Friday, August 19, 2005
I Scream, You Scream, Ice Cream WITHDRAWAL!
Hello, viewers. My name is Kat Taylor, and I'm here today to talk about
I've been off the pint for almost a week now, and believe me, it hasn't been easy. It was easier to quit smoking than to go through the rigorous process of fighting ice cream addiction. I just hope I can use my experiences to teach others not to give into the temptation of the spoon and lead a healthy, ice cream-free life.
I started using ice cream when I was a kid. I was mostly a social user then. I'd get it at bithday parties and on holidays. Sometimes I'd go out and have it with my friends. One time I even scored some at a church picnic!
"Hey, I can stop whenever I want," I told everyone. I had even convinced myself that I was eating copious amounts of ice cream "just for fun" and I wasn't "seriously addicted."
"I'm having a party," I'd tell the cashier as he scanned my cartful of pints of Ben & Jerry's (the best ice cream ever made). I would often visit several stores a week to buy ice cream, hoping no one could tell I was helplessly addicted.
Ben & Jerry's was my brand of choice. I tried switching to the less potent stuff: Haagen-Daaz, Blue Bonnet, Breyer's, even store brands. But nothing could match the hardcore fix I got from Ben & Jerry's.
Pigging out on ice cream and catching a buzz felt great, but it took a drastic toll on my body. At first, I was pleased to find the extra calories were putting some much-needed junk in my trunk. But as my addiction spiraled out of control, I went from "hottie" to "fattie" in less than a year.
 |  |
Being a designer ice cream, Ben & Jerry's had a negative effect on my wallet as well as my body. But I needed a fix so bad, I didn't care what other areas of my life suffered. I look back now and think of all the money I spent on that stuff, and how I could have spent it on the finer things in life: a nice car, a new house, the Pink Floyd box set, travel-sized versions of popular board games... I could have collected all 107 Pokemon trading cards! But I didn't give myself a chance to buy these things. All my money went to two men—Ben and Jerry.
One day, I finally cracked under the pressure of my own choatic addiction. After finishing my last pint of B&J in the house, I ran out to buy more, only to discover that both Safeway AND Albertson's were closed for the night. I had sold my bitchin' Camaro months before so I could buy more ice cream, and every store within walking distance was closed. The last thing I remember is rummaging through the contents of my freezer, searching for any traces of ice cream to pacify me until morning. After dumping every tray of ice cubes on the kitchen floor, I blacked out and woke up in the hospital several hours later. I'm eternally grateful that roommate found me unconscious on the ground shortly after I fell. I almost died that night. That's when I realized that I needed to make a change.
Ice cream addiction doesn't just happen in big cities. In fact, many rural and suburban communities face a growing trend of ice cream addicts. If you think a loved one is an ice cream addict, look for warning signs like cracked lips, developed knowledge of ice cream brands and flavors, increased happiness followed by discontent, and constant possession of spoons.
Remember everyone, it's up to all of us to stop this growing addiction from spreading. Learn to spot the signs of popular confections that are dangerous to you and your family, and just say "No!"
