Why do we get too fat or too thin? What’s behind the way we eat? Have you ever stopped to reflect on your relationship with food? Ever heard of emotional hunger?
Of course, genetic predispositions cannot be ignored, such as hormonal disorders and other diseases make us gain or lose weight considerably. Therefore, everyone experiencing weight-related problems must seek medical advice and follow the indicated treatment.
But, alongside the physiological evidence, it is also important to remember that, in most cases, our emotions can govern our body’s functioning and eating behavior. Emotional and psychological factors can command the shape of our bodies.
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Understand What Obesity Is From The Perspective Of Health Metaphysics
Fat works as a type of protection. It is a layer that, in a way, “envelops” the body and symbolically “cushions” external aggressions. The individual feels that he needs to protect himself because he has experienced episodes that hurt him.
A trauma installed in the subconscious, or even a recent event with which he did not know how to deal properly, can unconsciously make the person have to provide a “force field” to prevent, block or cushion the pains that life imposes.
Another reason that leads to weight gain may be related to a deep feeling of emptiness in the soul. Loneliness, lack, and feeling unimportant lead to the search for physical nourishment since emotional nourishment “is in short supply.”
In both cases cited as examples, we understand that weight gain is closely linked to weaknesses and difficulties in dealing with life events. In adulthood, this may reveal a certain emotional immaturity and a lack of preparation in caring for affective relationships, which may include social, family, or professional aspects.
Eating is pleasurable and is also a scam that alleviates frustrations. Chewing, for example, can be a way to relieve tension and alleviate the discomfort of not being able to deal with the uncomfortable reality.
When chewing hard foods such as peanuts, chestnuts, or others that need to be “broken” with the teeth, such as hard candies, it is a way of venting the anger repressed in the jaw muscles.
Also Read: Healthy Eating You Should Know These Ten Simple Rules
How Is Emotional Hunger Developed?
Many mothers with difficulties donating their love use food to feed their children effectively. Hence children (and even babies) become obese. The belief is that food supplies and affection will accompany these people throughout their lives.
The obese person needs to see himself in the world, and getting fat is a symbolic way of achieving this goal. Thus, she begins to physically take her place “by force” since she has not (yet) found the means to make herself noticed just for being who she is.
In the same way that the fat layer “protects” from external aggressions, it also makes it difficult for the individual to express his feelings. Although they are affectionate people, in most cases, they are also needy.
Not necessarily the person who goes through an episode of emotional stress will develop obesity, but it is common to gain weight because food is a source of pleasure and is “at hand.” Eating high-calorie foods illusory provides emotional or affective satiety that she does not find in the events of her life.
Food becomes the faithful companion that will cushion the discomforts and distance the person from the true reasons for their sadness, hidden behind excessive activities, the effort always to be friendly and loved, or avoiding confrontations that might remind them of their internal turmoil.
What Is Binge Eating?
Every compulsion is the result of great emotional and psychological discomfort. Feeling wildly compelled to resort to a certain type of behavior is a way of clouding the pains of life and not getting in touch with the aggressions that touch our emotions. It is the most destructive path that one chooses, unconsciously, to escape the necessary encounter with oneself.
Types Of Binge Eating
Bulimia
In the case of binge eating, bulimia is its most dramatic expression. It is characterized by uncontrollable episodes of eating a large amount of food and, feeling guilty and inadequate, not wanting to gain weight and fearing being “discovered,” the person forces himself to vomit. Later, the episode repeats: the person starts to eat and vomit again and, at other times, may also resort to laxatives but not abandon food.
Anorexia
Anorexia or anorexia nervosa is closely linked to the obsession with losing weight. The anorexic, unlike the bulimic, does not want to eat. He has a distorted view of his body and believes he is always overweight, even if the scale or mirror says otherwise.
Due to the disorder, they endure strenuous physical exercise routines and fasting, seriously compromising their health.
Despite being different diseases, both are characterized by appetite disorders, and not infrequently, the anorexic has flirted with obesity at some point in life.
Both disorders need medical and psychiatric intervention, as depression or anxiety can be the causes or consequences of the disorders.
Also Read: Healthy Eating: You Are What You Eat!
