Interview

For my interview I first e-mailed three places that I felt would have experts in the Field I am writing about, but unfortunately none of them emailed me back. I then found Carol Ann Ryan who is the Dietary Supervisor at Heritage place. She gave kinda of brief answers but was an expert in dealing with people who she feels truly has food addiction.

1. Do you feel like food addiction is growing and becoming more common?

She said that yes she felt it was growing and becoming more common, "Its something that has always been there but is starting to become more recognized."

      2.    Do you think it is additives that make the foods so addictive?
She said that she doesn't believe its additives that are being put in to peoples food, " Its people's personalty that makes them addictive, they can get addicted to any food weather it was processed with additives or not."

      3.Is this something that can just be helped with a meal plan?
Yes she felt that it could be helped with a set meal plan and counseling, " but not cured, just helped"

      4.Would you compare it to some one addicted to drugs or is it not as strong?
Yes, she believed it to be just as strong, " Its like alcoholism or gambling, its a real addiction with its own problems."
       5.Do you actually believe that food addiction is a disorder or just will power?
Carol Ann believes that it is a disorder and should be treated like one, "Its an addiction not just will power."

       6.What would you say is a way for somebody with food addiction to get better?
She said that its very different for everyone, "Its really personal, its such a different plan for everyone I couldn't really give a general answer, people usually lose alot to work towards this addiction getting better."

       7.Is there a cure, can they ever really eat "normal" again?
She said " No there is no cure, its like any other addiction and you will struggle with it the rest of your life."
        8.Where do you think food addiction all started from, when and why did people start to believe we could really be addicted to food?
Carol Ann believes " Food addiction has been around a long time, its nothing new but people have now just started to recognize it."

       9.What causes food addiction, do you think it develops slowly over time unnoticed or is taken on by a tragic incident in life?
She said, " I definitely believe its something unnoticed, you start eating when your depressed and one day you try to stop and realize you just can't"