What is emotional eating and why do we indulge in it?

Eating food releases Dopamine. Dopamine can act as a temporary relief when a person is undergoing stress. Eating also has a potential to make people pursue it as a repetitive tendency even in the absence of hunger. These contribute to a phenomenon which is referred to as emotional eating. 

In this phenomenon, eating isn’t just carried out in a healthy way to regulate the metabolism of the body but is sought as a reward or compensation for other grief the person may be faced with. This is however an issue as apart from temporary relief, the issue does not dissipate. In fact, emotional eating can lead to heightening of the emotions of guilt and shame. 

Oftentimes people are unable to distinguish between the 2 and the ability to identify potential triggers can come a long way in developing healthier coping mechanisms. Whereas hunger is satisfied by a variety of options, emotional eating resembles a craving in some regard as specific food items are required in order to fulfil the same. Even those who follow a very strict diet are prone to develop such habits. 

After having identified the trigger or which may be stress, repressed emotions, it may also be essential to develop alternative ways of dealing with the trigger which may not have potential side effects.