I have a provocative question for you: Is Bright Line Eating your new addiction? If someone says they’ve switched out their eating addiction for an exercise addiction, is that possible? And who is saying you’re addicted to Bright Line Eating? Is it you, or is someone close to you? Someone who does—or doesn’t—support your Bright Line journey? What does it mean for Bright Line Eating to be an addiction?

Let’s break these questions down. First, I don’t believe that everyone has an addiction. Addictions are very specific things. They are patterns of use or behavior that cause clinically significant impairment or distress. 

There are symptoms associated with addictions. Using more than you intended to. Trying to cut back and not being able to, or not being able to stay stopped. Having significant impairments in your life or in your ability to function. Experiencing withdrawal if you quit. 

You don’t need all these symptoms, but you must have some to be addicted. And there must be clinically significant impairment or distress, meaning it’s got to be distressing you and/or impacting your life. When I was eating pints of ice cream with tears streaming down my face wondering why I was doing this—that was addictive eating. 

So is Bright Line Eating your new addiction?

Someone who says it is might be noticing your passion for it. Some people are super into it and very motivated. But that’s how anyone who is passionate about doing something they love feels. There’s nothing dysfunctional about being super-passionate about something. It happens when you live life to the fullest. It’s not an addiction.

It might be the case that Bright Line Eating is disrupting your relationships a bit. You’re eating differently, after all. There are shared norms about how you spend time with those around you, and now you’ve changed those norms. 

And if you’re spending lots of time talking about Bright Line Eating, it might be disruptive. Does that mean it’s an addiction? Or just a new passion?

The disruption to your relationships will settle down if you’re mindful and work to set new norms with them. You can find new ways to bond and connect—just not over food, or not over food the same way. Have a conversation with them. Discuss how to co-create the bond you both desire.

I wanted to shoot this vlog to discuss what addiction is and to encourage us to be mindful about how we use that word. Addiction is a beast, and throwing that word around lightly can be harmful.

I’m not the language police, but I wanted to share this with you based on my life experience. Think about the criteria we use to judge addictions. 

Is Bright Line Eating your new addiction? It’s possible. But you would have to identify that it wasn’t good for you, and you would have to be trying to cut back or quit. Your inability to do so would have to be causing you clinically significant distress. Your functioning would need to be impaired. It would need to impact other areas of your life. 

But if it’s just something that you love, and maybe you’ve annoyed your friends by talking about it, then—no. You’re finally free, and you’re not addicted. You’re joyous, and I’m thrilled for you.