Emotional Hunger (Emotional Eating) is a concept that increases eating behavior in situations like stress, anxiety, depression, anger, and happiness. It is often associated with low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, and eating disorders. This excessive eating response observed in the face of emotions is commonly seen in obese individuals, but it has also been shown to occur in individuals with normal weight. Therefore, it is suggested that emotions influence eating behavior.

Eating has rewarding effects that increase pleasure. These effects have been observed to be more pronounced in obese individuals compared to those of normal weight. Obese individuals tend to consume more aromatic and visually appealing foods. These foods influence the eating behavior of obese individuals. Emotional hunger has been found to be associated with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN).

BED is a state in which individuals lose control over their eating, meaning they are unaware of what and how much they are eating. They consume food that can be shared by one or more persons in a short period. In BN, similar to binge eating disorder, individuals resort to behaviors such as vomiting, using diuretic medications, or excessive exercise to avoid weight gain after binge or normal eating.

BED is more frequently seen in obese individuals. It has been shown that approximately half of bariatric surgery patients are diagnosed with BED (Vinai et al., 2015). In a study conducted by Annagür et al. (2012), BED was detected in 22 out of 48 individuals who were hospitalized due to obesity. Studies on the biological processes leading to BED suggest the role of dopamine, opioids, ghrelin, and serotonin in its etiology. Changes in dopamine, acetylcholine, or opioid systems in reward-related areas of the brain are said to increase BED. Neural circuits between eating and reward are connected with many brain regions such as the thalamus and hypothalamus. Dopamine plays a very important role in reward and regulation of feeding. It is suggested that disturbances in serotonin transmission are related to the development of BED. Negative beliefs about oneself can manifest when there are comments regarding the individual’s weight, body shape, or eating behavior, leading to negative automatic thoughts and associated emotional responses. As a result of distressing emotional responses, both positive and negative thoughts related to eating behavior can emerge. If a person eats to reduce emotional distress, they may generate new thoughts about the inability to control their eating, such as “I can’t stop myself.” Individuals who feel emotionally relieved through BED tend to repeat this behavior, which can become habitual. Behaviors such as eating until feeling uncomfortably full, overeating when not hungry, eating alone out of shame for how much they have eaten, and experiencing disgust and guilt after eating are common.

The primary goals of treatment are to establish healthy eating habits, maintain stable body weight, and treat obesity-related disorders as well as accompanying mental disorders. To achieve these goals, pharmacological treatments, psychotherapy methods such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Weight Loss Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Motivational Therapy, as well as Bariatric Surgery provide significant opportunities.

How to Distinguish Emotional Hunger from Physical Hunger?

• Physical hunger manifests itself gradually, while emotional hunger appears suddenly.
• Physical hunger is generally more tolerable than emotional hunger. While physical hunger can be postponed, the need to satisfy emotional hunger creates urgency, making a person feel compelled to eat immediately.
• If you tend to choose a specific food in response to hunger, you are more likely to be experiencing emotional hunger because individuals are often open to other alternatives when physically hungry.
• It is easier to stop eating after feeling full when physically hungry, whereas those experiencing emotional hunger may continue eating without feeling satisfied.
• Guilt and regret typically follow eating due to emotional hunger.

How to Cope with Emotional Eating?

The first step is to recognize your emotions and reflect on your experiences before feeling that way. Because gaining awareness about your feelings can help enhance your control over your behaviors.

After this step, you can create a “to-do list” to engage in an activity that can clear your mind or distract your attention. This activity could be organizing your closet, calling someone you enjoy chatting with, practicing breathing exercises, or going for a walk. It should be noted that this list will vary from person to person.

If you are sure that you have an emotional eating disorder, it is beneficial to avoid packaged, calorie-dense foods as a precaution and refrain from putting foods not on your pre-made shopping list in your cart. Do not keep a stock of junk food in your house. Additionally, since sleep directly affects eating patterns, paying attention to your sleep routine can facilitate a healthier eating pattern.

If, despite all your efforts, you find it difficult to achieve a lasting behavior change and continue to see eating as a way to relieve emotional tension, do not hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional.

Recent studies examining the impact of emotional eating on bariatric surgery outcomes have shown that those who engage in emotional eating tend to lose less weight on the diet program post-surgery. Emotional eating behavior poses a risk in terms of weight loss, both before and after surgery. Therefore, it is recommended that individuals with emotional eating disorders receive psychological support during this process.

Dyt. Tuğba Günal & Dyt. Merve Önder