OWN promised to give us meaningful, life changing television and in the newest show in the line-up, Addicted to Food, Oprah is holding true to her word. No matter what others call it, Addicted to Food is the inside look at addiction and recovery of eating disorders. While most are aware of treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, through the media or by catching an episode of Celebrity Rehab or two, this new show brings us real clients, not celebrities, trying to change and save their lives from a group of disorders that many do not understand. 

The series features a unique 6 week program called Shades of Hope in Buffalo Gap, Texas. During this premier episode, there is a tremendous foundation that is being laid out as we are taken through a series of introductions… with the clients as well as the staff. We get to know a little about the clients lives…to get a feel for their own stories and to see the human side of this addiction.  For this journey, they include:

• Elizabeth – Age: 48, 97 lbs, Addiction: Anorexic & Bulimic. Ironically, Elizabeth is studying to be a counselor for clients with eating disorders and realizes that she is sicker than many of them. Elizabeth fear is getting fat…but a bigger fear is seeing her children have the same addiction and struggles as she does.
• Robby – Age: 50, 337 lbs, Addiction: Compulsive Overeater. Robbie is a musician from Vegas who has seen his health deteriorate because of this weight and eating habits. He has already lost feeling in his feet related to diabetes and worries that if it happens in his hands, his ability to do what he loves and play the guitar will be over…and the music in his life will stop. 
• Traecey – Age: 41, 315 lbs, Addiction: Compulsive Overeater. From an early age, Traecey has battled with her weight and over eating. She’s tried everything – from diets to gastric bypass – and nothing has stopped the cycle for her.   Now, Traecey just wants to be able to live and have a life with her husband and 2 daughters.
• Camille – Age: 35, 136lbs, Addiction: Laxative Bulimic. Camille tells us she grew up with a lot of physical violence and doesn’t think she can get past this eating disorder alone.  She keeps no food in the house…but instead a lot of laxatives. “I need help,” she says. “If I don’t get the help and change now…then I might end up doing something really stupid to not exist in the world anymore.”
• DeJuaii – Age:45, 275 lbs, Addiction: Binge Eater. DeJuail is a professional gospel singer and preacher’s daughter who still lives at home.  She tells us that she has put her life on hold for her father and her family, including not dating and still being a virgin…but also admits, that this holding pattern may have a little to do with not being attracted to men. This is her new beginning where she is hoping to find herself.
• Amy – Age 35, 261 lbs, Addiction: Compulsive Overeater. As a single parent, Amy feels like she’s letting both herself and her daughter down. She is here to better their lives…and to get help…and focus on herself for a change….for the better.
• Tinisha – Age 32, 275 lbs, Addiction: Compulsive Overeater. Tinesha has struggled with her weight since high school. And now, even though she is young, she knows she is at risk for bad health and a hard life.  She knows that getting this under control is what she needs and it’s what she wants desperately.
• Layne – Age: 47, 228 lbs, Addiction: Compulsive Overeater. Layne owns Circle Lake Ranch in Texas and is married…but it is clear early on that there are some problems in the marriage.  Her husband who’s she calls, “old school” doesn’t like that financially he has had to depend on her after he lost his job.  He also doesn’t like that she’s gained weight and has told her if she got any heavier, he would leave her.  I can’t wait for family day with him….

In addition, we are also introduced to the staff at Shades of Hope. The visionary and owner of this treatment program is Tennie McCarty. a licensed therapist since the 70’s, who suffered from her own eating disorders. She explains that when she left her own treatment and came home, she immediately created the Shades of Hope treatment program. Tennie says, “Shades is a family business because we are a family of addicts.” While this is said tongue-in-cheek, it’s also a statement that strongly declares, “We understand what you are going through and we know how you feel because many of us have been there.” Tennie’s daughter’s Kim and Karen, both recovering from their own personal addictions, use their expertise and help her run the treatment while her daughter in law, Cam, (the “normy” with no addiction) helps oversee the program as Executive Director.

As viewers, we are walked through the treatment right along with the clients.  From the first meal to group therapy to detoxing to the lunch line – we follow along for the journey.  Sprinkled along the way, we are given lessons, in little “tennisims,” that provide an understanding of Shades philosophy and what this means to the clients…

Through the 3 days that we follow in this premier episode, we see drama, emotional stress, and we can almost feel the thickness of the anxiety in the room. But we also see the faces of those eight people brave enough to let us in to this very personal process.    “What happens with folks when they come into treatment is when we interrupt the addiction process; we take away their coping skills,” Tennie says. “That is how they cope through life and when we interrupt that process, the feelings begin to come up….just a roller coaster of things….42 days…this could be their last shot for treatment and I hope they seize the moment.”

An ongoing message from Oprah is that “you are not alone” and once again, you can feel that the message is definitely here with heartfelt intentions in Addicted to Food.  If you are looking for scandalous reality television, this is not it.  If you are looking to get a peak into an addiction that many do not understand and an understanding of what it takes to walk through this recovery process, you are in the right place.  Lessons are bountiful…and with the southern drawl that Tennie speaks these tennie-isms in….they are heartfelt and priceless. 

Here are a few tennie-isms from the premier of Addicted to Food:

“At Shades, we believe if clients don’t begin to treat the core pain – what we call the hole of the soul – they’ll never stay in recovery,” – Tennie McCarty

“We want to help them see the truth of what this disease has done to them…We treat the big C – Control. We all have a problem with control…we are all control freaks.” – Tennie McCarty

“It’s not what your eating, it’s what’s eating you….and If you don’t treat it, you’re going to die.” – Tennie McCarty

“The easiest part of treatment is checking in. The hardest part is checking out.” – Tennie McCarty

About your actual weight – “What we preach is your self worth is more than a number.”

“You have to let down the wall of control…because you’re dying from the disease for it.” Kim McCarthy…via tennie-isms..

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