# Dad not believing sugar-free drinks have few calories, neurosis? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2015, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266 "2015-03-29T11:19:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaverocK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/1 "2015-03-29T11:19:48Z")
He has been visiting a psychiatrist consultant until recently. I worry such claims like the one in the title could be a worsening sign of his mental state. I was diagnosed with OCD. Although I do not have any proof, I believe he has the same illness as the one that I have: OCD. But believing that a sugar-free drink (such as cola light or zero) actually contains sugar and so many calories and that the companies lie to us because they could not sell to us without lying seems to me as a paranoia. As far as I am concerned about psychology and psychiatry (I don’t have any fornal expertise in such fields ), paranoia is not a symptom of OCD. I suspect he has some schizophrenia-like illness. He is also a commercial airline’s pilot and I do not want my father to be like the Germanwings’ pilot who murder-suicided. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/2 "2015-03-29T11:57:49Z")
First, I think there’s a massive jump from “strange ideas about soda” to “murder-suicide.” Even if your father is suffering from paranoia, that is not an indication that he will become violent or self-destructive. I don’t want to immediately discount your concerns, and if you see further signs of mental distress you should seeks help. The more likely explanation is that he’s heard stories about the negative health effects of sugar-free sodas and artificial sweeteners and gotten some information mixed up in his head. Increasing evidence shows that diet sodas do lead to weight gain and increased waist circumfrence (or are, at least, correlated), and he’s probably connecting “weight gain” to “calories.” It’s a complex situation and one not easily understood by non-scientists. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/3 "2015-03-29T12:15:41Z")
What good omens said. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/4 "2015-03-29T13:15:18Z")
Yeah, there’s a big difference between “I’m not going to drink diet soda because I think it’s bad for me” and “I’m going to crash this plane into a HFCS plant, that’ll show them…” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/5 "2015-03-29T14:21:01Z")
I’m going to point out that being OCD is not incompatible with being a competent pilot. Or otherwise successful in life. It’s a burden, it’s an illness, but it doesn’t make a person dangerous to other people. Case in point: Howard Hughes had OCD that became crippling later in life (he had fewer treatment options, maybe he could have been helped more in today’s world) but was a successful businessman and by all accounts also an excellent pilot. The other thing I want to point out is that just because a person is highly educated, skill, and competent in one area (aviation) doesn’t mean they know much about another area of knowledge (diet soda) or they can’t have mistaken ideas about some other aspect of the world. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/6 "2015-03-30T05:48:17Z")
That does not sound like OCD to me. It sounds more “conspiracy theorist,” and a lot of otherwise competent and sane people seem to fall into that Your worrying about your dad over something minor and seeking reassurance–that sounds like OCD. So note that this will be the only time I tell you this. If you get stuck on it, reassurance won’t help you. ---
**Author:** ![Neem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@Neem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neem)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/7 "2015-03-30T06:42:53Z")
I know people with eating disorders who believe things like this. Diet soda, gum, and even water should be avoided since they have more calories than listed on the package. It would be an odd presentation for an older gentleman to get an eating disorder but it’s certainly not impossible. It would really be best for him to get evaluated by a mental health professional. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/8 "2015-03-30T06:54:43Z")
> [@MaverocK](#): > > I suspect he has some schizophrenia-like illness. :smack: You’re making some absurd leaps in logic, and unless there is a LOT more you’re not sharing this is bizarre. Your father believes sugar free drinks have more calories than claimed, and you think this is indicative of a serious mental illness? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/9 "2015-03-30T09:48:01Z")
Sometimes they do lie. Splenda packets claim 0 calories, but it is not as it contains dextrose, a sugar. They are apparently 3.36 calories per packet, but due to the law they are able to round down at that portion. That doesn’t excuse that your dad is odd and discovering InfoWars will be _fuuuun_. Either that or the hippie side. On the other hand, the logical leaps based on the OP, without more context, seem to suggest things run in the family. Which, facetiousness aside, OCD is highly genetic, but we don’t know if he is without a doctor. They sell (sold) stuff like Pepsi One and Dr Pepper 10. Why would they shy away from claiming a small number of calories. Coke Classic doesn’t seem to be faltering, either. Occam’s razor suggests that they probably developed a calorie-free solution rather than lying but still spending millions on marketing and development. Also, IANA Chemist, but I’m pretty sure this would be easy to test. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/10 "2015-03-30T09:54:25Z")
To tell the truth, the OP sounds a bit paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/11 "2015-03-30T12:35:01Z")
All of us believe in something that is totally wrong. We just haven’t realized it yet. And when we do, cognitive dissonance often keeps us from admitting we are wrong. For small, meaningless stuff, like diet drinks having calories, it’s no big deal. However it there’s a lot of such behaviors, then maybe it’s time to worry. The OP says that Dad is seeing a mental health professional. That’s a step in the right direction if there are any major mental issues. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/12 "2015-03-30T12:51:37Z")
A lot of people believe manufactures lie to us about their product, and there is a very real rational basis for that, the tobacco industry one of many, many examples that they do. That issue by it self seems pretty harmless, he will drink water instead of diet soda, no harm, no foul. And there is some evidence I believe that diet soda does produce some response similar to sugar anyway. It just seems a very far cry from that to intentionally crashing a airplane. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/13 "2015-03-30T15:06:26Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > The OP says that Dad is seeing a mental health professional. Not is, was: **“He has been visiting a psychiatrist consultant until recently.”** ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/14 "2015-03-30T15:41:20Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Not is, was: **“He has been visiting a psychiatrist consultant until recently.”** Whoops! I missed that. Hopefully the psychiatrist consultant said that everything was OK and Dad didn’t need any more visits. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/15 "2015-03-30T20:50:55Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Sometimes they do lie. Splenda packets claim 0 calories, but it is not as it contains dextrose, a sugar. They are apparently 3.36 calories per packet, but due to the law they are able to round down at that portion. Did you have a cite for that? Not doubting you, but… Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/16 "2015-03-30T20:57:12Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Did you have a cite for that? Not doubting you, but… > > Regards, > Shodan That was easy: > **[Splenda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splenda)** > > Splenda /ˈsplɛndə/ is a global brand of sugar substitutes and reduced-calorie food products. While the company is known for its original formulation containing sucralose, it also manufactures items using natural sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit and allulose. It is owned by the American company Heartland Food Products Group. The high-intensity sweetener ingredient sucralose used in Splenda Original is manufactured by the British company Tate & Lyle. > Sucralose was discovered by Tate & Lyle an... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/17 "2015-03-30T22:13:21Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Yeah, there’s a big difference between “I’m not going to drink diet soda because I think it’s bad for me” and you’re not crazy for thinking diet soda is bad for you. (Maybe, likely not, but…) but you are a little “off” if you think it doesnt have no sugar and thus no calories. It’s possible, mind you that drinking diet soda doesnt help you lose weight- but that’s compared to water. (Diet soda appears to cause sugar cravings). ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/18 "2015-03-31T00:44:32Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > A lot of people believe manufactures lie to us about their product, and there is a very real rational basis for that, the tobacco industry one of many, many examples that they do. At a certain point you get into Pyrrhonism, though. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dad-not-believing-sugar-free-drinks-have-few-calories-neurosis/716266/19 "2015-03-31T12:52:04Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > That was easy: > > [Splenda - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splenda) Thanks. Regards, Shodan