Emotional eating trigger

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silkmouse
silkmouse Posts: 53 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am a sensitive person who doesn't have a thick skin, so if someone makes fun of me, this triggers me to engage in emotional eating and not feel like doing anything for hours.

It's a very specific trigger...I can be having a very stressful argument with someone or be feeling uncertainty or anxiety but I won't think of eating, whereas if someone insults me and calls me names it leads to emotional eating.

It is embarrassing how much I eat when I'm upset, like I would go to Costa and get a sandwich and 4 slices of cake or get 5 slices of cake and the staff would visibly be struggling to put it on a tray and I felt like they were judging me because everyone else was ordering just a drink or a drink and 1 pastry. Can anyone relate?

Replies

  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
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    Im an emotional eater...emotional everything. The best thing that has helped me is exercising. Weightlifting for me not only has helped physical strength but mental strength!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    silkmouse wrote: »
    I am a sensitive person who doesn't have a thick skin, so if someone makes fun of me, this triggers me to engage in emotional eating and not feel like doing anything for hours.

    It's a very specific trigger...I can be having a very stressful argument with someone or be feeling uncertainty or anxiety but I won't think of eating, whereas if someone insults me and calls me names it leads to emotional eating.

    It is embarrassing how much I eat when I'm upset, like I would go to Costa and get a sandwich and 4 slices of cake or get 5 slices of cake and the staff would visibly be struggling to put it on a tray and I felt like they were judging me because everyone else was ordering just a drink or a drink and 1 pastry. Can anyone relate?

    Have you thought about getting professional help?
  • silkmouse
    silkmouse Posts: 53 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    silkmouse wrote: »
    I am a sensitive person who doesn't have a thick skin, so if someone makes fun of me, this triggers me to engage in emotional eating and not feel like doing anything for hours.

    It's a very specific trigger...I can be having a very stressful argument with someone or be feeling uncertainty or anxiety but I won't think of eating, whereas if someone insults me and calls me names it leads to emotional eating.

    It is embarrassing how much I eat when I'm upset, like I would go to Costa and get a sandwich and 4 slices of cake or get 5 slices of cake and the staff would visibly be struggling to put it on a tray and I felt like they were judging me because everyone else was ordering just a drink or a drink and 1 pastry. Can anyone relate?

    Have you thought about getting professional help?

    Do you think it would help? I feel like they'd tell me to just stop eating so much, which is what my family tells me :/
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    silkmouse wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    silkmouse wrote: »
    I am a sensitive person who doesn't have a thick skin, so if someone makes fun of me, this triggers me to engage in emotional eating and not feel like doing anything for hours.

    It's a very specific trigger...I can be having a very stressful argument with someone or be feeling uncertainty or anxiety but I won't think of eating, whereas if someone insults me and calls me names it leads to emotional eating.

    It is embarrassing how much I eat when I'm upset, like I would go to Costa and get a sandwich and 4 slices of cake or get 5 slices of cake and the staff would visibly be struggling to put it on a tray and I felt like they were judging me because everyone else was ordering just a drink or a drink and 1 pastry. Can anyone relate?

    Have you thought about getting professional help?

    Do you think it would help? I feel like they'd tell me to just stop eating so much, which is what my family tells me :/

    Presumably your family aren't mental health professionals?
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
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    I am not an emotional eater but I did realize that they are certain triggers that I had when it came to over eating. Stressful day at work? Hungover? Argument with my boyfriend? I'd instantly want to just down an entire pizza. A big piece of my weight loss was to learn to identify it, realize it was happening and then do something else such as going for a walk, calling my mom/friend, reading a book, look up a recipe and then go to the grocery store so I can buy food to cook it. You might benefit from a professional who'll help you identify how you're feeling in the moment before you over eat.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,172 Member
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    Truly, a good therapist could be a great help. Even people with thin skins can learn some skills to deal with stressful situations! But for the love of all that is holy, who in your life is making fun of you and calling you names? That is so rude and abusive and bullying. Certainly, if this is your family members, you need to talk to a counselor about how to deal with this constant barrage of ugliness. If it's a "friend", it'd be helpful to figure out how to kick this person out of your life for good. I'm so sorry to hear you're having to deal with such cruelty. Nobody deserves to be treated like that.
  • silkmouse
    silkmouse Posts: 53 Member
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    DebLaBounty wrote: »
    Truly, a good therapist could be a great help. Even people with thin skins can learn some skills to deal with stressful situations! But for the love of all that is holy, who in your life is making fun of you and calling you names? That is so rude and abusive and bullying. Certainly, if this is your family members, you need to talk to a counselor about how to deal with this constant barrage of ugliness. If it's a "friend", it'd be helpful to figure out how to kick this person out of your life for good. I'm so sorry to hear you're having to deal with such cruelty. Nobody deserves to be treated like that.

    Thank you, I see what you guys are saying about therapy , how it would help me cope better. Truly it is unhealthy for me to eat such huge amounts at a time, for my organs, not to mention the unhealthy food itself. Thank you so much for your concern. Family is extended family and the others are friends...I want to stop talking to them but it's a big step because we've known each other so long. Makes me nervous to start over but it needs to happen sooner or later..how are you?:)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    My suggestions are different. Stop thinking about your comfort foods as unhealthy - it's only unhealthy to eat too much, and you can eat too much of any food. Remember that eating is a choice you make, not something that happens to you. Keep in mind that everybody think and do and feel both in reaction to what others say and do, but also independently from others. Reduce exposure to the absolute necessary with the name-callers, and when you must interact with them, set boundaries.
  • SteamPug
    SteamPug Posts: 262 Member
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    I’d suggest stop referring to yourself as an emotional eater. I always cringe when I hear people say this, because to me it just sounds like you’re speaking it in to being and making it so that any time you’re feeling emotional you’ve already convinced your brain that what you need to do next is eat - even if you’re not actually experiencing any real cravings.
    You’ve had some times where you eat when you’re sad or feel personally insulted - but you aren’t an ‘emotional eater’ that’s not who you are as a person and it’s not the only thing you are, so stop thinking about yourself in predetermined ways and start redefining yourself as someone who has control over themselves. Even if you don’t feel like you have control - you’re way more likely to achieve success whilst you’re thinking positively. Who cares if you screw up? It doesn’t matter and it doesn’t define you, just aim to do better next time.
  • faithfulheart888
    faithfulheart888 Posts: 22 Member
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    Hi silkmouse, just wanted to say I identify with this too! It's a hard habit to get out of...and I find some weeks worse than others, especially when I struggle with my anxiety. I also have a habit of having too many glasses of wine to unwind! I've been known to go to mcdonalds and order 2 large meals and a mcflurry to myself...with a side box of nuggets! I hide it from others too.. and feel awful after. so it's obviously a massive problem. So feel free to add me, maybe we could support each other. x
  • 100_PROOF_
    100_PROOF_ Posts: 1,168 Member
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    First of all- nobody should be calling you names. Ditch those people from your life.
    Secondly- therapy really can help!

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