Ideally we would only ever eat in response to physical hunger but whilst this is a reality for some people, it’s not the reality for most. In fact, most people report some level of emotional eating.
What is emotional eating and why do people do it
Emotional eating is a type of coping mechanism that people use to deal with emotions. Whilst the triggering emotions are most often negative emotions such as stress, boredom, or sadness people also eat for happy emotions too.
It’s important to remember that it is perfectly normal to eat for emotional reasons. In fact, there is a biological mechanism behind it – stress, boredom, anxiety all cause an increase in cortisol to be released in your body, and it is this which drives our cravings for high carbohydrate and high fat foods. There are also psychological/sociological drivers. Did your parents give you a sweet treat when you fell over as a kid to make a sore knee better? Well, we make a connection between sweet food and feeling better. That’s the kind of connection we go on to re-establish again and again, until you don’t even realise you’ve done it.
It’s very common for people to use food as a sticking plaster for all uncomfortable feelings and it often provides momentary relief but not only does it not address the underlying problem, it can exacerbate the issue by piling on the guilt and shame.
The benefits of managing emotional eating
Emotional eating is a common but often unhelpful coping mechanism. When we eat in response to our emotions, we may end up consuming more calories than we need, which can lead to weight gain. Additionally, emotional eating can disrupt our natural hunger cues, making it difficult to know when and how much to eat. However, there are some benefits to managing emotional eating. For one, it can help us to become more attuned to our body’s natural hunger signals. Additionally, it can help us to develop a healthier relationship with food. When we’re not using food as a coping mechanism, we’re more likely to make nutritious choices that promote our overall health and well-being. Finally, managing emotional eating can also help reduce stress and improve our mood. So if you’re struggling with emotional eating, know that there are some good reasons to consider changing your relationship with food.
How to recognise emotional eating:
Do you know the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger?
Well, there are 8 traits of emotional hunger (Virtue, 1999) to look out for:
- It comes on suddenly
- It is for specific foods, no substitutes will do
- It begins in the mouth (your mouth wants to taste that specific food) and mind (it whirls with thoughts about the desired food)
- It is urgent – you need to eat that food NOW
- It is paired with an emotion rather than physical need
- It involves automatic or absent-minded eating
- It does not notice or stop in response to physical fullness
- It is often accompanied by guilt
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of questioning your hunger – “is this physical hunger or emotional hunger?”
How to manage your emotions without turning to food
Once you’ve identified emotional hunger, the next step is to identify what you are actually hungry for emotionally. Once you’ve identified the emotion driving the craving you can try more suitable approaches to manage that emotion. Different emotional needs will require different solutions. For example, if you’re feeling stressed, then doing something physical to use up all that cortisol running high will help. If you’re feeling lonely, reach out to a friend. If you’re feeling anxious, try a 3-minute breathing space exercise.
Take Action ⚡:
Next time you notice a craving try these steps to address it
Step 1: Question your hunger – is this physical hunger or emotional hunger?
Step 2: Identify what emotion is triggering the craving
Step 3: Find an alternative to food to satisfy your emotional hunger.
Overcoming emotional eating can be very challenging but the benefits to your physical and emotional health are worth the effort. Keep practising the techniques in this article and you will be closer to healing your relationship with food.
While we've ensured that everything you read on the Health Centre is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.
