Written by: Taylor Aiona, LCSW 118192
Have you ever found yourself reaching for a tub of ice cream after a rough day or munching on chips when you’re feeling down or bored? I’m raising my hand over here! You might be experiencing emotional eating. Emotional eating is when we use food to deal with our feelings instead of satisfying hunger. Everyone does it occasionally. It can lead to serious problems when it becomes a habit. I am writing this to help you understand emotional eating and recognize when it has gotten out of hand. I will also be providing practical tips to cope without turning to food.
What is Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating happens when we use food to comfort ourselves during stressful, sad, or overwhelming times. We can even use it as a time filler when we’re bored. Instead of eating because our body needs fuel, we eat to fill an emotional void. This can happen to anyone, but some people may rely on food more often to deal with their feelings.
Signs of Emotional Eating
Recognizing emotional eating is the first step to addressing it. Here are some signs that you might be eating for emotional reasons:
- Eating When Not Hungry: You find yourself eating even though you don’t feel physically hungry.
- Craving Specific Foods: Emotional hunger often craves junk food or sugary snacks, while physical hunger is open to a variety of foods.
- Mindless Eating: Eating without thinking, often consuming large amounts of food without realizing it.
- Emotional Triggers: Eating in response to emotions such as stress, sadness, boredom, or loneliness.
- Guilt and Shame: Feeling guilty or ashamed after eating, especially if you were not hungry.
When Emotional Eating Becomes a Problem
Emotional eating becomes a problem when it starts to interfere with your daily life and health. Here are some signs that emotional eating has gotten out of hand:
- Weight Gain: Consistently eating in response to emotions can lead to weight gain and related health issues. Remember, weight gain looks different for everyone as well.
- Preoccupation with Food: Thinking about food all the time. Planning your day around meals and snacks and feeling anxious if you can’t eat when you want to.
- Avoiding Emotions: Using food to avoid dealing with feelings and not addressing the root causes of your emotions.
- Impact on Mental Health: Emotional eating can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
- Disruption of Daily Life: Emotional eating starts to interfere with work, school, or social activities.
Emotional Eating vs. Eating Disorders
It’s incredibly important to distinguish between emotional eating and an eating disorder. While emotional eating can be a sign of disordered eating, it doesn’t always mean you have an eating disorder. Here are some key differences:
- Frequency and Intensity: Eating disorders such as binge eating disorder involve more frequent and intense episodes of overeating.
- Loss of Control: People with eating disorders often feel a complete loss of control over their eating habits.
- Physical Symptoms: Eating disorders can lead to serious physical health problems, such as gastrointestinal issues, heart problems, and malnutrition.
- Mental Health Impact: Eating disorders are often linked with severe mental health issues, such as major depression or anxiety disorders.
If you suspect that you or someone you know might have an eating disorder, it’s crucial to seek professional help. Licensed therapists, dietitians, and physicians can provide the support and treatment needed.
So What is an Example of Emotional Eating?
- Stress Eating: Sarah has a demanding job and often feels overwhelmed by her workload. After a particularly stressful day, she’s siting on the couch watching TV eating cookies. Next thing she knows, she has eaten the entire bag.
- Sadness Eating: John recently went through a breakup and feels lonely. He turns to his favorite comfort food, pizza, and eats several slices in one sitting.
- Boredom Eating: Lisa is home alone on a rainy weekend with nothing to do. She finds herself eating snacks throughout the day just to pass the time.
- Celebratory Eating: Mark got a promotion at work. To celebrate, he treats himself to a huge dinner and dessert, even though he isn’t very hungry.
How to Cope with Emotional Eating
Coping with emotional eating involves finding alternative ways to deal with your emotions. Also, developing healthier eating habits.
Here are some practical tips:
1. Identify Your Triggers
The first step is to identify what triggers your emotional eating. Keep a journal to track what you eat and how you feel when you eat. Look for patterns and try to identify specific emotions or situations that lead to emotional eating. A journal can help identify the trigger. Your goal is to find what is triggering your eating habit NOT to track your food intake.
2. Find Alternative Coping Strategies
Once you’ve identified your triggers, find alternative ways to cope with your emotions. Here are some ideas:
- Stress: Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.
- Sadness: Talk to a friend, write in a journal, or engage in a creative activity.
- Boredom: Find a hobby, read a book, or go for a walk.
- Loneliness: Reach out to friends or family, join a club, or volunteer.
3. Develop Healthy Eating Habits
Developing healthy eating habits can help reduce emotional eating. Here are some tips:
- Eat Regular Meals: Stick to a regular eating schedule to avoid getting too hungry, which can trigger overeating.
- Balanced Diet: Include a variety of foods in your diet to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need.
- Mindful Eating: Pay attention to what you eat and how it makes you feel. Eat slowly and savor each bite.
4. Practice Self-Compassion
It’s important to be kind to yourself. Emotional eating is a common experience, and it’s okay to make mistakes. If you find yourself eating for emotional reasons, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, acknowledge it and try to understand what led to it.
5. Seek Professional Help
If emotional eating is significantly impacting your life, seek help from a licensed therapist or dietitian. It’s important to make sure to chose one that specializes in eating struggles. They can provide support and guidance tailored to your needs.
So What Now?
Emotional eating is a common way to cope with feelings. We all do it sometimes and that is okay! It can become a problem when it interferes with your health and well-being. Remember, it’s okay to seek help and take steps towards a healthier relationship with food.
Talk to a Therapist
Welcome to Outside the Norm Counseling, where we specialize in helping individuals, couples, and families overcome anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. Take the first step towards a healthier, happier you—contact Outside the Norm Counseling today and start your journey to healing and balance! Call 951-395-3288 to book your in person or telehealth session.
