What activities can be used to combat negative thoughts associated with emotional eating disorder?
Emotional eating disorder is a condition in which a person engages in binge eating or comfort eating in response to emotional distress. While it is normal to eat in response to emotion from time to time, those with an emotional eating disorder cannot control the response or the amount of food they eat when feeling emotionally disturbed. This often leads to long-term health implications, like an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The cycle of emotional eating is difficult to break as emotions can come and go quickly, often without warning. However, there are some activities one can utilize to help combat negative thoughts associated with emotional eating disorder.
The first thing to do if experiencing emotional eating is to identify and address the core emotional problem. It may feel overwhelming in the moment to try to face the feelings associated with emotional eating, but it is important to acknowledge them and attempt to understand why they are present. A mental health professional can be a great resource in this process. Additionally, self-reflection can be helpful in understanding what triggers the emotional eating response. There can be various events, thoughts, and situations which elicit an emotional eating response.
Once these triggers are identified, steps can be taken to replace emotional eating with other, healthier activities. Exercise is one great way to help manage emotional stressors. Physical activity can provide a distraction from the emotional response, getting one out of their own head for a little while. Exercise can also improve overall mood, help to process emotions, and reduce stress hormones, thus making one more capable of facing the issue head on.
Finding healthy coping mechanisms to divert from emotional eating is also important. Simple activities like going for a walk, playing with a pet, or taking a few deep breaths can give one the time and space to assess the emotion they are feeling. It can also be beneficial to find activities which celebrate one’s worth without depending on food as a reward. Examples of these activities could include taking up a new hobby, spending time with loved ones, or volunteering in the community. These activities bring tremendous joy and satisfaction without relying on an external source to validate one’s self worth.
It is not uncommon to have negative thoughts associated with emotional eating disorder. However, by examining the emotion behind these thoughts, and engaging in healthier, more productive activities, one can slowly start to break through the cycle of emotional eating. Ultimately, it is important to remember that it is alive process, and keep striving towards a fuller, healthier life. Extra resources
How does emotional eating disorder differ from other eating disorders?
Eating disorders come in a variety of forms, with emotional eating disorder being one of the lesser-known challenges someone may face. While the most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, emotional eating disorder is different, as it has more to do with one’s psychological state while they eat. To understand emotional eating disorder and how it differs from other eating disorders, one needs to understand the cause, effects, and treatment.
The main cause of emotional eating disorder is a lack of emotional control. Someone may lack the ability to identify, accept, and properly process emotional responses, and as a result, turns to food for emotional comfort, such as when feeling sad, anxious, bored, or lonely. Although emotional eating disorder can co-occur with other types of disordered eating, emotional eating disorder is not limited to eating an excessive amount of food, but often involves an emotional process as well. Unlike other eating disorders, emotional eating is also not associated with an immediate physical consequence, such as health consequences, but may cause emotional and physical complications further down the line.
The primary effects of emotional eating disorder depend on the person, but there are some common effects most people experience. Since emotional eating often involves overeating, weight gain may be a result. Additionally, guilt, self-loathing, and feelings of worthlessness may also be a result of emotional eating disorder, as the behavior can be seen as a way to cope with, or mask, underlying issues. Emotional eating can also lead to compulsiveness, further impulsive behavior, and physical health complications in the longrun.
Treating emotional eating disorder is similar to treating other types of disordered eating. The first step is to recognize the issue and how food is used as an emotional coping tool. From there, one can take a step back to identify their emotions and accept them instead of turning to food. When one has identified what emotions are surfacing and why, coping skills can be used that are more constructive and beneficial than using food to cope. The next step is to create a sustainable plan for healthier eating habits that advances physical health as well.
Overall, emotional eating disorder is different from other types of eating disorders in the sense that it is more about the psychological aspect of eating versus following a physical protocol. It can be a complicated disorder to address since there is an emotional component involved, but is also very treatable with patience, as few other issues than emotional eating disorder offers an opportunity to connect with one’s emotional state while addressing a disorder. With the right approach, treatment, and adherence to the plan, emotional eating disorder can be managed and someone can get back on track with a healthier relationship with food.
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