Oh the shame… Why do I keep over-eating when it makes me feel awful, ashamed and disgusted at myself? This is what many people who suffer from compulsive eating or food addiction ask themselves in desperation. It doesn’t seem to make any sense. You know it’s not healthy for you, you know it makes you feel bad afterwards and yet you can’t seem to help yourself. You keep doing it, despite the negative consequences, because temporarily, it helps. Any long-term effects pale into insignificance because right there and then, you feel relief when you eat – even if only for a split second.
The root causes behind compulsive eating can be multiple. They can be psychological, emotional, physiological, social and cultural and very often are a combination of these. Many people recognize that their eating has become a coping mechanism to deal with difficult feelings. Most people “comfort eat” at times (a perfectly natural human response), but it’s also a question of scale. When eating is the only way to handle stress, anxiety and any other uncomfortable feeling and feels out-of-control, then it often becomes problematic.
Our food environment including energy-dense highly palatable foods, traumatic and/or adverse childhood experiences, diet culture, genetic factors, hormones, gut microbiome, mental and physical health in general… They can all contribute.
Compulsive eating can also be a habit that has turned into addiction. According to Dr. Gabor Maté, “addiction is manifested in any behavior that a person craves, finds temporary relief or pleasure in but suffers negative consequences as a result of, and yet has difficulty giving up.”
So, what to do, if you any of this sounds all too familiar? Please don’t feel ashamed, it’s not your fault, you are not alone and there is help available! We at team ÄHKY offer support and tools for people who are struggling with compulsive eating and food addiction – now also in English!
Get Started with ÄHKY® Support is a 5-week professionally guided peer support group. The meetings are held on Teams or Zoom. We will discuss factors behind compulsive eating, cover a range of themes and introduce tools that help. Peer support is at the heart of the meetings. Anyone over 18 who suffers from compulsive, out-of-control eating is welcome to join.
Would you like to learn more about compulsive eating and food addiction and ask any questions you might have? We organise discussion events in English from time to time. These events are open for all who are interested in the topic. We’d love to see you and hear from you!
PS. If you are wondering whether you are suffering from compulsive eating or not, it might be helpful to consider these statements below. The more you answer “yes” to these statements, the more likely it is that you suffer from compulsive eating.
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- I often eat much more than I intended to.
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- I continue to eat even though I am no longer hungry. This makes me feel uncomfortably full.
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- I have tried to cut down or stop my binge eating but have not been successful.
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- I often feel lethargic or tired because I have eaten too much.
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- I have had such strong cravings to eat that I have not been able to think about anything else.
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- Because of my binge eating, I am unable to do household chores and/or be present for my loved ones.
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- I tend to stay home and eat rather than participate in social situations and events.
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- I eat uncontrollably, even though I know it is harmful to my health and well-being.
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- I need to eat more and more to get the desired effect, such as to suppress negative feelings or to feel pleasure.
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- When I cut down or avoid binge eating, I feel irritable and nervous, or I get physical symptoms, such as headaches or fatigue.