How to Successfully Cope with Emotional Eating

The previous article focused on the psychological aspects of emotional eating. This article provides additional insights to help us tackle the issue effectively. 

Expressing Negative Emotions such as Sadness, Frustration, Anger – Often, we may feel these negative emotions but lack the ability to express them toward the source or root cause. For example, a boss at work might behave in a way that is unacceptable to us, but we might feel not confident enough to stand our ground. Or a family member may say something that angers you, but out of respect, you refrain from reacting. In these instances, transference may occur.

Transference is a psychological phenomenon coined by Dr. Sigmund Freud, one of the founders of psychoanalysis.

Transference is characterized by the unconscious redirection of feelings from one person to another. For instance, one might vent anger and rage on food rather than on the boss or family member. Sometimes we may not connect the anger and frustration to a particular situation or person, and at other times we know exactly what and whom we are angry with — but we are forced to express the anger through eating due to lack of options.

In such cases, it is advisable to pause, think, and breathe. Remind yourself that unhealthy eating harms only you — and no one else. In reality, we only intensify the anger, because after eating, we might become angry at ourselves for overeating — thus adding fuel to the fire instead of extinguishing it...

When you pause, reflect and ask yourself the following questions: What am I really angry about? What is the root? What truly troubles me? How can I confront this in the best and most beneficial way? When you pause and think, it's easier to analyze the situation and find a solution. You operate more logically and sensibly, which significantly enhances the chances of success compared to resorting to emotional eating that only magnifies the emotion and, in these cases, the negative feelings. Yes, it's difficult and challenging, requiring great mental strength, self-awareness, and self-control. Treat it like a trial, something meant to teach and strengthen you, not break you. It's a situation from which you can grow, not fall.

This is also the time to learn to express negative emotions constructively — not to discharge anger in shouts and screams, but to find a quiet way to release what's in your heart and share with another what bothers you — but without hurting them. It is indeed a challenge, but it is possible.

If you have turned to emotional eating to ease negative emotions, try to stop it relatively quickly once it begins. Afterwards, don't be too hard on yourself. Understand that you slipped up, but strive with all your might to minimize these pitfalls as much as possible. Most importantly, do not be angry with yourself — as this could create a negative cycle that only feeds the anger when our goal is to break it.

Self-blame, Self-criticism, and Internal Judgment — The previous cases focused on anger at the environment. What happens when we direct the anger at ourselves? The self-blame, criticism, and judgment can be accompanied by guilt, shame, or even self-hatred. In these cases, we "eat" ourselves, and emotional eating reflects this greatly. If you are able, you must take care of yourself. Because even if you stop the emotional eating, the internal anger remaining can explode in other ways and even in the form of illness, and it will corrode every good part of your soul, God forbid. There are sites like Hidabroot where you can find articles to help you cope with this. But if you feel you're sinking or could harm yourself, God forbid, now is the time to seek help from qualified sources like a social worker, psychologist, or therapist. Do not keep these feelings to yourself. Confront them as soon as possible.

Coping with Stress, Tension, and Anxiety — Emotional eating can also stem from these situations, which are prevalent in Western society in general and particularly during the COVID period. Times of uncertainty, unrest, and insecurity can also lead to emotional eating. These are complex topics, but it is very important to tackle them.

Here you can learn how to control negative thoughts

Bach Flowers can also greatly assist in successfully coping with stress and anxiety

Byron Katie's method can also help a lot

Hidabroot also operates "Nafshi B'Sha'alti," a hotline that helps deal with anxiety and low body image.

The most important thing is to be aware of the problem of emotional eating, and if you cannot cope with it alone, then seek help as detailed. This is because excessive consumption of unhealthy food can negatively impact the digestive system and all body systems, and then the waste from the food we ingest creates negative emotional waste — which is sometimes harder to clean and remove than the food itself and can create emotional and psychological residues.

Untreated emotional eating over time can also cause eating disorders, some of which are even classified as mental problems such as anorexia or bulimia. Therefore, awareness and timely treatment are so important.

So believe in yourself, take care of yourself and give yourself the greatest tool, free of disturbances that will help you enjoy all the abundance the Creator wants to give us every day and every hour.

Best of luck! I believe in you!

Noa Rohl is a naturopath specializing in healthy nutrition and positive thinking.

Suffering from depression, anxiety, and a low mental state? Contact the "Nafshi B'Sha'alti" department at Hidabroot. For advice, call 073-3333331 or email nafshi@htv.co.il