Try This Strategy To Prevent Emotional Eating

JUST FOR TODAY:  If you are feeling any "dark" emotions, such as depression, support your process of expressing these feelings.  This is an effective alternative to binge eating or other eating disordered behaviors.

Although certain emotions such as depression can be uncomfortable, it's important to realize that "dark" emotions are a part of our lives.  It can be tempting to numb these emotions with excess food, or through other eating disordered behaviors.  However, binge eating or restricting will not make the emotions go away.  In fact, your depression can get worse, because you may feel guilty about your eating disorder and hopeless about your situation.  The only way to move from "dark" emotions back to "light" ones is to feel your way through.  Support your process of expressing your feelings by listening to "dark" music, watching a "dark" film, writing "dark" poetry, or making a "dark" piece of art.  As you move closer to your "dark" emotion and find a creative way to feel it and express it, you will begin to release it.  The "light" emotions will follow!

©2010 by "Dr. Dorie" McCubbrey, M.S.Ed., Ph.D. – Eating Disorder & Obesity Treatment Specialist – Denver, Colorado