Disclaimer: You’re reading this newsletter because you value my input as a journalist who reports on these issues and therefore has a lot of informed opinions. I’m not a healthcare provider, and these responses are not meant to substitute for medical or therapeutic advice.
Q: I'm worried that I'm insane and incurable but I feel like I live my life with this terrible monster inside of me that only thinks about eating chocolate frosted chocolate cake—and I have to beat it back with a stick all of the time.
It feels like this is some kind of base, animal urge inside of me that I am denying in the name of "chocolate cake isn't healthy." When I eat a slice of chocolate cake, though (which I only do very rarely), I am gripped the entire time with this fear: When I will be finished with this piece and no longer have any chocolate cake?
Is this normal? Is this diet culture? Should I indulge my dark urges? How can I fix this?