This is insane. I’m trying to wean myself off of chocolate and other sweets. Currently, I’m experiencing several symptoms of withdrawal. I’m biting my nails, irritable, anxious and I keep opening my kitchen cabinets in search of something…anything. I’ve intentionally not purchased any snack food at the grocery store. I can’t eat what I don’t buy, right? I also haven’t washed my hair in a few days with the hope that will stop me from caving and running out in public to find some Hershey love.
Just like the recovering alcoholic who will drink mouthwash to get a fix, I’m looking for alternative sources of sugar and chocolate. How sick is that? Seriously! I made hot chocolate from baker’s cocoa the other night. This morning I was tempted to sprinkle some sugar on my toast. What gives? My mother actually commented how addicted people are becoming to sugar. I thought, I’m not addicted. I like the stuff, but I don’t need it to get through life. Now I know the truth.
In terms of dependencies, I suppose chocolate is less dangerous than smoking, alcohol or gambling. My trip down addiction road has opened my eyes though. It really snuck up on me. There was a time when eating a brownie was an innocent treat. How could I know my relationship with Duncan Hines would take such an ugly turn? Now I can completely understand how the drinker, smoker and gambler became ensnared in their guilty pleasure. I don’t think I’m a bad person because chocolate has become such a substantial part of my life. I am uncomfortable with the idea of anything having that kind of power over me though. There is a strange cycle of compromise and justification going on with me. I want this candy bar so I’ll eat two veggies with dinner. Or, my neighbor gave me this bag of dark chocolate M&Ms. It would be rude not to eat them. The truth is chocolate and sugar are in control. It’s time for me to move them to the back seat while I take the steering wheel for a while.
Lord help me, I just washed my hair. Someone please hide my keys.
I get this way sometimes right before my period. I’ve even been known to scavenge m&ms from where the boys spilled them in the car. And you think YOU’VE got it bad?? 😉 Seriously, chocolate (or more specifically cocoa) is actually health food and they say one oz per day is is definitely good for you…Not the milk chocolate. But there are sweetened cocoa treats that will give you that chocolate rush without all the bad fattening stuff. I joke not. You can ask about healthful cocoa in the health food store. I’m serious!!!!
Hmmm, wait…maybe not. Check out http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/08/AR2005080801203.html
It seems that the push for chocolate/cocoa as a health food might be a PR campaign by the candy companies. Drat.
Well phoey!
Treat yourself daily I say. But make sure it is of the finest quality and only a bit! As someone who is struggling with quitting smoking I sincerely wish sugar was my only major addiction!
Oh, c’mon! Chocolate never hurt anybody.
Unless you over-do it.
This could result in getting the “Hershey Squirts”
Amsterdamn, is this leftover discussion from your dinner conversation in October?
Good luck with quitting smoking Amy. That’s really a tough one. Different things work for different people. My Dad smoked for years and then one day his wife (my Stepmom) signed him up for a hypnotist. He was teased like the dickens for agreeing to go. He left the session shaking his head at how stupid it was. Funny thing though, he never smoked again. Weird.
I’ve tried! I’ve tried pretty much everything! Hypnotism, gum, patches.. sigh. It IS hard! Stick with the chocolate 😉
Dark chocolate has antioxidants that are good for you.
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/73/81921.htm?printing=true
Gain back your health…
Information on how to stop smoking…