FOLLOW UP ON EMOTIONAL EATING

Some people say that they are impulsive, that is because the time between their thoughts and their actions seems to be almost non-existent. Being impulsive is not necessarily a bad thing; however, when there are negative consequences to your actions, perhaps you should have spent more time thinking about the consequences of your actions.

We’ve all been there, doing something when driven by our thoughts, emotions and feelings, only to regret the action(s) later. What needs to happen, which is often difficult when you feel as if you are caught up in an emotional tsunami, is to find a way to put some distance between your thought(s) and your action(s). That distance is the time you need to process carefully what you are thinking and why; what you are feeling and how to handle the emotion(s) in a manner that is not detrimental to you or anyone else.

You may feel overwhelmed by your thoughts and emotions; however, slow the process down by either writing down what you are thinking and feeling or calling someone you trust. I am a writer, so it’s easy for me to pick up my journal and start writing. Yet, often, even I let my thoughts and emotions get the better of me.

However, when you realize on self-examination that you have been doing the same thing for years and getting the same results; it is time to spend some time challenging the validity of your thoughts and emotions. No matter how smart you are, you can still be prone to the effects of negative thoughts and emotions.

FOUR BASIC EMOTIONS: HAPPINESS, FEAR, SADNESS, AND RAGE.

Emotions are event-driven and produce physiological changes in our bodies. Feelings are more influenced by our experiences, which creates our belief about life. So often we feel that we are not equipped to handle our emotions and rather than taking the time to deal with the emotions that are driving us, we avoid them by choosing actions that temporarily mask those emotions and what we are feeling.

EXAMPLE: the emotion of fear makes me feel anxious and rather than challenging the cause of my fear and negating my feelings of anxiety, I choose to eat cookies and ice-cream.

We are often uncomfortable challenging our emotions; however, if we can change how we perceive reality or even how we respond, we would probably be less prone to succumbing to the negative feelings that send us to the refrigerator or kitchen cabinet.

FOR ALL MY FRIENDS WHO RECENTLY REALIZED THAT THEY TOO ARE EMOTIONAL EATERS.

SOURCE OF IMAGE:  serveandrally original (Oxford, England)