39. Food addiction makes impact on workplaces

By Tom O'Connell

We may think of food and work as two separate things. But what about coffee breaks, vending machines, and cafeterias? And visits to the nearby coffee shop or deli? The canteen truck? Lunchtime?

When the stress builds at work, food is often the drug of choice. It's a way to feel okay for a moment, despite the pressure. "I think it's time for a chocolate break." But after the chocolate bar comes the letdown, productivity suffers, and the stress returns.

The National Institute of Business Management has reported that compulsive eating habits cut an employee's productivity up to 50 percent. And George Gallup did a poll revealing that nearly a third of American women between 19 and 39 diet at least once a month. Why are they dieting? To offset the compulsive eating they've indulged in.

Just as alcohol and depression are closely related, so does food lead its addicts into depression. And that lowers their motivation. It also increases their absenteeism because food abuse can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic illnesses. Since food addicts usually don't eat a balanced healthy diet, they also tend to be prone to colds and flu. And again, this leads to lost productivity.

Some food abusers are into weight control, and look so normal nobody would imagine they have an eating disorder. They do secret binges, and to head off weight gain they engage in self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives. They manage to achieve a satisfying image at work, while their self-image shrinks due to fear, shame, and guilt. Their  life-damaging behavior impairs their ability to relate and to perform up to potential.

Then we have the high achievers who just can't keep weight off, but  their workaholism insures their success on the job. They work extra hours, meet deadlines, cater to everyone else's needs, and often become perfectionists about their own appearance and the image their work station reflects. Usually, they avoid overeating at work, especially if they can be observed. "Where's the artificial sweetener?" they ask while planning a visit to their secret stash of goodies, which they wolf down in private.

In our fast-paced workplaces, where employees' emotional and physical needs are often overlooked in the rush to get the job done, it's no surprise that food addiction is rampant. It's the drug that can't be detected the way alcohol and marijuana can. It alters moods, for a while. And it's a distraction from the real problems that aren't getting solved.

Also, food consumption is a very intimate practice. The object of your desire actually becomes you. You take it in and make it part of you. So, in a work setting where human concerns get low priority, it's only natural to seek satisfaction orally. "If they don't care about me, at least I can be nice to myself. Mmm. That's good."

The cycle of addiction isn't good though. It's very damaging. And it's a cover-up for unfinished business deep down inside the psyche. It's an attempt to fill a bottomless pit. It's a substitute for healthy relating and unconditional love. And it needs to be dealt with.

Therapy helps. Overeaters Anonymous helps. New behaviors help too. Like exercise, sound nutrition, and proper rest. Or maybe a new job, or a new perspective. The ability to relate honestly needs to be restored. And the gap between the outer person and the inner spirit needs to be bridged. It's a difficult journey, but a necessary one, because the human spirit craves wholeness, and addictive eating blocks that process.

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