From Drugs to Diet

To really change behavior is a very difficult task. I was reminded of this reading a story this week about increasing attention paid to diet and wellness within addiction programs.

Traditionally, programs designed to treat alcoholism and drug addiction have focused only on helping people withdraw from the problematic substance. Diet hasn't been a worry, as Abby Ellin explains in her New York Times piece. In fact, sweets and snacks are typically available to ease the adjustment.

The experience can be similar with people who are trying to stop smoking. When people give up the comfort of their tobacco habit, it's easy for them to seek relief by eating more. There are so many things we can use to soothe and comfort ourselves, and they all have their downsides, though to a varying degree.

For some people in addiction treatment, Ellin explains, the process leads to an overreliance on foods with high fat and high sugar content. Now, few people would argue that eating poorly is more damaging than cocaine addiction, but weight gain can still cause problems if it becomes an obstacle to maintaining abstinence. The issue also highlights the importance in addiction programs of addressing multiple aspects of a person’s life: self-care, life skills--a varied arsenal of strategies to manage distress.