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Eating your feelings over the holidays
By Melissa Martin, Ph.D.
Food is a temporary self-soother for those who use gooey goodies to
self-medicate painful emotions. Eating prompts the brain to release
endorphins, known as ‘feel good’ chemicals. These chemicals include the
neurotransmitter dopamine, which the brain interprets as pleasure,
according to a research study described in the 2018 journal Cell
Metabolism.
“Emotional eating refers to consumption of food for the purpose of
regulating one’s emotional states. Eating palatable foods—commonly,
foods that are sweet, fatty, or high in carbs—may improve our mood
temporarily, but that short-lived comfort comes at the cost of weight
gain and other health issues,” according to a 2019 article in
Psychology Today.
Emotions surrounding the holiday season may trigger binge eating. And there’s usually plenty of festive foods around.
Loneliness. Being alone for the holidays, for whatever reason, may bring on sadness.
Grief. Holidays may elicit memories of deceased loved ones and feelings of loss and sorrow.
Divorce. Newly divorced individuals in the process of moving on may
experience a myriad of emotions. Breakups and relationship issues can
lead to confusion, anger, and guilt.
Finances. The cost of holiday celebrations can spark worry and fear.
Planning, shopping, and cooking can initiate the urge to stress eat.
Unrealistic expectations. Not all family members or friends can make it
to the Christmas dinner. Disappointment may increase eating.
Christmas shopping, large crowds, and rude drivers. ‘Tis the season so be prepared. And skip Black Friday.
What can you do to curb holiday binge eating? The first step is
awareness of the problem. The second step is to make a plan with coping
skills. Ask for support from trustworthy family or friends. What do you
need instead of food when emotions are overwhelming? How can you
prevent and manage stress attributed to the busy season?
Use a Hunger Scale
A hunger scale can help you learn how to tell the difference between
biological hunger and psychological hunger. Psychological hunger is a
desire to eat that is caused by emotions.
An article at HealthLinkBC described a hunger scale. When you become
hungry, rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being starving
and 10 being so full you feel sick. A rating of 5 means you’re
comfortable—neither too hungry nor too full.
1—Starving, weak, dizzy
2—Very hungry, cranky, low energy
3—Pretty hungry, stomach is growling a little
4—Starting to feel a little hungry
5—Satisfied, neither hungry nor full
6—A little full, pleasantly full
7—A little uncomfortable
8—Feeling stuffed
9—Very uncomfortable, stomach hurts
10—So full you feel sick
If you feel like eating but your hunger level is a 6 or higher on the scale, stop and check your emotions. www.healthlinkbc.ca.
Emotional cravings are a signal that you need something else instead of
food. Managing a mood with food is taking comfort from something that
is not meant to comfort. Learning to manage feelings is the key to
managing binge eating during the holidays.
Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator, and
therapist. She lives in Southern Ohio. Contact her at
melissamcolumnist@gmail.com.
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