I Used to Emotionally Eat When I Felt This...

If you’ve ever used food as a way to cope with emotions, you’re not alone. I know exactly what that feels like — the compulsion to eat when emotions feel too big, too overwhelming, or too uncomfortable. For years, I turned to food whenever I felt certain things, hoping it would bring relief or distract me from the discomfort.

But here's what I’ve learned: Emotional eating is not about the food. It’s about the feelings that we haven’t learned to process or express in healthy ways. I used to emotionally eat when I felt lonely, overwhelmed, stressed, or even when I felt a lack of control in my life.

Loneliness

There were times in my life when I felt incredibly isolated. Whether I was away from family, or feeling disconnected from those around me, loneliness crept in. In those moments, food was my comfort. It was my way of filling a void, even though deep down I knew it was never going to fill the emotional gap I felt. Eating allowed me to numb the pain of loneliness, even if just for a moment. It became my companion when I felt I had none.

Overwhelm

I’ve always been a bit of a high achiever — juggling many roles, responsibilities, and expectations. And while I love what I do, there were times when the weight of it all felt too much. When overwhelm took over, food was my escape. A way to take a pause, to give my brain a break from the constant chatter of “must do this,” “must do that.” But that temporary relief came at a cost. The numbness it provided didn’t help me tackle the root cause of my overwhelm, it just delayed the inevitable.

Stress

Stress used to be my constant companion. I was always running — between work, family, personal expectations, and social pressures. My nervous system was on overdrive, and I would often turn to food to calm myself down. Food, in those moments, felt like a quick fix. I would mindlessly eat, hoping to soothe my nerves. But food wasn’t the solution. It was a band-aid, not the medicine. The stress wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was my emotional eating habit.

Lack of Control

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had times in my life when things felt chaotic, and I didn’t feel in control of my situation. When life felt unpredictable, I turned to food to create a sense of control. If I could control what I put into my body, maybe, just maybe, it would help me feel like I could control the other parts of my life. But the reality is, emotional eating is a way of avoiding the deeper work of feeling and processing the discomfort of not being in control.

Why We Emotionally Eat

Emotional eating is our body’s way of seeking comfort when we’re in distress. It’s not about being weak or lacking willpower; it’s a natural human response to uncomfortable emotions. Food offers temporary relief — but it doesn’t solve the deeper emotional pain that’s beneath the surface. And that’s where the real work begins: learning how to feel, process, and release emotions in healthy ways, without relying on food to do the heavy lifting.

The Turning Point: Stopping the Cycle

I used to think that my emotional eating was a sign of failure. I believed that if I could just “get it together,” I wouldn’t need food as a crutch. But as I started doing deeper emotional and spiritual work, I began to realize something: food wasn’t the problem. The problem was how I was avoiding my emotions. I was running from feelings like loneliness, overwhelm, stress, and lack of control, instead of leaning into them and learning how to process them.

The turning point came when I decided to stop blaming myself and started looking at emotional eating as a signal — a clue that something deeper needed attention. That’s when I began to approach food differently. Instead of using it to numb out, I started using it to nourish myself, to love myself, and to give my body what it needed to thrive.

How I Healed: Listening to My Body

Healing from emotional eating isn’t about strict diets or rigid rules. It’s about creating space to listen to your body and the messages it’s sending you. I began asking myself: What am I really hungry for? And I didn’t just mean food — I started asking myself if I was hungry for connection, for rest, for self-compassion, or for something else entirely.

I began practicing mindfulness, slowing down, and giving myself permission to feel whatever emotions came up — without judgment. I stopped beating myself up for the occasional emotional snack and started focusing on nourishing my body in a way that was gentle, loving, and kind.

Creating New Habits

As I learned to process my emotions, I created new habits that helped me deal with stress and overwhelm without turning to food. I started journaling to express my feelings, I began moving my body in ways that felt good, and I gave myself the space to rest when I needed it.

These small shifts allowed me to reconnect with myself in a way that was healing and empowering.

You Don’t Have to Eat Your Emotions

Emotional eating doesn’t define you, and it doesn’t have to be your pattern forever. It’s not about punishing yourself or feeling guilty when you emotionally eat.

It’s about recognising that the urge to eat is often a sign that you need to slow down and listen. It’s a chance to tune into your body, to see what it needs emotionally, and to offer yourself the self-compassion you deserve.

Healing takes time, but you don’t have to do it alone.

If emotional eating is something you struggle with, I’m here to help guide you through this process, helping you heal the deeper emotional roots and learn how to care for yourself in ways that don’t involve food.