If you cannot stop yourself from binge eating despite all the diets you follow, you may have "Emotional Eating Syndrome". Emotional Eating Syndrome occurs mostly in situations of guilt and physical self-dislike. Psychiatrist Dr. Hakan Karaş gave information about the reasons that lead to Emotional Eating Syndrome and ways to cope with it.
- The Reason You Cannot Lose Weight Is Not Intolerance to Hunger
Although it is known that obesity occurs as a result of a behavior, that is, eating behavior, it is difficult for most of us to control this behavior. This is because eating behavior is affected by many things, mostly our emotional state. The reason why many people cannot follow a diet is not due to intolerance to hunger, as is thought. In fact, many diets are programmed to help people lose weight without starving. However, the reason why we fail on a diet is because we all eat for emotional reasons, which we can't stop ourselves from doing from time to time. Therefore, one of the main reasons why most people gain weight and do not eat healthy is emotional eating. Although focusing on the need to eat distracts from feelings of discontent, it paves the way for obesity and health problems.
- Stress and Busy Work Life Lead to an Increase in the Number of People with Emotional Eating Syndrome
Eating is the easiest and most accessible source of pleasure and reward. Just as humans do not have sexual intercourse just to reproduce, they do not eat just to fill their stomachs. Babies soothe themselves with the breast not only when they are hungry but also when they are in trouble. This partially continues in the following years. Well; An adult may want to eat when he/she is sad, angry, lonely or anxious. Especially self-blame and physical dislike lead to emotional binge eating attacks. Since stress and negative emotions are a part of our lives and people have less and less time for themselves outside of work, nowadays emotional eating; Trying to relax by eating is becoming increasingly common.
- Is Yours Emotional Hunger? Or Is It Physical Hunger?
Physical hunger begins in the body. r. The feeling of physical hunger is triggered by low blood sugar and the foods we see. Emotional hunger is triggered by stressful experiences. So, in a way, we try to nourish our soul with food, not our body. When we are stressed, we crave sweet or salty foods, often high in calories. We use food as stress-relieving rewards. When it comes to hunger, there is often a confusion of emotional and physical sensations. Just like stress-related headaches, the physical and the emotional are intertwined. Emotional hunger does not usually result from an empty stomach. Sometimes a person does not know what he wants and gives himself to food. In other words, hunger may be felt as another discomfort in the body, not in the stomach. Another feature of emotional hunger is that it suddenly attacks the body. However, physical hunger reveals itself gradually. While emotional hunger wants to be satisfied immediately, physical hunger can wait to some extent if there is no medical condition such as diabetes, etc. If you have eaten recently or if you continue to binge even though you are full, emotional hunger is dominant at that moment.
In addition, feelings of guilt and regret occur more as a result of eating attacks caused by emotional hunger. People with emotional eating syndrome see food as the best sedative and feel like they are out of control in the presence of food. They have difficulty focusing on other things if they do not overeat.
- Try to Satisfy Your Stomach, Not Your Emotions, with Food
Food that tastes good is a source of reward. It is true that it stimulates the pleasure centers in the brain. Therefore, eating delicious food at the end of a tiring and busy day has the same effect as alcohol and recreational drugs. The pleasurable effect eliminates the accumulated or unpleasant sensations during the day. That's why breaking emotional eating habits can be as difficult as quitting alcohol or recreational drugs. This is actually why dieting is difficult for many people. The first condition to cope with this challenge is to recognize our negative emotions such as sadness, guilt, anger, anxiety. The other condition is the use of pleasurable activities other than food. is to increase the relationships. It may be easier for those with emotional eating problems to accept that, while exploring new pleasurable activities, they will not provide the same pleasure as eating at first.
- You Can Cope with Emotional Eating Syndrome
Emotional hunger may be part of an eating disorder or a disorder such as depression or anxiety disorder. This needs to be evaluated by a psychiatrist. Nutrition education and physical activity, including recognition of physical signs of hunger, may be helpful. Increasing awareness of negative emotions and recognizing eating triggers is the first step in developing different ways of coping. Enriching the sources of pleasure and satisfaction saves us from being confined to food, which we see as the only source of reward.
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