How I Finally Kicked The Habit (My Chocolate Addiction)

Member Name: marandina

Product:	My Chocolate Addiction
Date:	05/07/05 (2913 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can be addictive

Disadvantages: You can get help

Have you seen my chocolate penis? No? Well, perhaps you’d rather not and who’d blame you? Chocolate comes in all shapes and sizes these days doesn’t it? I mean, body chocolate is one of THE most popular gifts on Valentines Day and many’s the occasion where folks have used chocolate as a marital/sex aid *raises eyebrow* Quite frankly, I like chocolate. In fact, so much so that I always remember my seriously addicted days when I was eventually found under a huge mound of Curly Wurly wrappers and promptly rushed off to hospital to have my stomach pumped. In hindsight, people should have spotted the signs. Rarely was I seen without a King size in my hand. Then again, the choccie Gods of manufacturing have hardly helped chocolate addicts by inventing the concept of King Size bars of chocolate have they? Life used to be so much simpler when not so long ago there was no such thing as King Size (apart from pillows and stuff). It was one size fits all and gerron with it but then along came the creative types looking to boost revenues and profits and the KS was born. I knew I liked chocolate but didn’t bank on the increasing frequency of eating the darned stuff. Yep, one minute I was 12 stone, a few weeks later I was a 17stone roly poly auditioning for the X-Factor. I guess it’s easy to forget just how many calories and how much sugar is loaded into a bar of choccie but your hips will soon remind you after you’ve devoured some *Knowing look*

If ever you want to spot a chocoholic then one of the tell-tale signs is the lighting up of their bed sheets. You may think that the person in question is copping a crafty one....i.e. reading their book but if you hear gentle nibbling noises and there happens to be nobody else around then chances are that they have a secret stash of Mars Bars smuggled under the quilt. If you do discover such a scene then approach with caution as such people can get quite violent if they think that you are about to interfere with their mound. Personally, I’d suggest turning their torch off and stealing one of the bars...erm....no that’s the addict in me again. Nope....actually I’d recommend counselling to them before it gets too late and try to get them to join a programme that deals with addicts. “Just Say No to Hershey” was established in New York some 20 years ago and has gone on to treat many thousands of addicts in the meantime. There is a movement trying to establish a similar operation in the UK.

Other tell tale signs include carrier bags full of chocolate bars; heaps of chocolate hidden under the settee cushions and a life time membership of the All England Chocolate Eating Club. Each should be dealt with on its merits.

Why do folks like chocolate so much? I mean, there’s even web sites devoted to the perpetuation of the chocolate habit just in case you thought you could escape by side-stepping that box of chocolates on the dining table and heading for the PC. http://www.veganfamily.co.uk/chocolate.html will tell you all about Vegan choccie whilst both http://www.chocolate.co.uk and http://www.chocolate.com/ shamelessly promote the ideal of scoffing one’s face with the brown stuff. In fact, register at chocolate.co.uk and you are eligible to receive a free Chocolate Society Red Hamper Box filled with chocolate goodies! How irresponsible is that? *presses order button*

Chocolate is often thought of as a safe substitute for sex. This is because it triggers the same chemicals as those that are created during the making of the love. Needless to say, my good lady thrives on chocolate and is also a chocoholic. With us both being addicts it’s a wonder we have any kids at all. It’s also funny that she was the one to avail me of these facts.

Of course, before I became addicted I was spoiled for choice when it came to the brown sugary substance. Nestle, Cadbury, Lindt, all were just as luscious to me. Now you even have the Fair Trade stuff to keep your conscience in tact safe in the knowledge that the cocoa workers get a better deal than before.

Chocolate can be highly addictive with literally millions of bars consumed in the UK every year. Just about everyone seems to like chocolate from High Court Judges to humble road sweepers. It seems that there is no particular time associated with eating chocolate as all hours of the day and night are fair game. In fact, I wonder just how many people have been abroad on holiday with no food at all except a wee Milky Way sticking out of their pocket. Let’s face it, chocolate could, in fact, save your life given the right circumstances. Just how many folks have been on the brink of starvation only to realise that that final, sticky square of galaxy in their fluff-laden pocket is more edible than the local paella?

For me, the road to recovery was long. I can always remember that first step in my counselling group where I uttered those immortal words “My name is Sally and I am a chocoholic" (chocolate wasn’t my only issue in those days). Every day was a battle and at the first sign of temptation we were encouraged to reach for the phone and call someone else off the calling list. Together we were strong and it gradually became easier to walk past newsagents without popping in for a quick Lion Bar. The final test of my own strength was a trip to Cadbury World where my resolve was tested to the limit. Now that WAS tough but I came through it and have never looked back since. Recounting those dark days has been difficult so I thank you for bearing with me. For anyone else out there with the same problem then I hope reading this gives you inspiration. Addiction to chocolate need not be terminal. There are those that will help. You are not alone.

Thanks for reading

Marandina

Linked websites:
http://www.cadbury.co.uk
http://www.veganfamily.co.uk/chocolate.html
http://www.chocolate.co.uk
http://www.chocolate.com/
http://www.exploratorium.edu/chocolate/

Summary: It's all just baloney you know?