Hi Daniel. Like you, I am also a believer that food can be as much as an addiction to some as is alcohol, drugs, etc. are to some others. As the majority of us know how to lose weight. I can lose fairly easily, but my problem like many, is keeping it off. Food can be a temporary feel-good fix . Especially eating when we are not actually even hungry. I truly believe the majority of obese people are dealing with those triggers and demons that drive us to crave food for a crutch for coping with past trauma, stress, grief, loneliness, etc.etc. One reason I believe this as an addiction is because I was slim to normal weight all my life until my mid 50's. With a wonderful husband, a career job, two grown successful kids, no money worries, etc. Then a lot in my life changed around that time and continued .. The biggest was losing my only daughter at age 31. I had nobody to really talk to or even felt like talking to anyone about this. I often look back and wonder how things may have been different if I had gone into therapy soon after this loss. As went on to lose my dad 3months later, then through the years 3 brothers, my mother , then my husband of 43yrs. Plus many close friends and relatives. Moved to a completely different city, from a house to apartment living, etc. Yes, this is life, but some of us have a tough time coping . So instead of alcohol, drugs, etc. our crutch is food.
I can recall my eating habits then begin to change also. Random eating, snacking, grazing, not caring about making healthy food choices, etc. And once the habits are deeply instilled, then so hard to break them. Internalizing my feelings and filling the void with food. I still tend to want to eat when I am feeling depressed or stressed. Making it so hard now to keep my lost weight from piling back on me again. Though time alone has somewhat lessened the pain. So, I would assume that treatment (therapy) would be needed and helpful for treating obesity. Not just being told to "go on a diet", etc. as we all know how that works, or should say not works. I think many doctors and professionals are now starting to recognize that obese people are not just lazy, don't care, etc. And should help patients seek therapy, etc. help along with a nutritionist, etc. I don't think very many people can lose weight and be successful in keeping it off, unless they also address their mental and emotional issues. But think we still have a long way to go in this area. As so many stigmas still exist.

It comes to mind because I know om addicted to food, for all the above reasons. I also know for a long time obesity wasn't considered a disease. The quick answer was and still is, watch what you eat, don't eat too much. Maybe if you got off the couch Yada Yada Yada. So I have friends that have gone to rehabs for alcohol and sex addiction and hear how similar the treatments are it made me curious if food addiction treatments would have similarities.

I have a phsycologist helping me. I keep hearing from the professionals that over eating is us not being able to accept certain situations in our lives. Something’s hurt too much. Some time we need comfort and don’t know how to ask for it. I bury my problems, hurts , fears. I’m learning to take charge of my life instead of turning to food. It will always be a struggle for me. I hope you’ll be different.

I've never been to any they have a few places here where I live and there is psychologist here that specializes in that too
I could benefit from it myself