Most individuals partake in emotional eating, or eating inspired by emotional impulses rather than physiological or nutritional need, at some point in their lives. When emotional eating becomes habitual, it can lead to excessive caloric intake, emotional upheaval, weight gain and excessive intake of unhealthy foods. If you experience frequent bouts of emotional eating, understanding the nutritional consequences and positive ways to change these behaviors can lead to improved physical and psychological well being.
Function
Emotional eating, like most potentially addictive behaviors, fulfills some sort of need. According to the Mayo Clinic, you may emotionally eat as a means of suppressing or relieving negative emotions, such as sadness, loneliness, boredom, fear, anger or stress. You may eat in such a fashion to pass time (often in response to boredom). If you feel extreme guilt in response to eating particular foods or you suffer low self-esteem or body image, you may use emotional eating as a means of self-punishment. Mahmet Oz, M.D., author of "You: On A Diet," suggests positive stimulus for emotional eating, such as consuming a food out of nostalgia, to be reminded of fond times or memories.
Effects
Occasional or mild episodes of emotional eating are normal and not likely to cause serious side effects. When emotional eating becomes a severe or perpetual habit, it can lead to overeating, feelings of guilt, depression, frustration or shame, unhealthy weight gain, increased cholesterol and risk for conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, emotional eating can also sabotage your weight loss efforts.
When emotional eating is severe and recurrent it may signify or lead to binge eating disorder, the most common eating disorder in America, according to a National Public Radio (NPR) interview with James Hudson, a psychiatrist at Harvard's McLean Hospital, which aired in February 2007. According to Hudson, occasional binging (eating uncontrollable, excessive amounts of food) is not indicative of the disorder. However, if you find yourself feeling a complete loss of control over your binge behaviors and they have become habitual or devastating, professional help is recommended.
Identification
To determine whether your food cravings are emotionally driven, do your best to examine the surrounding circumstances. If you have recently had a meal and you are not experiencing physiological hunger cues, such as stomach grumbling, your cravings are likely physiological. Oz suggests that when you're emotionally eating, it may be difficult to find foods that please you. You may also have difficulty stopping eating once you've begun. If you are eating and not paying attention to your food, you may be eating out of boredom. If you are dealing with lack of sleep, stress, sadness or loneliness, your cravings are likely emotionally based.
Benefits
There are actually some benefits to emotional hunger and emotional eating, if you choose appropriate foods. If you are an emotional eater and find yourself experiencing intense food cravings, it may serve as a cue that other matters in your life need to be addressed. Emotional eating can bring enjoyment if episodes are mild or occasional, or if you do not experience intense guilt or shame over the foods. (Otherwise, the enjoyment is often temporary.) If you are able to hone the skill of replacing unhealthy foods you crave with healthier fare, such as fruits or vegetables, or if you are able to calm the cravings by partaking in an alternate, healthier activity, such as physical activity or relaxing through meditation or massage, you may reap the benefits of improved physical and emotional wellness.
Suggestions
If you frequently experience emotional food cravings, create a plan of action as to how you can healthfully respond to the cravings, when you are not in the midst of an episode. For example, if calling a particular friend, going for a walk or scheduling an appointment to see a therapist helps you, write the suggestions down and keep the list in an accessible place in your home, car or workplace. Keep unhealthy foods you crave out of your kitchen to prevent temptation and to reduce likelihood that you will indulge upon them and stock up on healthier snacks, such as fruits, vegetables and air-popped popcorn instead.
According to Oz, emotional eating habits can be broken. Becoming aware of your behaviors and habits is a helpful first step toward positive change. Replacing your behaviors with positive alternatives, such as sipping warm herbal tea or chewing sugarless gum, partaking in pleasurable activities that do not involve food or eating and talking your troubles out with a loved one, also help. As with most valuable endeavors, practice is key. Rather than beat yourself up over an emotional eating episode, do your best to learn from it and carry on. If you feel your emotional eating behaviors are severe or beyond your control, seek help from a qualified professional, such as a therapist, who can help.
