Cross addiction

[Chrispy1 14]

Had weight loss surgery 7 years ago. 2 years into it started drinking heavily. I use to drink maybe 2 or 3 drinks a year. Now I'm a full blown alcoholic in recovery. My ex wife also hade bypass and started to drink alot but was able to control it. Anyone else struggling with the cross addiction?

[Violetsareblue 18]

I know it’s so, so common, especially for Bariatric patients and alcohol. I drink a glass or two of wine a night most nights but that was normal for me before and I don’t think it’s excessive. I definitely don’t drink to get drunk and rarely even get tipsy.

But I used to be only a social smoker and I am now up to a pack a week 😕 I think it’s called addiction transferance? I want to cut back.

[catwoman7 11,274]

I haven't - but I know it's fairly common.

I was never a big drinker since alcoholism runs in my family (so I rarely drank), so I knew that particular transfer addiction wouldn't be a problem for me - but so far, nothing else has been. It's happened to others I know, though...

[NinaWelch 5]

I see it's been a while since this was discussed, but I’m really curious—how did things turn out for those who were struggling with this? Did anyone find strategies that helped? I’ve heard some people replace one habit with another, like exercise or crafting, but I wonder if that actually works long-term or if it’s just swapping one thing for another. Would love to hear updates from anyone willing to share.

[Famulenu 1]

Cross-addiction after bariatric surgery is something I didn’t expect, but it hit hard. I swapped food for alcohol and didn’t even notice at first. Therapy helped, but I also needed structure and support from people who understood.

I’ve heard that abbeycare group's clinics offer solid programs for addiction recovery, including for those of us dealing with post-surgery struggles. Finding the right help makes a huge difference in breaking the cycle.

[Dub 10,018]

Yep.

Happened to me, too. Freakin roller coaster.

Have not had a drink since February 2019 and have no plans to resume.

[learn2cook 625]

I do think I had/have an addiction to using food for dealing with negative emotions. It took a lot of therapy. I recently had some bad news, and found myself ruminating on where I could take a walk outside. So, I’m glad I seem to have transferred to exercise, but I enjoy making music too (not very good, just fun). So, there is help. I loosely follow a 12 step for over eaters and surrender to a higher power. After surgery the “food noise” is gone, and I choose to waste my negative brain space by envisioning exploring outside. My actual time outside is 5-60 minutes, nothing that is destructive. The transfer is more about ruminating. That’s just what works for me. Addiction is tricky and strong, and very individual. Peace.