Why Do I Eat When I'm Not Hungry?

Blend in equal parts pop psychology, pseudo-science and miraculous ``case histories,'' sprinkle in some Jimmy Swaggart-style fervor, and you've got Callahan's book. The pitch: anxieties are the root of all addictions, including the ``addiction'' to food. For according to Callahan, formulator of the Callahan Techniques, overeating temporarily masks the food addict's anxiety, which is really caused by an imbalance in the body's electrical system. By using the author's techniques to rebalance the electrical system and quell anxiety at its source, overeaters will no longer need food as a tranquilizer. The techniques rely on applied kinesiology, a bizarre and unproven diagnosis-and-treatment system based on the notion that every malady is accompanied by a specific muscle weakness. The treatments--including ``urge-reduction treatment,'' ``gluttony treatment'' and ``treatment for patience''--mainly involve thinking certain thoughts while touching particular points on the body (Gerald Ford, beware). Our personal favorite: ``Tapping the gamut spot and lusting for food, whirl your eyes in the opposite direction.'' If that won't burn off the calories, nothing will. (May)