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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.

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.

I'm confused?!:girl_hug:

What's wrong w/what I said? I was making a statement. From what the poster stated it sounds like she didn't watch the show. If she had watched the show she would have known what it was about. It wasn't about having a different opinion. Fact and opinion are too different things. If you read you will see that I explained what the show was about.

I don't know if I would call these focused things that a WLS person does as "addictions" just because they are somehow consuming a lot of the person's resources. Let's face it; these were probably things that the heavy set (pre-op) person woud have loved to engage in on a regular basis but couln't because they were too heavy and lacked something (self-esteem, energy, notariaty, employment, etc.) Living life as a very fat person (if that is what it can be called) makes you realize just what the hell matters to you, and what you would like to do differntly if given the chance. Now these people have the chance, and as long as it is not detrimental, I say...go for it!!!!!

I taped the show and watched in last night. I don't think it was WLS that made our personalities addictive types. I don't think Oprah was implying that.

I have seen people that had drug addictions turn to exercise, usually in extreme. They told me they got the same type of rush they got from drugs. Interesting when you see how many overweight people turn to exercise, excessive exercise, instead of food.

Mine is collecting. I love my Christmas collections and I just keep buying and buying. I also love clothes and buy more than I need. My opinion is that it all goes hand in hand. We have compulsive addictive personalities to begin with. Take away food and we have to replace those feelings we got with food with something else.

Makes me more determined to work on my head issues since that's what will make me more successful in my weight loss program.

I think that Oprah cherrypicked her guests. Introducing formerly fat people who had had weight loss surgery and then replaced their addictions with healthy habits like scrapbooking, gardening, or returning to university would do less for her ratings. At the same time she has made an interesting point: food is an addiction for most of us and there is the possibility that some of us may replace this with another unhealthy addiction. I have heard that she herself is very much a workoholic. This is an addiction but one that society approves of.

I think that Oprah cherrypicked her guests. Introducing formerly fat people who had had weight loss surgery and then replaced their addictions with healthy habits like scrapbooking, gardening, or returning to university would do less for her ratings. At the same time she has made an interesting point: food is an addiction for most of us and there is the possibility that some of us may replace this with another unhealthy addiction. I have heard that she herself is very much a workoholic. This is an addiction but one that society approves of.

Would I have tuned in if the show were about people w/healthy habits no? Addictions, yes. A healthy habit and addiction are too different things. My going on the internet is a healthy habit. I don't wake up thinking I have to jump on the internet or forget to feed my kid b/c I have to jump on the internet.

People that have addictions have serious problems and need help. You can be an alcoholic or enjoy wine tasting. Aren't these too completely different things?

Who would have tuned into the show if people turned from food to knitting? No one would care, that's good..

Just to let everybody know my lap band is a revision, I had a gastric bypass in 1998. I never did develop any other kind of addiction as I lost 150 pounds. But then again, I obviously did not lose my food addiction, since I gained a lot of the weight back!

I did see this show on Oprah and have seen other programs about weight loss on her program. She is, in my opinion, anti-surgery for weight loss to begin with.

However, I also think having a lapband, we have a great advantage to bypass patients who struggle with these issues. For example, I was losing VERY slowly for almost a full year. It was dealing with these very issues of eating too much or for the wrong reasons. It is taking me TIME to rewire my brain and to just FIGURE it all out! My bypass friends lost the weight SO quickly that I often wonder how hard it really is to get your brain wrapped around it. Of course, I have super successful bypass friends and some who are really struggling with keeping it off. Again, it's EACH PERSON having to figure out how to live with this new way of life. I have to say, FOR ME, the band was the BEST decision! I have had time to work out the head issues while it helps me with the food ingestion part.

It's all a journey and I really feel for the people who swapped addictions. It does make me wonder if they had more time to lose with the band if they would have figured some of those issues out. Just a thought.

Putch :cool:

This was the topic of coversation with my lunch group today (who knows nothing about me being banded by the way). We all know of 4 people within our work system who have the lapband. They ( the lunch group) ranted and raved about what addictions our co-workers were going to have now. About how we're going to see alcoholics coming in now instead of fat people. Thye were all laughing hysterically. :cool: This is EXACTLY the reason they don't know about my banding.

re: 'Does anyone have a new addiction?"

...sure....Lap Band Talk!!!!

Same here Jack!!

This was the topic of coversation with my lunch group today (who knows nothing about me being banded by the way). We all know of 4 people within our work system who have the lapband. They ( the lunch group) ranted and raved about what addictions our co-workers were going to have now. About how we're going to see alcoholics coming in now instead of fat people. Thye were all laughing hysterically. :cool: This is EXACTLY the reason they don't know about my banding.

People can be so cruel. Something about my sense of humor though.... I find it kinda cruel...and kinda funny.... Go figure

I see an addiction as something that interferes with your life (financial, emotional, marriage, children, well-being, health).

NO...I am not addicted to anything else.....I'm Boring (the good kind).

Shawn

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.....?

Yea! Who's to say which obsessions are good and which are bad - I mean emotionally. Physically - is another story.

I actually did very recently begin to smoke again! I quit 8 years ago (cold turkey) after smoking for 15 yrs, a pack a day. I never had another because I thought that if I did, it would be a habit again. But, a few months ago I had one while haveing a few drinks w/friends and decided that I could control it and only have one or two when I drank - which is very rarely. But....the past week - I've pulled out that stashed pack that I'd kept for "evenings out" and well, I've started again! Oh my gosh!

Am I nuts - or is it just impossible to live the Sandra Dee life?

:guess

Hopeworks: You're probably a little stressed with all the weight loss stuff. I hope you can quite. Good luck!

Interesting discussion....I watched the Oprah show too. I guess what I got out of it was that most (not all) people who are extremely overweight are that way because they are addicted to food, and the reason being that they are using food as a coping mechanism for whatever the real issues are that they are trying to aviod the pain of dealing with. I felt oprah and the shrink lady (can't remember her name) were saying that if some point along the way you don't get to the bottom of those issues and overcome the hurt/pain/abusive relationships/rejections etc etc etc then you MAY seek out something else to avoid it- ie, avoiding feelings by drinking, finding acceptance and "love" by sleeping around and all those other things.

MB I'm just stating the obvious but I guess thats what i got out of it all. What do you all think?

i dont like the oprah show. i dont watch much tv. but, i did start smoking. i think i replaced the stress eating with stress smoking. im trying to quit.