Emotional Eating Test
I often choose unhealthy foods when I'm feeling emotional or distressed.
Specific foods become irresistible to me during times of emotional upset.
Boredom frequently leads me to eat without real hunger.
On difficult days, I'm more inclined to pick less nutritious food options.
My eating habits tend to be worse when I'm by myself compared to social situations.
Some foods have such strong appeal that my willpower completely disappears.
My food consumption remains fairly consistent no matter how I'm feeling emotionally.
Frustration makes me want to grab packaged snacks or junk food.
I believe I'd have higher self-esteem if I made healthier dietary decisions.
If I slip up on my healthy eating plan, the disappointment often makes me give up entirely.
Exhaustion leaves me feeling powerless to resist tempting foods.
During high-stress times in my life, my food intake increases significantly.
Consuming foods I consider off-limits typically brings feelings of guilt afterward.
I use certain foods as a way to manage difficult emotions or situations.
Sometimes it feels like food has more control over me than I have over it.
Sweet foods serve as a mood booster when I'm feeling down or sad.
I frequently eat without paying attention when I have nothing engaging to do.
Anxiety drives me toward comforting foods that help soothe my nerves.
Emotional distress actually reduces my appetite rather than increasing it.
Feeling guilty about my food choices often triggers even more eating.
20 questions remaining
Things You Should Know
- Some people call emotional eating "stress eating" or "comfort eating." People often say that it means "eating your feelings."
- Food is good for you both physically and mentally. It gives us energy and makes the parts of our brains that reward us work better. This means that it is normal for us to feel better after eating, especially if the food is very tasty or high in calories.
- Eating when you're feeling strong emotions can be a problem, though, if it's the only or main way you deal with them, makes you feel bad about yourself, makes your health goals harder to reach, or makes you feel ashamed or guilty.
- When someone is sad, they might eat too much and then feel bad about how much food they ate. This could make them keep overeating or give up on a healthy diet completely, which would turn emotional eating into a cycle that keeps going.
- Eating because of your feelings is not considered an eating disorder on its own. People with disordered eating habits may be more likely to have this problem, and someone who eats a lot of food during an episode may meet the criteria for binge-eating disorder.
- Finding out what makes you eat emotionally and coming up with other ways to deal with it, with the help of a mental health professional if needed, can help you stop making bad food choices when you're feeling down.
Change Now
Eat regularly. If you go too long without food, your negative feelings may get worse and you may be more likely to eat when you're stressed.
Get moving: If you want to eat too much, try moving your body. Even a short walk can help you relax and feel better.
Think about therapy. A good therapist can help you figure out why you eat when you're upset and how to deal with your feelings in a healthier way.
