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I just started watching today's episode. It is pretty interesting. Per the statistics Oprah provided as many as 30% of the people that have WLS will have a new obsession. The 1st lady on here is struggling w/an alcohol addiction. Another lady is now has a sexual addiction.

Does anyone have a new addiction?

I have not had my surgery yet and it took me years to come to the realization that I have an addiction to food. For years I thought it was just b/c I really liked the taste of food, etc.

I am just starting this episode and it is very interesting.

It isn't nearly as exciting as being a binge drinker or ho, but my new addiction is shopping. You should check out my bill from QVC and you will know I've really been busy :girl_hug:

Hmmm, not to be obscene, but I am definitely feeling less self conscious, less inhibited and a lot more in the mood with my hubby. I am not going to complain if that is an addiction.

It isn't nearly as exciting as being a binge drinker or ho, but my new addiction is shopping. You should check out my bill from QVC and you will know I've really been busy :girl_hug:

:heh: I think I already have that one. I can only imagine how it will be once I have surgery and can really buy the clothes I want.

Running! I am utterly addicted. Gotta get better, get faster, go further.

I am not kidding myself that all my worst eating habits are gone, but I run a lot, and I walk about 8km 4 or 5 times a week as well, so I'm fairly sure that if I were to lose my band, I could maintain as long as I kept up the exercise and tried to eat reasonably most of the time.

So its not an addiction that I find a problem in any way. It brings me great joy but it also does my body good (well lets ask my knees that in 20 years time). My sis inspired me - she took up running when she quit smoking and now does half marathons.

Question: Does anyone know anyone who does not have an "obsession"? I am wondering what the point of this show actually is...I'll bet you a nickel that eating was not our one and only obsession before, just like something else will not be now. I love scrapbooking, reading, planning trips...I am focused (obsessed?) on different things at different times.

Does anyone think this distinction makes sense, or am I splitting hairs? I mean, is Oprah obsessed with producing her show? Confused.....?

I think the difference is the effects. Your scrapbooking will become an obsession if you ignore your family because of it, use all of your money on it, etc. We can have hobbies, but when you negatively affect others' lives as well as your own, that's the problem.

I think the difference is the effects. Your scrapbooking will become an obsession if you ignore your family because of it, use all of your money on it, etc. We can have hobbies, but when you negatively affect others' lives as well as your own, that's the problem.

Pretty much...I agree it's a huge difference.

Question: Does anyone know anyone who does not have an "obsession"? I am wondering what the point of this show actually is...I'll bet you a nickel that eating was not our one and only obsession before, just like something else will not be now. I love scrapbooking, reading, planning trips...I am focused (obsessed?) on different things at different times.

Does anyone think this distinction makes sense, or am I splitting hairs? I mean, is Oprah obsessed with producing her show? Confused.....?

Sure, I might be addicted to watching tv, going to Vegas, and this message board. But it's a lot different from having 14 affairs (7 of which are one night stands).

The point of the show was the tie in between the addiction and the WLS. You probably didn't watch the show, but they went into depth about the addictions. Ex: One reason the 2nd lady started cheating on her husband was b/c of all the attention that you got from men. She had been overweight her whole life and losing 200 lbs really boosted her self image (with men).

The show made sense to me. The same thing might have happened to some of those women from what Swan show.

Sure, I might be addicted to watching tv, going to Vegas, and this message board. But it's a lot different from having 14 affairs (7 of which are one night stands).

The point of the show was the tie in between the addiction and the WLS. You probably didn't watch the show, but they went into depth about the addictions. Ex: One reason the 2nd lady started cheating on her husband was b/c of all the attention that you got from men. She had been overweight her whole life and losing 200 lbs really boosted her self image (with men).

The show made sense to me. The same thing might have happened to some of those women from what Swan show.

Regarding the comment highlited in red, why would you need to write something like that? Aren't we all "friends" here? And we all get different thing out of the same show.

Before I got this surgery, my therapist told me "an addictive person doesn't just stop being addictive....if one addiction stops, another will take its place. Make sure you figure out what that addiction will be and make it a more healthy one."

And she's right.

I think a lot of folks here maybe don't see themselves as having an addiction with food....but whoa does having the band really make you take a look at things.

Good luck to us all that we find a new, healthy, addiction.

By the by...my therapist recommended something that would keep your hands busy....scrapbooking...knitting...quilting....etc.

:girl_hug:

Ditto Jack

I agree with Jack!

Also I sure watch a lot more of the food channel, exercise more and play pogo a lot.

Drinking I don't do because of the calories although sometimes I'll have a vodka tonic, shopping, I now enjoy but the $ isn't there as much as I'd like to to so I won't even consider spending more than $30 on a sweater. Writting, I have begun to write more and that is a lot of fun, perhaps that will become my obsession.

I think it's discouraging and degrading that Oprah would have a show about WLS patients and addictions. Oprah lost a lot of weight, does that mean she has a replacement addiction? Or is only WLS patients with this problem, becuase we must be the ones with addictive personalities or we wouldn't have had to resort to WLS. If you looked at the general population and compared other types of addictions to food additions the 30% who become addicted to a new thing would probably be the same. It's not WLS, it's just that a certain percentage have problems and will create new ones for themselves. It's sad, but true. The challenge is to find something positive to be addicted to. My son had a serious drug problem. He went to treatment twice. Finally, with ALOT of effort on his part, he got addicted to exercise and is now at the National Circus School in Montreal for Cirque du Soliel. Go figure!

Yeah I think some ppl just have addictive personalities. My cousin always has something she's addicted to, and takes the the EXTREME. For the last few years its been running, and she runs multiple hundred mile marathons. Previously it was Mary Kay, previous to that it was religion, previous to that it was alcohol, previous to that it was ...etc. Her knees are totally falling apart at this point but she keeps running, and her heart is having a hard time keeping up becasue the human body is not meant to run THAT much. My aunt is scared she will have a heart attack, her other daughter hopes one of her sister's knees will just totally blow out so that she can't run anymore. But then my aunt says she's scared what will her next addiction be??

I don't think im really a food addict. I don't have an addictive personality. Hmm maybe baby clothes though, I love buying clothes for my baby! Gymboree, Gap, Old Navy, Children's Place, lol you name it im there! HA.

My only remotely addicting activity is cruising thrift shops for cheap, cute clothes. Nothing like a cute $1.41 skirt or $1.91 pants!!!