Emotional Eating - How to Recognize It

Emotional eating, it's more than you think. Not all emotional eating is an eating disorder. The common portrayal is someone who is upset and eats a tub of ice cream. But there are subtle ways we can attach emotions to eating even when you are not hungry. That means anyone can be susceptible to overeating. In this video, I discuss ways you can recognize if you are emotionally eating. I also discuss 3 emotional eating solutions or how to deal with emotional eating.

WANT TO START IN THERAPY? Here’s a convenient and affordable option

For a monthly fee, you get a REAL licensed therapist with whom you can meet weekly by phone, video or chat. You can also send daily messages.

Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.

[Diviryn]

I know I’m not hungry, I know I’m full but I still can’t stop myself when I’m overly anxious / stressed. I’m fully aware of how I feel and what I am doing and what damage I’m doing to my body. I wish I knew how to snap myself out of it.. impulse control, I suppose. It’s funny because for twelve years I starved myself and I did a total 180 after a really bad time / episode.

[christiansgrandma]

I realized I ate because I felt it was the only thing I knew how to do successfully. After years of low self esteem and abusive relationships. Wow. What a painful truth.

[Lovelyminidonuts]

I eat for every emotion I feel like food is the cure I just feel better

[Capture.Castle]

I love that this video has zero downvotes. This video has helped me a lot.

[triniwarrior]

This was very informative. I think I eat when I feel depressed and lonely and "reward" myself with junk to feel better. But then I end up feeling guilty about eating it and stress over it which makes even more depressed.

[abby]

Can you please do more videos like this? You're my favorite YouTuber and role model, and this is what ai struggle with the most 😭 Thank you so much for sharing your light 🕯️

[bookworm]

When I’m sad I don’t eat due to lack of appetite. But when I’m stressed and not sad, I eat so much. It makes me feel better. I find it comforting. I do savor every bite

[colleengaudet]

I ate when there negative comments, I live with a VERY negative mother. I got lots of negative feed back for being over weight. I then binged and purged by 16. I stopped when I had kids.
I married, had kids and stayed overweight. My top weight was310lbs.
Had weight loss surgery, then began eating and bingeing to cope since I could not just eat emotionally. Crazy how old behaviours come back.
A year with BANA (bulimia anorexia nervosa association) and the help of a psychiatrist who diagnose me properly, (bipolar type 2). Medication helps but CBT help me a lot.
This is a great straightforward explanation I can share with friends I have met with similar issues. Thanks so much.

[billyjo]

I’ve had a history suffering from insomnia from stress but it’s mainly gone away the last 5 years until a few months ago when I’ve noticed that this time it’s connected to my menstrual cycle. My body gets so tired that I can’t even think of entertaining myself/ doing something else until I feel tired again and go to bed which seem to be the advice most people give for insomnia. It has made me realized that my eating disorder started when i first began to have insomnia. I was trying to go to work and take care of my dog after not sleeping for 3 days and food was the only thing i could think of that gave me the energy to do what i gotta do. Slowly, it turnt into binging and purging every day because i was eating so much i never felt hungry anymore. I’ve never heard of menstrual induced insomnia before. I really need help. And i don’t want to binge and purge anymore but it’s started again with my insomnia this time.

[RivkaK-igex]

thank you Dr Marks, this is my first time seeing one of your videos, but it SURELY won't be my last!!!

[mustardthecat]

5 years old but this video is still helpful. Ive realized I have both emotional eating and severe binge eating. I feel so helpless.

[vanessamclennan]

These tips are great and take constant work and evolution of yourself

[queenofcats]

I' m a psychological counseling student and ı love this video 🤩 I' ll make use of your video in my homework on " emotional eating in the pandemic". Thanks 🌼🌼

[indigenousamerican]

Thanks so much for these videos Dr. Tracey Marks. I usually just watch through your videos without saying a thank you. I really appreciate them and am sure you have helped many.

[alejandragarciagonzalezmez]

Just wanted to say that I just discovered your channel and found this video very helpful. Thank you.

[martharunstheworld]

I love your channel! You address very real issues! Thank you!

[MelanatedGoddess]

Thank you. I eat based on my emotions and I'm a mindless eater :( I've worked on both for a few years but i can't seem to outgrow.
Lastly, thank you for the visuals.

[caytie]

I eat when I'm bored or emotional :( I'm fat and I cant get out the habit:/

[y.rivera]

There was a time that I couldn't stop eating and what worked for me was eating by schedule. Breakfast at 7 AM, lunch at 12:30 PM and dinner at 7 PM. One snack at 9:30 AM and one 3:30. That was all. No matter what I felt, I only ate on these specific moments. If I felt "hunger" in between I repeated to my self many times "I know this is not real hunger".

[jaleesa]

I eat to procrastinate on a homework assignment I don't want to do