News Article: RNY surgery may increase alcohol abuse

 http://www.therecord.com/living/article/745314--common-form-of-bariatric-surgery-may-boost-risk-of-alcohol-abuse-study

i read a bit of this article. I think the problem, that we all need to be aware of, is the risk of transferring your food addiction to something else. its socially acceptable for that to be alcohol.

A lot of us are at risk for addictive behaviours. Drinking, shopping, drugs, etc. Our "drug of choice" for a long time was food.

It's only abuse if you spill it!

 Of course it is.   The hole that we filled up with food becomes hard to fill with after wls.  So we turn to alcohol, drugs, sex.. whatever fills it right?   We are addicts..  Sorry, I am an addict.   That's how I managed to get to 400 lbs.  

Bonnie

 This article doesn't address another, more psychological reason for alcohol abuse.   Many of us have never been normal weight and spent a lifetime being invisible and did not gain the skills to handle attention from the opposite sex.  Fast forward to a newly normal-weight person (typically reached by the end of the first year and into the second year) and poof, all of sudden we become visible.

So, now we are getting this wonderfully intoxicating attention from the opposite sex, typically in social situations that involve alcohol.  Because we love this attention we frequent these venues and events, and naturally drink more as a result.  We start to live the life that most people live in their 20's.  Throw in the concept of "liquid courage" and you have a perfect recipe for alocohol abuse. 

I have seen this happen to others.  I can relate to the feeling brought on by the attention and wanting to be in these situations to boost my ego, but thankfully I do not party every weekend or abuse alcohol.  I have always had an "off switch" where my brain tells me I'm done.  My "I'm done" point now kicks in after 3 or 4 drinks instead of the 10 in my previous life.

I get it...it's not always caused by a consumption addiction (ie replacing food with alcohol) but certainly an addition of sorts to the intoxicating attention.

My two cents' worth.....