When someone consumes food to cope with emotions rather than to satisfy physical hunger we call that ‘emotional eating’.
Rather than eating to satiate hunger pangs, emotional eating is typically triggered by feelings of stress, boredom, sadness, or loneliness. We all overindulge in food from time to time, but a persistent reliance on food to manage our emotions can quickly become a habit with many downsides.
Left unchecked, emotional eating can lead to weight gain, a variety of health issues, and a unhealthy relationship with food.
Emotional eating is a type of self-soothing. Certain foods - especially foods that are high in sugar, fat, or salt - can trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals give humans a desirable sense of pleasure and create a temporary sense of relief, escape, and distraction from more negative emotions. This effect is, of course, fleeting and often followed by feelings of shame, guilt, and regret. And, of course, negative feelings can then help perpetuate the cycle of this emotional eating.
Different types of factors can contribute to emotional eating. Stress is a very common trigger. When we stress our body releases cortisol into our bloodstream and this hormone can increase our cravings for empty calorie foods.
Learned behaviors – such as those we learn as children - can also play a role. A child being rewarded with sweets can help create an association between certain foods and emotional comfort.
As with most issues, the first step towards addressing emotional eating is to recognize it. We should personally strive to differentiate between physical hunger and emotional hunger. Physical hunger is typically a more gradual subtle feeling while emotional hunger tends to come on suddenly and often involves cravings for specific comfort foods.
What can we do to help break the cycle? Mindful eating practices, be aware of our own emotions, and seeking alternative more productive coping mechanisms—such as exercise, journaling, or talking to a friend—can help break the cycle.
Sala Psychology is based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Specialties include therapy for anxiety disorders, depression, behavioral weight loss issues, and couples therapy.