Addicted to chocolate: What to do?

September 11, 2017

Being addicted to chocolate is something many women are accused of, especially during that one week of the month. Fortunately, this is not a problem that many women face. Still, there are those who are truly addicted to chocolate. You prefer to eat chocolate all day long. You even have chocolate on your bread and fruit is also very compatible with chocolate.

Unfortunately, despite having healthy properties, chocolate is not always healthy. Therefore, chocolate addiction is really something you want to get rid of.

You know that? You finally have a day when you get to work from home and are looking forward to doing it in fine clothes instead of a suit. Before you start work you have a piece of chocolate - it feels so good!

You've completed the first chores and can move on to your next task on the to-do list. Just another piece of chocolate anyway - or just half a bar. Yummy!

You've got your to-do list all finished, but still have to wait until you can pick up your kids from school or meet up with a friend. Have a nice shower and get dressed anyway. Still 10 minutes to spare. The clock is ticking. Birds are chirping and before you know it, chocolate is melting in your mouth.

Oops, that was another whole bar, and it’s only 4 p.m. You know you’re going to eat some more delicious chocolate pieces tonight while watching a movie…sigh, guilt.

Why is chocolate addictive?

Every time we eat food that’s high in fat or sugar, our bodies produce the chemical serotonin ( 1). This hormone makes us feel happy. Chocolate—especially bars that don’t contain a lot of cacao, such as milk chocolate—is high in both fat and sugar.

There are times when you could use a little extra serotonin. For example, in people who suffer from winter blues or PMS , chocolate is eaten during the dip and times when you suffer from less happy emotions( 2).

This also explains why women in particular can be addicted to chocolate.

Eating at emotions

A chocolate addiction is essentially an addiction to a particular habit. Certain emotions can make you simply crave a snack, and chocolate is just a tasty snack.

We often eat more to get rid of emotions in Holland than because we are hungry.

Emotions we often eat away at are:

Research also shows that people who suffer from dips or depression are more likely to eat chocolate( 3).

Is chocolate really addictive?

You're not going to expect this answer, but yes you can really get addicted to chocolate. You can become addicted to chocolate just as you can become addicted to certain drugs. Although not quite the same.

For example, it is not as addictive as alcohol and some forms of hard drugs that you become physically addicted to. Basically, you can become as addicted to broccoli as you are to chocolate.

Research in rats shows that from food containing sugar you can exhibit very addictive behavior. For example, the rats became very anxious the moment the food was removed.

Finnish research shows that people who identify themselves as chocolate addicts produce more saliva when they are around chocolate. In doing so, they also suffer more from their emotions when the chocolate is gone. Anxiety, irritation and a worse mood are among them.

A chocolate addiction has similarities to a normal addiction in that you get very cravings for chocolate. You then also get illogical eating behaviors and illogical emotional moods.

Test if you are addicted to chocolate

To check if you are suffering from chocolate addiction, I have some statements for you. Check for yourself whether you identify with these statements or not.

If I see someone eating chocolate I should at least drink some water or grab chocolate right away too.
I feel guilty when I eat a lot of chocolate in 1 day.
I have low energy all day.
I'm gaining weight every day.
When I start work I feel like I have to eat chocolate/eat chocolate first.
I get more pleasure from chocolate than from other business/activities.

Do you recognize yourself in most of the statements in this test? Then chances are you suffer from a chocolate addiction. Especially if you gain weight and derive more pleasure from chocolate than from other things, it's time to do something about the addiction.

In the case of those two statements, it does not benefit your mental and physical health. By finding another way to deal with pleasure and health, you actually achieve more life happiness.

What to do about chocolate addiction

If you and those around you are truly struggling with a chocolate addiction—even if it’s just because it can lead to obesity and related health issues such as type 2 diabetes—it’s important to do something about the addiction.

There are a number of ways to suffer less from chocolate addiction.

Find out with mindfulness if you are eating because of emotions

Are you eating because of emotions or boredom? That's the question if you suffer from chocolate addiction. Therefore, keep a journal about the thoughts and activities you have when you feel like eating chocolate and keep track of your thoughts and activities when you actually start eating chocolate.

This can include mindfulness.

If you know why you start eating, such as low self-esteem or depressive thoughts, you can see if you can solve those problems in ways other than food.

Eat a little chocolate instead of quitting completely

Some addictions don’t need to be quit. Quitting sex or masturbation, for example, is a bit strange, and chocolate isn’t heroin that you’re never allowed to touch again. So eat less chocolate instead of cutting it out entirely.

Choose a healthier version of chocolate, such as the one with 72% cocoa, and eat a few small pieces of it throughout the day. Then you'll still have your chocolate moment, eat less chocolate and also eat the healthier version that is full of antioxidants.

Antioxidants, in turn, are important for protecting your DNA. They slow down the aging process.

Go do something other than eat chocolate

Especially if you start eating out of boredom, it's wise to actually do something else. Go for a walk, call a friend to catch up, or read a book. Go watch movies on YouTube. At least something other than eating chocolate.

Substitute the chocolate for some healthy

For example, an apple is also great for snacking. Make sure you have substitute healthy foods in your home that you can snack on instead of chocolate, such as:

Apple
Banana
Peer
Notes
Roots
Cucumber

Banish chocolate from your home

Out of sight out of mind. If you don't have chocolate in the house, you have to put way too much effort into this not-quite-body-dependent addiction and it's much easier not to give in to it.

Engage in sports or exercise

Exercise also triggers the release of happiness hormones. So, make sure to exercise more. It’s healthier than chocolate and has the same effect on your sense of well-being as chocolate does. Win-win!

Virtual gastric band

What if none of these practical tips work? In some cases, a virtual gastric band may be the solution to help you stop eating chocolate and other unhealthy foods.

A virtual gastric band is a hypnotherapy that affects your diet and your sense of hunger.

Worldwide, hypnotic gastric banding has a 72% success rate. That's more than 7 out of 10 people who are truly helped with a hypnotic gastric band to get rid of an eating addiction, such as being addicted to chocolate.

Unfortunately, a hypnotic gastric band is not always properly put down in 1 session. Therefore, sometimes 4 sessions are needed to place a hypnotic gastric band.

During these sessions, the cause of chocolate addiction, for example, is discussed and you visualize getting a real gastric band under the guidance of a hypnotherapist.

Changing beliefs about chocolate

The root cause of chocolate addiction is thus addressed during the placement of a virtual gastric band. Beliefs about yourself and about chocolate can also be the cause of chocolate addiction.

It is then important to change those beliefs. One way to do this is through hypnotic suggestions. You can even repeat these aloud to yourself during self-hypnosis.

For self-hypnosis, you first find a quiet relaxing place in your home. You sit or lie down comfortably and first focus on your breathing. Make sure your inhale and exhale are the same length and that you breathe through your belly.

When you do this well and notice that you become calmer close your eyes. Then you can begin repeating the hypnotic suggestions the hypnotherapist has given you, such as:

Milk chocolate is not healthy, but whole dark chocolate is.
Chocolate is not my way to happiness.
I choose happiness.
I am worthy of healthy living.

These are just examples of hypnotic suggestions. See a hypnotherapist to get suggestions that fit your beliefs about yourself and chocolate.

Would you like to learn more about hypnotherapy and other mental techniques to help yourself and others overcome problems? Then come to a workshop and check out the courses offered by the Hypnosis Institute of the Netherlands.

Also pin this handy infographic as a reminder:

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