For the last 18 years I have been involved in a 12 step program. I have used food as my vice/substitution. Once I have surgery in a few months, what will I have left? That question keeps going on in my head. Hopefully, just maybe, I will become a exercise junky. Anyone else suffer from any addiction?

In my program it was stressed in pre op appointments, psych appointments, workshops, and nurse education class). Post op, it is discussed frequently in support group meetings. I was just shocked that the statistics showed how easy it is for a non-drinker to become an alcoholic. It seems that all of us have some sort of tendency to addiction (ie food addiction) so we really need to be vigilant to avoid a transfer addiction to drugs and alcohol. And to shopping, exercise, sex, or anything else.

Just liking something is not an addiction. Some people like exercise and jokingly call it a new 'addiction', as do some people with shopping. Liking and enjoying something you've never been able to enjoy before is normal and healthy. Doing it to an unhealthy degree - thinking about it all the time, doing it all the time, having it affect your relationships with people, interfere with work, affect your finances, affect your health, and affecting your life in any negative way - these are all signs of an addiction you need to seek help for. It is a very real but avoidable danger. Recognize the signs of an unhealthy addiction and change what you're doing before it becomes a more serious problem.

I like wine but with my family history of alcoholism I limit to two glasses on Saturday nite. I love shopping (and coworkers say I have a problem) but I work in a bank and need a professional wardrobe. I budget a certain amount per week for clothes shopping. I'm not spending money that I can't afford to spend. Shopping used to reduce me to tears and send me on a donut binge but now I enjoy trying on clothes even if I don't buy them. It's fun activity for me. :-)

This is s great discussion. We are all addicts to food. I can see how it would be fairly easy to transfer one addiction to another. I know I have to be careful moving forward.

Thanks everyone for sharing!

I think I have transfer addiction. I probably need help but I don't know where to start. Also no one knows. My family would be devastated! Not sure who to turn to. Thanks for listening. How do I first post a question? This is my first time on this forum. Thx!

I want to thank you all for sharing your experiences, because I never heard about transferring additions and the chances of being an alcoholic. Its an eye opener and now that I'm aware of this possibly I can work on it!

I was not to far into the surgery prep process before I realized that the psychological issues were going to need as much attention - if not more - than the physical ones. I am generally mentally healthy and competent, but increasingly aware that food and fat are a barrier and protection that goes well beyond my original understanding.

I've bought and started to work through two books that are so far very helpful:

1) The Food & Feelings Workbook - really excellent exercises and reflection throughout the book, totally applicable to WLS patients

2) The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Weight Management - less helpful than the first book because there are some things that just don't seem to apply to WLS patients, but pick and choose and you'll find some thought-provoking exercises.

I'd appreciate any additional recommendations anyone has. I'm very concerned about sabotaging my own success for psych/fear-related issues, and so the more tools the better.

I have two primary addictions. One, I have 10-1/2 years in program and have dealt with fairly well. The other is food. I'm very much an emotional eater. Have been all my life, but it got worse when I started getting a handle on my other issue. Been dabbling with OA for 4 or 5 years now. Had some decent abstinence in 2013 from May to September, but since I've been totally out of control.

I worry that I won't be able to get a good enough handle on my eating to get surgery.

I worry that if I do get surgery, these same habits will sabotage me and leave me malnourished AND fat!

But I can't live in the future. I can't change the past. I just have to do the best I can for today.