The background of stress-eating

Do you find yourself racing to the pantry when you’re feeling down or otherwise upset? Finding comfort in food is common, and it’s part of a practice called emotional eating.

People who emotionally eat reach for food several times a week or more to suppress and soothe negative feelings. They may even feel guilt or shame after eating this way, leading to a cycle of excess eating and associated issues, like weight gain.
What causes someone to eat because of their emotions?

Anything from work stress to financial worries, health issues to relationship struggles may be the root cause of your emotional eating.

It’s an issue that affects both sexes. But according to different studies, emotional eating is more common with women than with men.
Why food?

Negative emotions may lead to a feeling of emptiness or an emotional void. Food is believed to be a way to fill that void and create a false feeling of “fullness” or temporary wholeness.

Other factors include:

retreating from social support during times of emotional need
not engaging in activities that might otherwise relieve stress, sadness, and so on
not understanding the difference between physical and emotional hunger
using negative self-talking that’s related to bingeing episodes. This can create a cycle of emotional eating
changing cortisol levels in response to stress, leading to cravings.