Emotional eating can be defined as using food to cope with life circumstances or feelings, typically difficult ones. But we also know that we do not eat food solely for nutritional sustenance and that emotion factors into why we eat, how we eat and with whom we eat. This is normal.

Sometimes the terms emotional eating and binge eating are used interchangeably, and although binges are often emotionally driven, not all emotional eating constitutes binge eating.

Triggers

Key stressors which can trigger emotional eating include:

• Relationship issues / conflict
• Workplace stress / co-worker stress / workplace bullying
• Grief / loss
• Life transitions
• Crisis
• Financial difficulties
• Fatigue
• Health Issues
• Communal rituals or celebrations
• Routines and traditions
• Proximity

Rewards

Most people are wise to the fact that the consumption of food, and certain foods in particular produce chemical ‘feel-good’ changes in the brain. Certain foods, particularly those high in fat and sugar, may counteract stress by inhibiting activity in the parts of the brain that create and process stress as well as related emotions, according to Harvard Health.

In other words, there is logic to all of this: emotional eating can be inherently rewarding while also offering rewards in areas that extend beyond our physiology. Other such rewards can include:

• Social – For example, we often gather around food in social situations
• Psychological – Such as a treat after getting through a difficult experience or to celebrate a milestone
• Interpersonal – For example, mitigating conflict, (such as “keeping the peace” when under social pressure), or when food brings people together
• Emotional – When food is used to cope with emotional needs such as reducing a sense of isolation, relieving boredom, quelling anxiety, providing focus or acting as a distraction, marking joy or heightening pleasure

Consequences

Rewards, however, can be overshadowed by consequences, such as when eating becomes the main coping strategy, or when self-judgement about emotional eating triggers shame:

• Social – Should emotional eating start to invoke feelings of shame,  emotional eating may become a solo activity
• Psychological – Possible negative consequences can include: loss of self esteem, confidence, distorted / lack of sense of self
• Interpersonal – Emotionally eating in order to avoid important or challenging discussions
• Emotional – Heightened distress after episodes of emotional eating; feelings may include: shame, embarrassment, loss of control, anxiety, depression, anger / frustration, self loathing
• Physical – Effects may include uncomfortable feelings of fullness, suppression of hunger cues, sleep disruption, symptom exacerbation of pre-existing health conditions

Sometimes emotional eating can feel particularly overwhelming if its become very habitual or conversely, if the biggest part of our emotional eating “problem” is the self-judgement that comes with it. There are strategies, however, that can help!

If you have questions about help for emotional eating, I am happy to hear from you! Don’t hesitate to be in touch.