If you are one of those people that tell a binge eater to just "stop" then you need to read this please.

"Binge eating" also known as "comfort eating" does NOT mean someone is a "pig", guts" or other derogatory names used... they have an underlying issue or illness in the majority of cases.
They are not in control of their relationship with food and until this is addressed can not just "stop".


In this blog I would like to explain why, address any unhelpful beliefs and attitudes towards emotional eaters and hopefully help some vulnerable people in the process.


The majority of people that eat emotionally are overweight, which also as well as increasing risk of health issues, decreases their self esteem and self confidence.
In many cases this compounds the problem and leads to further over eating. A vicious cycle.


Emotional Eating can become more of a problem in stressful periods of our lives so please, if you know someone that is doing this, then be supportive, do not judge them, offer your help, share this blog and if still concerned, encourage them to seek professional counseling.






What is Emotional Eating?


Physical hunger is a gradual sensation that we feel in our stomach, and any food seems appealing.

We usually feel good after eating.

Emotional hunger comes on suddenly and people will crave specific foods.

With emotional hunger they can have snack after snack and nothing hits the spot.

They often feel guilty after emotional eating.

Why do people do it?

It’s because they are not hungry for food. 

They are hungry for something else.

It might be stress relief. It might be a distraction. It might be a quick escape. It might be a treat. It might be a feeling of control (in a counterintuitive way).

Keep in mind: It’s never about the food that they are craving.

It’s about what the food allows us to avoid.

How do I know if I am eating for physical hunger or for emotional hunger?

The best way to determine this is known widely as "the broccoli test."

Simply ask yourself this question:

Would I eat broccoli right now? If you answer “yes” then you are physically hungry. Go ahead and eat.

If you answer “no” then you’re emotionally hungry. You are not actually hungry for food. You are hungry for something else (stress relief, a distraction, a quick escape, etc.).

The idea is that when we’re physically hungry any food is appealing. If the thought of vegetables doesn’t sound appealing we’re not physically hungry.

Triggers for emotional eating:

Identify your emotional eating triggers

What situations, places, or feelings make you reach for the comfort of food? Most emotional eating is linked to unpleasant feelings, but it can also be triggered by positive emotions, such as rewarding yourself for achieving a goal or celebrating a holiday or happy event. Here are some common causes of emotional eating:

Stress – Ever notice how stress makes you hungry? It’s not just in your mind. When stress is chronic, as it so often is in our chaotic, fast-paced world, it leads to high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol triggers cravings for salty, sweet, and high-fat foods—foods that give you a burst of energy and pleasure. The more uncontrolled stress in your life, the more likely you are to turn to food for emotional relief.
Stuffing emotions – Eating can be a way to temporarily silence or “stuff down” uncomfortable emotions, including anger, fear, sadness, anxiety, loneliness, resentment, and shame. While you’re numbing yourself with food, you can avoid the emotions you’d rather not feel.
Boredom or feelings of emptiness – Do you ever eat simply to give yourself something to do, to relieve boredom, or as a way to fill a void in your life? You feel unfulfilled and empty, and food is a way to occupy your mouth and your time. In the moment, it fills you up and distracts you from underlying feelings of purposelessness and dissatisfaction with your life.
Childhood habits – Think back to your childhood memories of food. Did your parents reward good behavior with ice cream, take you out for pizza when you got a good report card, or serve you sweets when you were feeling sad? These emotionally based childhood eating habits often carry over into adulthood. Or perhaps some of your eating is driven by nostalgia—for cherishes memories of grilling burgers in the backyard with your dad, baking and eating cookies with your mom, or gathering around the table with your extended family for a home-cooked pasta dinner.
Social influences – Getting together with other people for a meal is a great way to relieve stress, but it can also lead to overeating. It’s easy to overindulge simply because the food is there or because everyone else is eating. You may also overeat in social situations out of nervousness. Or perhaps your family or circle of friends encourages you to overeat, and it’s easier to go along with the group.

How to deal with emotional eating?

If you don’t know how to manage your emotions in a way that doesn’t involve food, you won’t be able to control your eating habits for very long. Diets so often fail because they offer logical nutritional advice, as if the only thing keeping you from eating right is knowledge. But that kind of advice only works if you have conscious control over your eating habits. It doesn’t work when emotions hijack the process, demanding an immediate payoff with food.
In order to stop emotional eating, you have to find other ways to fulfill yourself emotionally. It’s not enough to understand the cycle of emotional eating or even to understand your triggers, although that’s a huge first step. You need alternatives to food that you can turn to for emotional fulfillment.


What are some of your personal triggers and when do they occur?
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What can I try to do to replace addressing them without resorting to Emotional eating?
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Examples:

Alternatives to emotional eating

If you’re depressed or lonely, call someone who always makes you feel better, play with your dog or cat, or look at a favorite photo or cherished memento.
If you’re anxious, expend your nervous energy by dancing to your favorite song, squeezing a stress ball, or taking a brisk walk.
If you’re exhausted, treat yourself with a hot cup of tea, take a bath, light some scented candles, or wrap yourself in a warm blanket.
If you’re bored, read a good book, watch a comedy show, explore the outdoors, or turn to an activity you enjoy (woodworking, playing the guitar, shooting hoops, scrapbooking, etc.).




Summary


This has just been an information session to outline what may be helpful to know regarding people that are Emotional Eaters and I have heavily referenced the content.
I mentioned above, (good on you for those that noticed) .... that many Emotional Eaters are not in control of their relationship with food.  
If you would like more information regarding what this means, it is related to what we call "mindful eating" which looks at our relationship with food.
I plan to write a follow up blog on the topic as did not want to have this one too long and complicating if I connected the 2 concepts together at once.
Please send me any questions you would like me to address.


If you have had any experience with Emotional Eating, or would like to see how you go implementing the above suggestions, I would love to hear from you.

Please note:
Emotional eating often affects people with mental health issues, especially depression.
If you think this may be an underlying factor then please seek professional help.

References:

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/diet-weight-loss/emotional-eating.htm

https://www.mybodytutor.com/blog/2015/03/the-1-reason-why-people-are-overweight/

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-15554/try-these-powerful-tools-to-stop-emotional-eating.html