When I nearly died due to my extreme food addiction, I was ready to give up. At over 700 pounds, I believed that any extra years on my life would only bring misery to myself and my family. Selfishly, I abandoned hope. But after some serious soul-searching, many failed fad diets, and a visit from my guardian angel, I managed to lose 500 pounds and take back my life. I discovered my food addiction wasn't just about how great a heaping bowl of pasta tasted. It was about acceptance. It was about security. It was about burying years of bullying and hurtful experiences under the warm blanket of comfort food.