How to Curb Pica Eating

Pica is the desire to eat substances that are not considered edible. These include items such as sand, hair, ice, dirt and chalk. Pica is more common in children and in pregnant women than in the average adult population. The cause of pica is uncertain, and treatment can be difficult. Many times pica resolves itself on its own spontaneously. Because eating non-food items can potentially endanger your health, enact strategies to curb pica cravings.

Instructions

• 1

  Eat a nutritional, balanced diet. Pica cravings might arise because of malnutrition, so visit a physician to be examined for possible nutritional deficiencies. You might need to take vitamin supplements on top of eating well.

• 2

  Speak to a physician about possible mental illness because depression and anxiety can lead some people toward pica. Medications to treat these disorders might help with cravings as well.

• 3

  Visit a therapist who can help you deal with emotional issues that might be troubling you. Stress, crises and general disruption in life can contribute to pica.

• 4

  Plan a course of behavioral therapy with your therapist. Behavioral therapy involves rewarding yourself for healthy choices as well as experiencing negative consequences for unhealthy choices. For instance, a parent whose child has pica might sit the child in "time out" for trying to eat foreign substances. This parent also might reward the child with praise and a sticker for eating a healthful snack.

• 5

  Enlist a support system. If you feel cravings for non-food items, call someone you can trust. This person might be able to help you find the strength the resist those cravings.