Psychological Effects of CSID
Congenital Sucrase Isomaltase Deficiency is commonly looked at from the physical side effects. Due to the condition being the lack of the ability to digest sucrose and starches. There are many other side effects other than those which occur within the digestive system. One of the hardest effects is the psychological effects. This condition seems to warp the sufferers’ way of thinking when it comes to food types they should not eat. For example:
Sally was diagnosed with CSID as a baby, she is now 25 years old living in her own home. A friend comes over and puts a pink iced cupcake in her fridge to take home later. However the friend forgets to take the cupcake and leaves it there. Sally is aware that it is in her fridge, she is also aware that she should not eat it, not only because it belongs to her friend, but also it will make her very sick, causing tremendous stomach pains, migraines, dizziness and give her gastro. However, the cupcake plays on her mind; it is all she can think about. She keeps reasoning with herself, that she must not eat it. Her will can only last so long, before she crumbles and she knows it. Sally decides to go out to take her mind off it. She wanders around the shops looking at all the pretty clothing. She sees a pink shirt, and her mind instantly goes back to the cupcake with the pink icing. Her mouth begins to water, her stomach begins to grumble, she must have that cupcake. Sally decides that shopping is pointless, she is far too distracted. She will go home make a nice cup of tea, and have some of her sugar free biscuits.
Once home Sally puts on the kettle, prepares her cup of tea, places 2 of her biscuits on a plate and nibbles at one of them while she waits for the kettle to boil. She places the half eaten biscuit back on the plate while she pours the hot water into her mug. Turning around to get the milk from the fridge she eyes the cupcake once more, but pushes it out of her mind, and verbally says “NO!, No cupcakes”. After pouring the milk into her mug, and extracting the tea bag from the mug, she goes to put the milk back in the fridge. Only it is like she has almost entered a trance at this stage, she mindlessly picks up the cupcake from the fridge, turns to pick up the biscuits and places them on the same plate. Picking up her mug in the other hand, she wanders over to her favourite couch, to sit and enjoy her afternoon tea. Sally places the mug on a coaster, then picks up the cupcake, slowly she brings it to her lips, without thinking she takes large bite from the cupcake…. It isn’t until she has swallowed that first mouthful does she realise what she is doing. “Oh No!! I didn’t mean to… but it is just sooooo yummy, surely it won’t matter if I just eat one cupcake, I can buy my friend another one tomorrow at the bakery.” With this she devours the last of the cupcake. The mild migraine sets in almost immediately afterwards as well as the dizzy spell. She knows what she did was wrong and she would be paying for it very shortly.
3 hours later, Sally doesn’t feel so well. Her stomach is churning and making very loud weird sounds, almost as if it is eating itself. It feels strange. There is a pain emanating from her lower abdomen, but there is nothing she can do, except wait for the inevitable explosion from her bowels. She hopes there will be no blood this time or lasting effects of pale sickly skin and black eyes the next day. She was not to be in luck this time.
Even though Sally knew what the cupcake would do to her, she still had the overwhelming urge to consume it. It was like she was being takenover, she could not control herself. It occupied her every thought, her very being. She vows never to touch and sugar again, however she knows that even though this time was painful and a relatively bad episode… it would only be a matter of time before the sugar demon grabbed hold of her once more.
This example is very common experience for a person with CSID or sucrose intolerance; sadly it can be a daily occurrence. They will often forget if they have eaten sugar at a previous point recently, and have to consume all sugary products in sight, despite knowing that they will suffer for it later.
It can be very difficult to get help for such an addiction, it is available everywhere, and people around them don’t see it as being such a big problem. Mainly due to the fact that they do not see what happens to the person after the fact. They don’t see the tremendous pain, the feeling of their insides being ripped apart and exploding out in a dramatic fashion. The effects are often hidden by the sufferer due to embarrassment, this starts at an early age, and they learn to be quiet about what is going on, to the point where it starts to become normal for them. The best way to help a person with CSID with a sugar addiction is to not allow sugar to be around them, do not make them aware of its existence if they happen to come across some. Once they are aware of a sugary product, their desire becomes insatiable. I would like to say it becomes easier with time and patience, and in a way it does. As you grow older you do learn more self control, and how to handle your demons, but you never truly shake it. At least I haven’t yet; I still have the sugar demon take over from time to time.
Sally was diagnosed with CSID as a baby, she is now 25 years old living in her own home. A friend comes over and puts a pink iced cupcake in her fridge to take home later. However the friend forgets to take the cupcake and leaves it there. Sally is aware that it is in her fridge, she is also aware that she should not eat it, not only because it belongs to her friend, but also it will make her very sick, causing tremendous stomach pains, migraines, dizziness and give her gastro. However, the cupcake plays on her mind; it is all she can think about. She keeps reasoning with herself, that she must not eat it. Her will can only last so long, before she crumbles and she knows it. Sally decides to go out to take her mind off it. She wanders around the shops looking at all the pretty clothing. She sees a pink shirt, and her mind instantly goes back to the cupcake with the pink icing. Her mouth begins to water, her stomach begins to grumble, she must have that cupcake. Sally decides that shopping is pointless, she is far too distracted. She will go home make a nice cup of tea, and have some of her sugar free biscuits.
Once home Sally puts on the kettle, prepares her cup of tea, places 2 of her biscuits on a plate and nibbles at one of them while she waits for the kettle to boil. She places the half eaten biscuit back on the plate while she pours the hot water into her mug. Turning around to get the milk from the fridge she eyes the cupcake once more, but pushes it out of her mind, and verbally says “NO!, No cupcakes”. After pouring the milk into her mug, and extracting the tea bag from the mug, she goes to put the milk back in the fridge. Only it is like she has almost entered a trance at this stage, she mindlessly picks up the cupcake from the fridge, turns to pick up the biscuits and places them on the same plate. Picking up her mug in the other hand, she wanders over to her favourite couch, to sit and enjoy her afternoon tea. Sally places the mug on a coaster, then picks up the cupcake, slowly she brings it to her lips, without thinking she takes large bite from the cupcake…. It isn’t until she has swallowed that first mouthful does she realise what she is doing. “Oh No!! I didn’t mean to… but it is just sooooo yummy, surely it won’t matter if I just eat one cupcake, I can buy my friend another one tomorrow at the bakery.” With this she devours the last of the cupcake. The mild migraine sets in almost immediately afterwards as well as the dizzy spell. She knows what she did was wrong and she would be paying for it very shortly.
3 hours later, Sally doesn’t feel so well. Her stomach is churning and making very loud weird sounds, almost as if it is eating itself. It feels strange. There is a pain emanating from her lower abdomen, but there is nothing she can do, except wait for the inevitable explosion from her bowels. She hopes there will be no blood this time or lasting effects of pale sickly skin and black eyes the next day. She was not to be in luck this time.
Even though Sally knew what the cupcake would do to her, she still had the overwhelming urge to consume it. It was like she was being takenover, she could not control herself. It occupied her every thought, her very being. She vows never to touch and sugar again, however she knows that even though this time was painful and a relatively bad episode… it would only be a matter of time before the sugar demon grabbed hold of her once more.
This example is very common experience for a person with CSID or sucrose intolerance; sadly it can be a daily occurrence. They will often forget if they have eaten sugar at a previous point recently, and have to consume all sugary products in sight, despite knowing that they will suffer for it later.
It can be very difficult to get help for such an addiction, it is available everywhere, and people around them don’t see it as being such a big problem. Mainly due to the fact that they do not see what happens to the person after the fact. They don’t see the tremendous pain, the feeling of their insides being ripped apart and exploding out in a dramatic fashion. The effects are often hidden by the sufferer due to embarrassment, this starts at an early age, and they learn to be quiet about what is going on, to the point where it starts to become normal for them. The best way to help a person with CSID with a sugar addiction is to not allow sugar to be around them, do not make them aware of its existence if they happen to come across some. Once they are aware of a sugary product, their desire becomes insatiable. I would like to say it becomes easier with time and patience, and in a way it does. As you grow older you do learn more self control, and how to handle your demons, but you never truly shake it. At least I haven’t yet; I still have the sugar demon take over from time to time.
