Why I crave sugar when I'm stressed

(and why I finally understood that it wasn't just a question of greed)

You know that moment when everything feels like it's overwhelming? The noise is too loud, the unexpected happens one after another, people are all talking to you at once, or worse... asking you "How are you?" when you're on the verge of burning out. And all the while, your brain is thinking about one thing: sugar . A cookie. Something crunchy. A big spoonful of spread. A packet of candy. Anything... as long as it's sweet.

Sugar as an emotional survival comfort blanket

When I'm stressed, my body goes into red alert mode. I feel everything speeding up. My heart beats faster. My thoughts get jumbled. And my brain, that little trickster, screams at me, "Quick, some sugar!" As if a cake could protect me from a mental tsunami.

And actually… it’s not so false.

Because as you know, when you eat sugar, it triggers the release of dopamine, but also serotonin and endorphins. Basically, it's a mini cocktail of instant pleasure. Like a quick calming shot. It's not a whim, it's a chemical reaction . The body is trying to put out the fire. And sugar does that really well. At least in the moment.

But after that… it’s downhill

I'll give you the real-life version: I give in, I eat something sweet, I feel a little better... and then, bam. Reactive hypoglycemia, a spike in energy followed by a crash. I have even more trouble thinking, I feel guilty, I feel guilty, I lose concentration. And the stress is still there. But now, on top of that, I have a stomach ache and a brain that's struggling.

I used to think it was a weakness. That I had “no willpower.” In reality, it was just a lame survival strategy . My body was trying to protect me with whatever it had at hand.

Stress and Me: A Toxic Couple

With ADHD and ASD, stress can be triggered by the simplest of things. An unexpected noise. An interruption. A change of plans. A misidentified emotion. One too many social contacts. And in those moments, I feel an urgent need to cling to something sweet, something reassuring. And sugar is there. It's accessible. It's kind (on the surface).

It becomes a false refuge. Like a warm blanket full of holes. And the more I take refuge in it, the more I lock myself into a pattern where I don't address the source of the stress, I smother it . And it comes back, even stronger, a little later.

What I've implemented (and sometimes works)

If I eat sugar when I'm stressed, it's because I need security. So I ask myself a simple question: what do I really need right now? A cuddle with my cat Millow? Silence? Breathing? Isolation? Sleep? Drink water? Cry? Write?

My cat Millow ❤️ (Isn't he just super cool?)

And I always keep a plan B, comforting but not destructive alternatives ( list in the previous article 😜)

When I choose to comfort myself, and not my stress that pushes me to fill up, I feel like I'm back on top.

Learn to spot the signals before they scream

What I'm doing more and more is observing the first signs . The tension in my back. The racing thoughts. The urge to "do something quickly." That's when I can still act. Not when I'm already in the kitchen half-devouring my nephew's pepitos.

And sometimes I fail. But now, I get back up faster. I don't tell myself, "You messed up," I tell myself, "Okay, you needed some gentleness. Tomorrow, you'll look for something else."

Sugar isn't a monster, it's a signal. A messenger. When I crave sugar, it's because something inside me needs attention.

And little by little, I learn to give him what he asks for.