Don't stuff your face!

Eating disorder

Erratic work timings, distorted routines and unsteady relationships, these are just some of the facets of our changing lifestyle. People unfortunately no longer find happiness in  simpler things and have become increasingly vain while trying to cope with minor problems.   One such terrible coping mechanism is emotional eating. Emotional eating as it clearly implies is eating under any kind of emotional strain. Fluctuating moods usually govern the quantity of food. At the outset, this might look like a minor problem, but it can lead to serious health conditions like obesity and in certain extreme cases anorexia or bulimia.

“I usually indulge in comfort food like pizzas and burgers when I am feeling low. I find myself a small corner, order in excess and eat all alone. The cheese surprisingly helps, but when I see groups of people eating together and having a nice time I get irritated and hurry up with my meal,” says Sushma Venkat, an IT professional about emotional eating.

Nikhil Kumar, an author, blogger and entrepreneur does the exact opposite when he is depressed. “Most people eat to stay alive. I stay alive to eat. Binge eating, as some people call it, is all about eating too much when one is depressed. In my case, it is pretty much my daily diet. When I’m depressed, I lose my appetite rather than gain it. I know a few people who drown their sorrows in food, and it works for them. But I’ve learned the hard way that this technique doesn’t work for me. I would rather go for a long drive and beat the depression than eat,” he says.

Dr Preeti Majgi, a psychologist in NIMHANS says, “During my seven years at NIMHANS, I have come across only one or two such cases. The number maybe less also  because people are hesitant about approaching the doctor. However, due to stress of a fast paced life and uncalled for anxiety, more people are getting into the habit of emotional eating.”

On a lighter note, Nayantara, a student, says most of the times she eats out because of boredom.

“It is mainly during exams when I am cooped at home all day reading something I don’t like, I tend to overeat. However, these days I drink loads of water and have cut down on my eating,” she says.

Emotional eating is something that can be dealt with easily.

All it requires is some self control. However, it is best to consult a physician if the problem persists.