By one estimate, 70 percent of Americans have experienced at least one trauma, such as a traffic accident, assault, or abuse, and about 8 percent aren’t able to get past that trauma. They reexperience the event through flashbacks and nightmares. They become hyper-aroused, have trouble sleeping, and get fits of anger. To deal with that, they attempt to numb themselves by avoiding places or people who remind them of it, and by using addictive substances. Sometimes it’s drugs or alcohol. But food can be numbing, too.
