Symptom 10: Emotional Eating
Often, emotional eating isn’t about satiating hunger but filling an emotional void. People with NES may find themselves in the kitchen not because their stomach is growling, but because they’re battling feelings of sadness, loneliness, or anxiety. In such cases, food becomes a coping mechanism. The instant gratification derived from the tastes and textures of certain foods provides a temporary distraction from unpleasant feelings. This isn’t exclusive to those with NES, but their predilection for nighttime snacking can amplify these tendencies.
Once the initial comfort of eating subsides, a wave of guilt and self-reproach might follow. This creates a challenging emotional loop. A person eats to combat negative feelings but ends up feeling worse after succumbing to their nocturnal cravings. The guilt can be multifaceted: remorse over breaking a diet, anxiety about potential weight gain, or just the realization of being trapped in a relentless cycle of emotional eating. Over time, this guilt can intensify feelings of low self-worth and depression, further reinforcing the emotional eating habit.
When someone is eating in response to emotional triggers, their food choices tend to differ from when they eat out of genuine hunger. Typically, emotional eaters gravitate towards foods that are high in sugar, fat, and salt. These ‘comfort foods’ release feel-good chemicals like serotonin in the brain, which can boost mood momentarily. Recognizing these triggers and food preferences can be a pivotal step for those with NES. By understanding what drives them to the kitchen at night, they can devise strategies to counter these triggers or replace unhealthy snacks with healthier alternatives.
Mindfulness, the act of being present and fully engaged with whatever we’re doing, can be a powerful tool against emotional eating. Those with NES can practice mindful eating by paying full attention to the eating experience: savoring each bite, appreciating the food’s texture and flavor, and recognizing when they’re full. This can reduce binge eating episodes and ensure they’re eating for the right reasons. Moreover, mindfulness techniques can help them differentiate between emotional hunger and physical hunger, paving the way for healthier eating patterns.
Emotional eating is a complex issue, intertwined with psychology, habits, and societal influences. For someone with NES, addressing this aspect can be central to managing their condition. By recognizing the emotions driving their eating habits and implementing strategies like mindfulness, they can hope to break free from the chains of emotional eating and move towards a healthier relationship with food. (10)
