Signs of an Emotional Eater
Author: Susan Albers Psy.D.
Are you an emotional eater? Here are some signs that you might be struggling with eating to soothe and comfort your feelings.
Emotional Eating Checklist
- Check all the statements below that feel true to you:
- Do you eat when you are not physically hungry or right after you just ate?
- Do you reach for food before you even realize it?
- Do you find it difficult to find something satisfying to eat?
- Do you sometimes not feel full or satiated even after you have eaten?
- Do you feel a sense of temporary emotional relief after eating?
- Do you tell yourself that you “need” a treat to take the edge off your nerves? Do you often experience regret after eating something?
- Do you get something to eat when you are bored or to entertain yourself?
- Do you get a snack in order to put off or delay something you don’t want to do? Do you often feel stuffed or overly full?
- Do you crave comfort foods when stressed?
- Do you tell yourself that you deserve a treat or use food to celebrate?
- Do you turn to food for energy when you are tired or fatigued?
- Do you feel comforted or calmed when you eat?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any or most of the above questions, you may be an emotional eater.
All of us emotionally eat to some extent, so it’s likely that everyone would check two or three boxes. That’s quite normal! Food has an emotional component to it. With that said, if you answered yes to at least half of the questions, it’s likely that emotional eating has evolved into a bigger issue in your life.
For information on how to cope with emotional eating, see Dr. Albers’ book, Hanger Management.