Of the various types of addiction out there, food addiction is far less discussed than drug addiction. After all, eating food is natural and necessary. An alarming number of people are dealing with eating disorders, and many are not aware of the treatment options, including online counseling and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Working with a trained addiction professional is effective in dealing with addiction.
What Is Online Counseling for Food Addiction?
Anyone struggling with any excessive eating behavior could have a binge eating disorder. As with other addictions, it can be very challenging to gain freedom by yourself. Online counseling for food addiction provides a safe platform to discuss your struggle with food and can be a life-changing treatment for food addiction.
Who Is It for?
Online food addiction counseling is for anyone who suspects they are dealing with food addiction. At its core, food addiction is a mental health issue. It was only in 2013 when the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) recognized this addiction as a formal diagnosis. There are benefits of using online counseling, and these are discussed a little later.
When Should I Start?
Eating a healthy and balanced diet is important, but when someone’s dependence on food starts to increase, this could be a sign that they are addicted to food.
The main signs of food addiction are:
- Eating greater quantities of food than normal
- Requiring more and more food to achieve the same level of satisfaction
- Experiencing uneasiness or anxiety when you are unable to access food
- Unsuccessful efforts to reduce how much you eat through dieting and other methods
- Continuing to consume a lot of food despite experiencing negative effects such as weight gain
- An excessive preoccupation with eating and thinking about food, often at the expense of other life activities
Along with all of these signs of various food eating disorders, the individual can also experience emotional turmoil. They may try to diet and cut back on their eating and may even experience weight loss for a time. In a moment of emotional weakness, they can find themselves binging on all types of foods, especially highly processed and sugary ones like chocolate and ice cream. After this, the person starts feeling bad and trapped in a cycle of emotional eating.
Treating food addiction takes time and consistency, but with some help from a licensed therapist, it is possible to see real results.
Benefits of Online Counseling for Food Addiction
There are so many great benefits of online counseling for anyone dealing with food addiction. These include the following:
- Working with a licensed therapist gives you a safe and confidential space to speak honestly about your struggle with food.
- The therapist can help you get to the root of your eating disorder. Many people go through emotional eating by way of emotional reasoning. Food can be consumed as an escape from feeling bad, low self-esteem, stress, and anxiety.
- The therapist helps you find alternative ways to address stress and anxiety in your life. Some methods include exercise, meditation, journaling, and other relaxing activities.
- The therapist can assist you in developing regular, healthy food eating habits. Planning meal and snack contents and times and having restrictions on what kinds of food you keep in the house are effective in treating food addictions.
- Online counseling provides an easy-to-access source of professional help and is far more affordable.
Online vs. In-Person
Both online counseling and in-person counseling have their fair share of advantages. With online counseling, you get the benefits of easy access through your laptop or mobile device, travel time saved, more affordable rates, and more options because you can find a counselor outside your area.
The advantages of in-person counseling include person-to-person interaction and eye contact that can be harder to match online and rely less on reliable internet connectivity.
How Does Online Counseling Work?
Starting online counseling is simple. There are various providers, so the first step is to find one that deals with addiction counseling. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire during the signup process to communicate why you want counseling and what issues you are experiencing. After this, you can be matched with a therapist. You can book as many regular sessions as needed.
How to Choose the Best Online Food Addiction Counselor
There are many online counselors, but you can find the best one for you with a bit of research. You can look online for counselors with experience working with and treating food addictions. Reviews are a very helpful tool for you to learn more about other people’s experiences with different online counseling services.
Conclusion
If you are struggling to control your eating and experience binge-eating episodes regularly, there is a chance you might be dealing with food addiction. An online counseling service can provide you with the help you need to get your life back in order.
