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Stress Eating

Let me begin by saying that this is NOT a justification, but an EXPLANATION.

Stress isn't a THING




. . . it's a REACTION to a thing (called a stressor).  Stress is one of the most primitive of emotions, related to what some call "fight or flight."  It prepares our bodies to get us out of trouble.  To offer the example used in my grad school physiology class, if we were confronted by a huge bear, our bodies would have to respond, to enable us to survive.  Our heart rate would increase (get that blood to all organs), capillaries would constrict (lessens bleeding), our mouth would be dry (prevent any unneeded loss of body fluid), and so on.  Stress isn't something enjoyable.  It's survival.

For most people, stress is also accompanied by a loss of appetite.  Before a critical exam, most students aren't thinking of eating.  Nor are candidates for a job, waiting their turn for the interview of their lives.  Or someone who's just been given bad news, about an ailing friend or family member.  But a portion of us have brains that see things a bit differently.  Those brains reason that, because stress is UNPLEASANT, it's the time to shield ourselves from that, by experiencing something pleasant. . . namely, eating.

Now, before we get into a huge discussion about this, we should acknowledge that many view eating as a necessity.  A biological imperative that keeps us alive.  And the same individuals would also admit that some foods taste better than others, and that some are even worth seeking out, because they make the biological process of ingestion a more pleasant one.  That said, let's turn our attention to the others - the "stress eaters" (those for whom stressors induce eating, rather than a loss of appetite).  We (I've been a stress eater almost my entire adult life) have managed to extract and separate the pleasurable component of food ingestion and placed it above its biological function.  And it's what food purveyors like (check out ads for chocolate, snacks, and fried foods).  We react to stressors in both an unorthodox and self-destructive way. .  by trying to shield ourselves from stress, by experiencing something pleasurable, to counteract it.  Trouble is, the next day, most stress eaters suffer the emotional equivalent of a hangover.  "Why did I eat that whole quart of ice cream?  My car is still not repaired. . . AND now I feel heavy and sluggish!"  Fill in your own scenario.  For me, it's been carbs.  For you, it might be chocolate.  The WHAT doesn't matter.  The WHY does.

For me, stress eating is a factor, no matter what I weigh - even when I've been enormously successful in controlling my weight.  It's something I have to keep vigilant about.  When I'm successful, I might play video games or hop on my stationary bike, to work off the stress.  When I'm not, I'll wake up the next morning, to a bunch of dishes I've used or a scattering of crumbs on the carpet.  I won't offer any easy fixes for this psychological glitch, except to say that some things have provided me with hope: A hobby, an interest in something that makes it less likely for you to dwell on the stressors, or something challenging like a complicated video game or physical activity like a turn on the treadmill or the stationary bike.  Just being aware of a tendency to do stress eating is a step in the right direction.

Just know that you're not alone.

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