Is there a pill for food addiction?

Dr. Peele,

As someone struggling with food addiction, I have been exploring various treatment options to help me regain control over my eating habits. While doing so, I stumbled upon your website and have been pouring through all the articles and readers comments.

I have a question, and having read through your previous writings I can guess what you might say, but I’ll ask it anyway – Is there a pill for food addiction?

I understand that overcoming addiction often requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing behavioral and psychological strategies, as well as support from loved ones.

However, I am curious to know if you would recommend a pharmaceutical intervention that could help alleviate or eliminate food cravings altogether, making it easier to manage this addiction.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Lars

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Dear Lars,

You raised an excellent question here. In fact, we decided to turn our answer into a short blog post here:

Can the New Magic Pills for Weight Loss Solve Food Addiction Treatment

More specifically, directly to you,

It depends on your situation. If you have had a chronic condition and have made attempts to address your food addiction without success, and your health or quality of life are suffering, you might certainly consider it! As with anything, be aware of the pros and cons, both short-term and longer.

We support the use of medication, alternative treatments, etc., if they are sound and well-thought-out. Regardless, we support people’s right to make choices and decisions in their own lives, and their ability to make good ones for them.

All the best,

Stanton