“In emotional eating, whether I am hungry or not, the eating is not driven by hunger but by emotions,” Clinical Psychologist, Dr Satish Kumar CR, explains that the term.
There could be several triggers for emotional eating, explains Ashwini NV, a mental health professional. She says that the most common trigger could be overwhelming stress.
Work stress, family issues, academic issues, peer pressure, loneliness, boredom, Nutritional deficiencies and Hormonal fluctuations can all trigger emotional eating, adds Dr Satish.
“Many people are taught to associate food with comfort. Over time, this can develop into a habit where food becomes a go-to for dealing with emotional distress,” she explains.
Meanwhile, Nandini G, a clinical psychologist says that the soothing effect certain foods can have on our emotional state offers a temporary escape from negative feelings and is bad.
These foods can stimulate the brain’s reward centres, releasing neurotransmitters like dopamine, which create feelings of pleasure and temporary relief from negative emotions.
“Awareness of the reason for emotional eating is a must. This can be followed by learning healthy coping mechanisms to deal with unpleasant emotional states,” Ashwini explains.
Understanding the causal factors is crucial for adapting effective strategies such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, and lifestyle changes that develop healthier coping mechanisms.