In the United States and throughout the world, there is a need for extensive public education, more professional services in almost every community, and research on the outcomes of different approaches to recovery from food addiction. For this, food addicts – with their families, friends and health providers – must take a lead role.
This section provides several ways food addicts can get involved beyond working on your own. It is here that we urgently need allies. Here are our current suggestions:
- If you see yourself as food addicted, share what convinces you, and if you are abstinent and in recovery, let us know what has helped.
- If you are a physician, dietitian, therapist or other allied health professional, what do you see among your patients and clients that suggests that some are chemically dependent on food(s)? And what diagnoses, services and public health policies are needed?
- If you think that in some cases of obesity and eating disorders the underlying problem is chemical dependency on food, send us a letter requesting the formal designation of food as a Substance Use Disorder. We will collect these and forward them to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) American Medical Association.
- Participate in Food Addiction Institute retreats for food addicts and training programs for professionals.
- Contribute financially to building the Food Addiction Institute, so the needed research, education, and outreach goals can be met.
The most important service a food addict or professional ally can do is help another food addict achieve and maintain appropriate food abstinence.
PDF