In November 2021, a renowned former Labour politician, Tom Watson, talked about his struggles with an eating disorder and food addiction.
In 2018, Mr Watson made it to the front pages of UK national newspaper when he announced that he reversed Type 2 Diabetes by losing weight on a low carbohydrate/keto diet and becoming increasingly active. By taking out processed food, starchy carbohydrates, junk food and refined sugars from his diet, he managed to lose 44.5 kg (7 stone) in weight and stopped the diabetes medication.
In this 2021 article, he talks about changing his previous ‘sugar addiction’ for a ‘dairy addiction’ and becoming aware of his compulsive eating. In this post, I will attempt to connect his experience with my clinical experience of treating people with food addiction.
Replacing one addiction with another is common and it is known as cross- addiction. The brain reward system is still seeking a ‘kick’ or a ‘high’ from an alternative substance or behaviour.
For example, replacing alcohol, illicit drugs with sugar loaded food or snacks is something we have observed in many addicts. Take the example of Robbie Williams, a very famous UK singer who now struggles with food after giving up alcohol and narcotics .
In my clinical experience, resetting the malfunctioning brain reward system and addressing the personal problems, which contributed to the addiction, are necessary to break the cycle of cross- addiction. Otherwise this cycle might continue forever.
Tom Watson also refers to compulsive eating. Compulsive behaviours and addiction are often linked. The desire and expectation of the brain reward system to obtain pleasure, by using a substance or engaging in a behaviour, is so strong that self-control or willpower is annihilated. The addict will continue to use compulsively in spite the negative consequences e.g. developing Type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, social isolation ……
He also talks about eating large amounts of cheese, instead of sugar, to support the local cheesemaker. His obsessive thinking (eating cheese) became a way of ‘feeding’ the addiction and seeking instant gratification. One part of the person knows that the behaviour is causing harm, another part is thinking that this behaviour is reasonable. The addiction takes hold of the brain.
Supporting the local cheesemakers makes the behaviour seem reasonable, this is distorted thinking or cognitive dissonance. This type of thinking, might even appear reasonable to the external observer e.g. she overeats and drinks because of her unhappy marriage. Distorted thinking leads to denial and causes the person to ignore the obvious dangers of addictions.
Mr Watson mentions his yo-yo dieting from his early 20s and following ‘fad diets’ that failed. Embarking in many diets is another characteristic found in the people I treat with food addiction. Dieting might start as early as childhood and might even be a family habit. After all society as a whole, has normalised dieting. Dieting generates millions in profit to the food and the slimming products industry. I touch on this in another blog post.
I cannot deny that as a doctor who has an interest in reversing Type 2 Diabetes with a low carbohydrate/keto lifestyle Tom Watson’s achievements in 2018 certainly got my admiration.
When he then talked openly about food addiction and compulsive eating in 2021, he confirmed what I learned in my food addiction counselling training and my clinical practice. Changing diet habits for healthier ones and exercising are steps in the right direction but not enough to break free from food addiction.
The addictive thinking and the addictive brain will need resetting if the person is to live a long life in recovery. I have found that a 12 step counselling program, derived from the 12 Step AA program, can be very beneficial in helping people with food addiction.
I now look forward to reading his book Downsizing and listening to his interview in the Comfort Eating Podcast
