If you’re taking this quiz, chances are you have some issues with food. Maybe you’ve tried dieting, but could never lose weight — or keep it off for good. Maybe some of the ways that you try to control your food seem irrational to you, but somehow you can’t stop. Maybe you just have a niggling feeling that something isn’t quite “normal” when it comes to you and food.

You may be wondering, “What’s the difference between an eating disorder and food addiction?” This is a great question. Many food addicts also have eating disorders. But food addiction, like any addiction, is a dependency on a particular substance or behavior, and the inability to stop using that substance or behavior despite negative consequences.

To take a closer look, let’s dive into some basic questions that apply to all addictions. Try to answer “yes” or “no” as honestly as you can.

  1. Do you frequently eat more than you intended to?
  2. Have you tried countless diets or ways to moderate your eating?
  3. Have you been unable to stop overeating despite the desire to do so?
  4. Do you have strong urges to eat certain foods?
  5. Do you spend a lot of time eating, planning binges, thinking about food or weight loss, recovering from overeating, or purging (vomiting, exercise, laxatives, fasting)?
  6. Has your eating compromised your health? your family? your relationships? your work? your values? your goals?
  7. Have you continued to overeat, or eat problem foods, despite serious health issues (like obesity, diabetes, cancer, dental problems, mental illness)?
  8. Have you ever put yourself or others in danger because of your eating (for example, driving distractedly because you’re eating)?
  9. Does your eating cause you to withdraw socially?
  10. Have you continued overeating even though you knew it was harming your physical or mental health?
  11. Have you ever quit addictive foods (like sugar) altogether, even for a short period of time, and experienced withdrawal-like symptoms (headaches, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, tremors, mood problems)?
  12. Do you have to eat certain foods in order to alleviate these symptoms, or to feel “normal”?
  13. Has your eating gotten worse over time?
  14. Do you suspect that you may be addicted to certain foods?

If you answered “yes” to five or more of these questions, then there is a good chance that you are addicted to food — or certain foods and food behaviors.

This quiz is intended for self-assessment only. For an in-depth evaluation, please contact one of our counselors at SHiFT – Recovery by ACORN.

Hope is waiting. Recovery from food addiction is possible. You are NOT alone!

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