The Psychology of Eating: From Healthy to Disordered Behavior

Dieting 137

and that this belief is responsible for the high relapse rate shown by both
alcoholics and smokers (Marlatt and Gordon, 1985). Thus, the abstaining
alcoholic believes in either total abstention or relapse, which itself may pro-
mote the progression from lapse to full-blown relapse. In the case of the
restrained eater, it is possible that they too believe in the “all or nothing”
theory of excess which promotes the shift from a high-calorie lapse to the
“what the hell” relapse characterized by disinhibition. This transition from
lapse to relapse and the associated changes in cognitions are illustrated in
figure 7.6.
These parallels have been supported by research suggesting that both
excessive eating and alcohol use can be triggered by high-risk situations
and low mood (Brownell, Marlatt et al. 1986; Grilo, Shiffman, and Wing,
1989). In addition, the transition from lapse to relapse in both alcohol
consumption and eating behavior has been found to be related to the
internal attributions (e.g., “I am to blame”) for the original lapse (e.g., Ogden
and Wardle, 1990). In particular, researchers exploring relapses in addic-
tive behaviors describe the “abstinence violation effect” which describes the
transition from a lapse (one drink) to a relapse (becoming drunk) as involv-
ing cognitive dissonance (e.g., “I am trying not to drink but I have just
had a drink”), internal attributions (e.g., “It is my fault”), and guilt (e.g.,
“I am a useless person”) (Marlatt and Gordon, 1985). These factors find
reflection in the overeating shown by dieters (Ogden and Wardle, 1990).

The role of control

The interview data from a study of 25 women who were attempting to lose
weight provide further insights into the mechanisms behind overeating
(Ogden, 1992). The results from this study indicated that the women

belief in all-or-nothing

lowered self-esteem

internal attributions

Lapse

eating something

not allowed

Dieting

attempting to eat less

Relapse

overeating

Figure 7.6 Overeating as relapse.