Your addiction to food could be similar to the pangs of a drug addict   by Eveline Gan     EVERY night, Amanda (not her real name) finishes several packets of crackers. As if in a trance, the 40-year-old can't stop bingeing until there is nothing left in her snack pantry.   "The moment I open a packet of chips, I know I won't be able to stop until I finish everything. Sometimes, I'll fall asleep munching on snacks," she said.   The morning after, she is always horrified and guilty to find snack crumbs all over her bed. Even so, Amanda is unable to stop her nightly binges and continues replenishing the snacks in her pantry.   Janny Tan, 28, on the other hand, can't live without her bubble tea. While she doesn't think she's addicted to the drink, Janny admitted that she gets tremendously "irritable and sleepy" if she doesn't get her daily fix - with extra sugar and pearls.   Once, she made her boyfriend drive to another outlet to get her bubble tea, when her regular bubble tea stall ran out of pearls.   If we were to replace Amanda and Janny's obsession with food with drugs or alcohol, wouldn't they sound a lot like conventional substance addicts?   Apparently, they might be, according to a new study from Yale University.   According to the study, which is published online in the Archives of General Psychiatry, the brains of people with addictive eating behaviour appear to behave like those who are addicted to alcohol or drugs.   When the research participants saw food they craved, areas of their brains associated with cravings and reward were activated and went into hyper-drive - just like what happens when a substance abuser sees their favourite drug.   The researchers' aim was to explore the theory that the development of obesity may be linked to food addiction.   Speaking to Today, Dr Danny Ng, a clinical psychologist at Raffles Hospital, said a number of studies has shown that urges to consume food compulsively come from the increase in activity in certain areas of the brain, specifically the amygdala, medial orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortex.   He agreed that it is possible for a person to be addicted to food. However, Dr Ng added that they are more likely to be addicted to certain types of food, rather than to food in general.   In particular, those who are excessively stressed or bored may be at a higher risk.   "In such instances, bingeing on their favourite food will release neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which gives them an experience of pleasure," explained Dr Ng.   Rather than view it as an addiction, Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said food works as a "coping mechanism" for emotional problems. In his practice, Dr Wang reckoned that about 10 to 20 per cent of his patients use food to cope with stress or anxiety.   "Though many people will tell you they have food cravings, I don't think it works in the same way as drug addiction. Addiction is a very strong word," said Dr Wang.   "With food cravings, your body certainly doesn't go through the same type of withdrawal symptoms you get from a drug addiction."   Understanding the root of the problem is key to treating the "food addict", said Dr Ng. He feels that dealing with food addicts should be similar to other types of addicts. His treatment plan would include behavioural modification therapy, and teaching food addicts how to relax and manage anxiety and stress.   But first, that would mean food addicts have to admit they need help.   When asked if she might consider herself an addict, Janny said: "It's just bubble tea, not drugs. What's the big deal?"                 This article was featured in Today May 31, 2011. http://www.todayonline.com/Health/EDC110531-0000017/Quick-fixes