Writer Pearl Buck once said that “hunger turns every man into a thief. “But lack of food can not only cause a man to fly to eat, it is also linked to many psychological problems, so there are two different situations. , hunger or the desire to eat. Controlling the second, caused by anxiety, can be very difficult.
Anxiety problems can interfere in all walks of life, including lead us to adopt unhealthy eating habits. It is quite common in overweight people to look for a nutritionist and not get results, probably because they hide some kind of emotional change for themselves or others.
- Emotional nutrition causes our mood to affect what we eat.
- In this case a person with a lot of anxiety does not eat because he has a real need for food.
- The fact is that eating makes us happy and we feel good.
- More relaxed In fact.
- When we eat what we like.
- We release neurotransmitters like dopamine.
On many occasions, however, this well-being is only transient, once the meal is finished the feeling of guilt arises, in fact, the reward received in the form of food lasts very little time, with a compulsive diet in the medium and long term. generating anxiety and perhaps even more anxiety.
Increasingly close, in most cases, food still has more negative effects than positives on people with anxiety, because people with anxiety tend to choose unhealthy foods, high in fats and sugars, which release more dopamine to our reward system, but it also changes and complicates the situation.
The main problem is that anxious people can’t calm their feelings by eating, plus trying to calm anxiety with food ends up making the situation worse in most cases, the problem is much more complex and is usually caused by some or all of the problems below.
“Man can conquer everything but hunger. ” -Seneca-
Now that we know some possible causes of anxiety-induced hunger, let us learn to control it, so we must know how to differentiate ourselves: are we hungry or want to eat ?, there are several differences between anxious hunger and normal hunger. . If we know the characteristics of each one, we can mobilize to identify the problem behind it and seek a different solution to food.
It usually appears suddenly, with great intensity, and causes us so much desire that there is a huge difficulty to resist, so if we realize that this hunger came in a totally unexpected way, and that it is not only in our stomach but also our mind, beware!, this hunger may not be the reflection of a need, but something that invites us to eat for pure pleasure.
There are usually very vivid representations of a specific desire, for example fast food. If you give in and eat, there will be no limit, because it’s hunger, doesn’t it satisfy that desire. Then another one shows up. Then there is a compulsive diet and soon there is guilt and discomfort because, of course, the behavior has not solved the problem behind it.
To combat this hunger for anxiety we will have to learn to identify these kinds of situations, ask yourself if you suffered any problems that have altered your emotional balance that day, whether related to work, a friend, a family member. Etc.
If you can identify the situation, you can rationalize that eating won’t help, so we can prevent an uncontrolled emotional diet, it’s much easier to succumb to it without even realizing it, or realizing it only when it’s too late. .
As we have already mentioned, the suppression of emotions is a big mistake even if it may seem socially acceptable or even desirable, negative emotions are part of our own being, and as such, we must accept, share or show them if necessary. .
In this way, if we learn to manage our emotions, both negative and positive, we will find an effective way to reduce our anxiety levels, thus we will have tools to release tension and anxiety, and the consequent desire to eat.
We know it’s easier said than done, but we need to relax in times of great anxiety, stop the cycle before everything gets out of hand, if we don’t let ourselves sink into anguish, we will greatly improve. There are many techniques that help control mood and emotions.
“Hunger and love hold the world together. “-Friedrich Schiller-
In addition, there are daily measures such as getting a good night’s sleep, usually at least 7 hours a night, looking for other rewards besides food, exercising regularly, and keeping your mind busy with fun activities like reading and watching movies. It is much easier to control this irresistible desire to eat the whole world. If you still can’t do it, you should know that a professional can help you in this direction.