How can emotional eating disorder be treated?
Most people are emotional eaters. We eat for comfort when we’re sad, when we’re happy, when we’re bored, when we’re anxious. But for some people, emotional eating goes beyond self-soothing and becomes a full-blown eating disorder.
If you have an emotional eating disorder, you use food to cope with your emotions, instead of dealing with them in a healthy way. You might eat when you’re not hungry, eat to the point of feeling sick, or binge eat and then purge.
Emotional eating disorder is a real thing, and it can be treated. Here’s what you need to know about emotional eating disorder, and how to get help.
What Is Emotional Eating Disorder?
Emotional eating disorder is an eating disorder characterized by using food to cope with emotions instead of dealing with them in a healthy way.
People with emotional eating disorder might eat when they’re not physically hungry, or they might eat to the point of feeling sick. They might also binge eat, and then purge.
Binge eating is defined as eating a large amount of food in a short period of time, and feeling out of control during the episode. Purging is when you try to get rid of the food you just ate, usually by making yourself vomit, using laxatives, or over-exercising.
People with emotional eating disorder often use food to cope with negative emotions like sadness, anger, anxiety, or stress. But they might also turn to food to celebrate or cope with positive emotions.
It’s not uncommon for people with emotional eating disorder to be overweight or obese. But being overweight or obese doesn’t necessarily mean you have emotional eating disorder.
And while emotional eating disorder is often associated with binge eating disorder, you can have emotional eating disorder without also having binge eating disorder.
Causes of Emotional Eating Disorder
There’s no one cause of emotional eating disorder. Instead, it’s often the combination of several factors.
Your genes, for example, might make you more likely to develop emotional eating disorder. And if you grew up in a family where emotional eating was common, you might be more likely to do it yourself.
Your environment can also play a role. If you’re constantly exposed to unhealthy food, or if you live in a stressful environment, you might be more likely to develop emotional eating disorder.
It’s also important to note that emotional eating disorder is often comorbid with other mental disorders. This means that if you have another mental disorder, you’re more likely to also have emotional eating disorder.
For example, people with depression or anxiety are more likely to develop emotional eating disorder. And people with eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia are also more likely to develop emotional eating disorder.
Symptoms of Emotional Eating Disorder
There are several symptoms of emotional eating disorder. If you have emotional eating disorder, you might:
Eat more than you normally would, even when you’re not physically hungry
Eat to the point of feeling sick
Binge eat, and then purge
Eat in secret, or feel ashamed of your eating habits
Eat in response to negative emotions like sadness, anger, or anxiety
Eat in response to positive emotions like happiness or boredom
Have trouble controlling your eating habits
Have an intense fear of gaining weight
If you have emotional eating disorder, you might also have comorbid conditions like obesity, depression, anxiety, or eating disorders.
Treating Emotional Eating Disorder
Emotional eating disorder is a real thing, and it can be treated. If you have emotional eating disorder, there are several treatment options available to you.
The first step is to see a mental health professional, like a therapist or a counselor. They can help you understand your emotions, and teach you healthy coping mechanisms.
You might also benefit from a support group. Support groups provide a safe space to share your experiences and emotions. And they can be a great resource for finding information and advice.
In some cases, medication might also be an option. Anti-depressants, for example, can be effective in treating emotional eating disorder.
But no matter what treatment option you choose, it’s important to remember that recovery is possible. If you’re struggling with emotional eating disorder, reach out for help..Click here for more info
What role does diet play in emotional eating disorder?
Diet plays a role in emotional eating disorder by affecting the body’s hormones and brain chemicals. Eating a healthy diet can help to stabilize these chemicals and reduce the symptoms of emotional eating disorder.
There are four main hormones that are affected by what we eat: serotonin, cortisol, ghrelin, and leptin. Serotonin is a feel-good hormone that helps to regulate mood, and low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and high levels of cortisol have been linked to weight gain and emotional eating. Ghrelin is a hunger hormone, and high levels of ghrelin have been linked to increased appetite and food cravings. Leptin is a satiety hormone, and low levels of leptin have been linked to overeating and obesity.
Research has shown that emotional eaters have higher levels of ghrelin and lower levels of leptin than non-emotional eaters. This imbalance of hormones can lead to feelings of hunger even when the body doesn’t need food, and can cause cravings for high-fat and high-sugar foods.
A healthy diet can help to stabilize these hormones and reduce the symptoms of emotional eating disorder. Eating plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber can help to regulate appetite and control cravings. Eating regular meals and snacks can help to keep blood sugar levels stable and prevent hunger. And getting enough sleep can help to reduce stress levels and cortisol.
If you think you may be struggling with emotional eating disorder, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian. They can help you develop a healthy eating plan that meets your unique needs and can help you to start on the path to recovery.
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