Exploring The Difference Between Emotional and Binge Eating: Insights from an Eating Disorder Therapist
Do you find yourself reaching for a tub of ice cream after a stressful day or munching on chips when you’re feeling down? Emotional eating is a common experience, and it’s important to approach it with understanding and kindness. This blog post is here to help you explore the reasons behind emotional eating and offer compassionate strategies to address it—without resorting to restrictive diets or self-judgment.
What is emotional eating?
Emotional eating is when someone eats to deal with life events or feelings such as:
Losing a job
Financial difficulties
A breakup
Work stress
Relationship problems
Health issues
Boredom
Procrastination
Stress
Anxiety
Overwhelm
Sadness
Restlessness
Anticipation
Fear
How is emotional eating different from binge or overeating?
Emotional eating, binge eating, and overeating are related but distinct behaviors, each with unique characteristics and underlying causes:
Emotional Eating: This involves eating in response to feelings rather than physical hunger. It often occurs as a way to cope with emotions such as stress, sadness, boredom, or anxiety. The primary motivation is to soothe or suppress negative feelings, and it can involve any amount of food, from a small snack to a larger meal.
Binge Eating: Binge eating is characterized by consuming large quantities of food in a short period, often accompanied by a feeling of loss of control. It’s usually done in secret and leads to feelings of guilt or shame. Unlike emotional eating, which can be sporadic and vary in intensity, binge eating episodes are more intense and frequent, often meeting the criteria for Binge Eating Disorder (BED).
Overeating: Overeating simply means eating more food than the body needs or wants, which can happen occasionally to anyone. It often occurs in social settings or during holidays and doesn’t necessarily have an emotional trigger or involve the loss of control that characterizes binge eating. Overeating can be a one-time event rather than a regular pattern.
Understanding these differences is key to addressing each behavior effectively and compassionately. While emotional eating often requires strategies to manage emotions, binge eating may need more structured interventions, and overeating might just require mindful eating practices.
What is the continuum of emotional eating?
Emotional eating falls on a spectrum. The farther along the spectrum towards punishing oneself with food, the more worthy of support this issue is. Here’s an image that shows the Continuum of Emotional Eating (adapted from Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch’s book Intuitive Eating).
Looking at this continuum, you’ll see the left side represents the start of an emotional eating experience. This moment may include more sensory gratification, enjoyment, and comfort. This is an essential part of the food experience. When you’re in this space, you may feel pleasant emotions and sensations. You may or may not be full, but you’re not in a place of pain or discomfort.
As you move to the middle of the continuum, you may feel more distraction, less ability to notice hunger and fullness, less ability to really taste food, and more mind wandering.
Moving further to the right, as folks continue to eat beyond fullness to distract from feelings they may notice a sense of “zoning out,” numbing, even less awareness of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction with food, and perhaps increasing feelings of distress, guilt and shame.
On the far right of the spectrum, folks may continue eating even if physically full or in pain. They get to a point of self-punishment, increased shame, blame, and self-flagellation for their emotional eating. They might feel angry, guilty, sad, or checked out physically and emotionally. When this happens frequently enough, emotional eating can turn into binge eating disorder.
Is emotional eating bad?
Emotional eating has a bad reputation in United States culture because diet culture preaches it means someone doesn’t have willpower or control of their emotions. But emotional eating IS NOT BAD. We were born emotional eaters. It’s written in our biology. From the moment we were born, we were programmed to eat for survival and comfort. Babies cry for breast, chest, or bottle when they have a need for comfort and attachment. When they get nourishment and a loving gaze from caregivers while eating, it satisfies deep attachment and nervous system regulation needs.
Eating for celebration, mourning, relational connection, and connection to our ancestors are important emotional eating rituals around the world. To deny this aspect of our humanity is to deny the social, emotional, spiritual, and essential aspects of wellness that keep us thriving. Emotional wellness (including through food and connection) is a vital aspect of health.
The only time emotional eating would be considered “bad” is when it becomes the only way folks can deal with big feelings and turns into a cycle of behavior. (And even then, I wouldn’t label it “bad” but a sign that it’s time to get support because it could indicate deeper issues to resolve). Additional signs emotional eating is worthy of attention include:
An inability to stop eating even when full or physically uncomfortable
Not having any other way to deal with emotions besides food
Feeling much distress, shame, and guilt about the types and quantities of food eaten
Getting into a cycle of emotional eating and then restricting food or dieting to compensate (such as with binge eating disorder)
Urgency to eat when feeling strong emotions
Food is the only thing that calms or rewards
How to deal with emotional eating?
Coping with emotional eating involves developing strategies that address the underlying emotions and provide healthier ways to manage stress, sadness, or anxiety. Here are some compassionate and practical coping skills to help:
Identify Triggers: Keep a journal to note when and why you eat emotionally. Understanding your triggers is the first step in addressing them.
Mindful Eating: Practice being present during meals. Pay attention to the taste, texture, and enjoyment of your food, which can help you distinguish between physical hunger and emotional cravings.
Healthy Distractions: Engage in activities that you enjoy and that can distract you from emotional eating. This could include hobbies, reading, taking a walk, or calling a friend.
Stress Management: Incorporate stress-reducing practices into your daily routine, such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or journaling.
Emotional Awareness: Develop a habit of checking in with your emotions. When you feel the urge to eat emotionally, pause and ask yourself what you’re really feeling and what you might need in that moment.
Support System: Talk to friends, family, or an eating disorder therapist about your feelings. Sometimes just expressing your emotions can reduce the urge to eat.
Healthy Alternatives: Find non-food-related ways to comfort yourself, such as taking a warm bath, listening to music, or engaging in a creative activity.
Balanced Nutrition: Ensure you’re eating regular, balanced meals. Skipping meals can lead to increased emotional eating later in the day.
Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Recognize that emotional eating is a common coping mechanism and that making changes takes time. Avoid self-judgment and focus on progress, not perfection.
Professional Help: If emotional eating feels overwhelming or out of control, consider seeking help from a therapist or counselor who specializes in eating behaviors and emotional health.
By incorporating these coping skills, you can gradually develop a healthier relationship with food and emotions, fostering long-term well-being and self-compassion.
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Emotional eating is a common and understandable response to life's ups and downs, but it doesn't have to control your relationship with food. By developing awareness, practicing self-compassion, and incorporating healthier coping strategies, you can navigate your emotions without turning to the pantry. Remember, it's a journey, not a destination—one that deserves patience and kindness toward yourself. Embrace this process as an opportunity to better understand your needs and to cultivate a more balanced and nurturing approach to both your emotions and eating habits. You're not alone, and each step you take is a step towards a healthier, more fulfilling life.
If you’re looking for support for emotional eating or think you or someone you love has an eating disorder, please reach out. I’m happy to help you. There is support available and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.
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