Coping With Food and Life

People who use food in their attempt to deal with anxiety and even loneliness often become depressed when confronted by the need to diet. Why? Because food has become the key means of coping and self-soothing.

 All of us can feel discouraged or down at times. And lots of people (probably all of us at one time or another) turn to food to make ourselves feel better when we feel defeated, discouraged or frustrated. But some of us use food as an on-going way of coping and responding to the some of the negative situations and emotions most of us encounter at some point in life..
Think about it:

• we look for atmosphere or ambiance in restaurants;
•  we seek out specific foods or special desserts
• we have our most favorite snacks
• and it doesn't matter whether those are healthy or outright junk foods

 All are examples of how tied our emotions are to food.  And it's no wonder - because food is one of the most satisfying and comforting experiences we have from the very beginning of our lives.

But there are those who struggle with their emotions - and the way they eat serves as an unconscious defense against the feelings of sadness, loneliness or other negative feelings. The question for some of these folks is not "why am I overeating" but "what else would I do with these feelings?"

And one last thought - although this kind of eating can be a problem, this relationship with food often masks or serves as a defense against other bad feelings. Sometimes it's a little more complicated than it seems.
Chandler
drcwelch.com