Why Am I a Food Addict?

No matter how old we are, it is never too late to find out more about ourselves, address the critical problems that trouble us, and improve our lives. Forty-one is the perfect age to set out on that journey. 

You have described several key issues that must be addressed if you are to find peace and health, and none of them are simple or easy. However, the good news is that they are common and very treatable. An experienced therapist will be able to help greatly. Don't try to fix these things on your own. You'll make fast progress if you get the right help and you'll save lots of time and heartache.

Find a local therapist to help you with the depression, the loss of your mother, and your self-esteem issues. The "Find a Therapist" feature at Psychology Today is probably the best resource for that. Don't waste any time setting up an appointment for this. The sooner you get going, the sooner you'll start feeling better. 

Food addiction is a complex problem and your questions cannot be answered in a short article. Get my book The Anderson Method and take your time reading it slowly and carefully. It will teach you about food addiction and what you can do to manage it so that you can have a healthy and satisfying life. It will answer the questions you have posed here and address the issues you have raised.

When you have done those two things, let me know how things have gone and if you want suggestions for next steps, I'll have them.

Best wishes.