The term "disordered eating" refers to unusual and unhealthy eating habits that are driven by fear, stress, and even perfectionism. And as an Aug. 14 PsychCentral article by Rick Nauert, PhD, indicates, emotional eating falls into this category:

The connection between stress and eating likely has roots in brain chemistry. Faced with a real threat, the fight-or-flight reaction kicks in and suppresses appetite temporarily.

But when faced with persistent stress -- health problems, difficult relationships or too much work -- many people turn to high-fat, high-calorie foods for comfort. Using food as a coping strategy doesnt alleviate stress and will likely cause weight gain.

The tendency towards emotional eating can be overcome by learning to recognize the difference between true hunger and "hunger" thats triggered by stress. Getting unhealthy foods out of the house can help as well -- but if the problem persists, professional eating disorder help may be the best option.

Labels: emotional eating

Posted By: Aspen/CRC