a lot of energy but I could very easily become depressed if I let myself.

I think I get the needing to fill a hole thing. Now I need to recognize it for what it is and not turn to the food or alcohol in order to satisfy it....please share what you come up with....tnx

I will do.

By the way sugar cravings are normal when giving up alcohol, alcohol feels like sugar to the body and it's also a way to replace the lost kcals when going AF.

When I developed bulimia I did experiment by looking at skinny fashion models to see if they were triggers, they weren't. I have in recent years realised what I felt was I wanted to be underweight so people would say "that person looks ill, she's suffering" as a way of expressing internal struggles. Models have never affected me in that way. I don't however like my belly feeling empty, I don't mean through hunger, and I'll eat til I can hardly move be it healthy or unhealthy food. I remember reading a book about Bulimia when I was 21 which did state that a lot of bulimics go on to develop problems with alcohol. I know when the alcohol really got a grip, whilst I'd also comfort eat alongside, the bingeing and purging mostly stopped. Alcohol seemed to take it's place.

That's me and my findings so far!