What happens to the brain in food addiction?

Food Addiction involves the same areas of the brain as drug addiction. The same neurotransmitters are involved, and many of the symptoms are identical. Processed junk foods have a powerful effect on the reward centers of the brain. These effects are caused by brain neurotransmitters like dopamine.

People with Food Addiction get their “fix” by eating a particular food until their brain has received all of the dopamine it was missing. The more often this cycle of craving and rewarding is repeated, the stronger it becomes and the greater the quantity of food that’s needed each time.

When ingested, sugar, flour, grains (and any other addictive foods) light up the brain’s “reward circuit” by flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. This reward system controls the body’s ability to feel pleasure and motivates a person to repeat behaviors needed to thrive, such as spending time with loved ones, physical intimacy or achieving a goal. Overstimulation of the dopamine reward circuit can cause an intensely pleasurable “high” that can lead people to eat these foods again and again.

When a person continues to compulsively eat sugar, flour, grains (and any other addictive foods), the brain adjusts to the excess dopamine by making less of it and/or reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high felt when first eating these foods—an effect known as “tolerance” which causes one to then eat more of the food, trying to achieve the same dopamine high. It can also cause less pleasure to be accessed from other things previously enjoyed – like social activities.

Long-term compulsive eating also causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well.

It's almost time! Become a Food Addiction Professional at INFACT!

Hello friends and colleagues,

The final countdown has begun! In less than a week, The International School for Food Addiction Counseling and Treatment is launching our transformative Food Addiction Professional Certification Course.

Kick-off with a 3-Day Intensive: September 6th, 7th, and 8th

Here’s what you’ll gain:

170 hours of dynamic and interactive online virtual sessions.
Exclusive access to our student platform, filled with essential resources and continuous support.
In-depth lectures and a comprehensive teaching manual to guide your learning.
A prestigious Food Addiction Professional Certificate (CFAP) from the European Certification Board.

This course is your pathway to becoming a certified expert in the rapidly growing field of food addiction counseling. With limited spaces available, time is of the essence! Seize this opportunity to advance your career and make a meaningful impact in the lives of those battling food addiction.

Secure your spot today and join us on this life-changing journey!

Warm regards,
Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir

Sign up

Did you know that we offer flexible payment plans and have limited scholarship opportunities available to help you on your journey to becoming a certified Food Addiction Professional. For more information, please message Esther at esther@infact.is.

Step into your calling and make a lasting impact—enroll today and start your journey toward becoming a certified expert in food addiction recovery. Contact us now to secure one of the few remaining spots!

Sign up today!
Eszter's Transformative Journey with INFACT
Eszter's Transformative Journey with INFACT

If you missed our recent webinar or want to revisit the valuable insights shared, we’ve got great news! The recording of our latest session, "Pathways to Recovery: Certified Food Addiction Professional Training," is now available for you to watch at your convenience.

In this 1-hour webinar, you’ll gain a deep understanding of how you can help others recover from food addiction and elevate your career through effective counseling and treatment for food as a substance use disorder.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to explore the growing field of food addiction counseling. Watch the recording now and discover how you can make a lasting impact.

Check out the recording!

Are you interested in discovering if you are a food addict?

The INFACT School now offers you access to a free diagnostic tool called the Yale Scale. If you’re curious to find out whether you might have a food addiction or just keen to see the self-report measure in action, you can complete the questionnaire below.

Once you complete the questionnaire, we will be in touch with the next steps to help you in your recovery process.

Complete questionnaire
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