Hunger is an instinct of all animals, including humans. It is a primary need that pushes us to direct our actions towards the achievement of a very simple objective: to seek and consume food.

But, can we eat without being really hungry, even if you feel you are? It may sound strange, but this can happen: our eating habits are based not only on the body’s objective needs, but also on our beliefs about how much is normal to consume each day and what is not.

In this article we will talk about that curious phenomenon by which we are able to create the need to eat automatically and without the stomach demanding it. This is what is known as emotional hunger .

The 4 differences between emotional hunger and physical hunger

To understand the nature of emotional hunger, there is nothing like comparing it to “normal” hunger.

1. Mode of appearance

On the one hand, physical hunger is gradually increasing , and normally the individual has control over what he or she eats, so that he or she can make nutritious feeding decisions.

Emotional hunger, on the other hand, appears abruptly and demands immediate satisfaction, and seeks only certain “comfort foods” such as desserts, chocolate or any food with sugar.

2. Its causes

Physical hunger is produced by something very simple: our body needs matter to keep it functioning and in good condition.

Emotional hunger is a search for pleasure or to “fill a void” . It is very common when you have too much stress, anxiety, feel lonely and depressed, or on the contrary, when you feel euphoria or excessive happiness like at a party, wedding, Christmas or New Year, etc.

There are various theories that seek to explain this phenomenon. One of them talks about the memories that remain engraved in the subconscious when as children we were rewarded with sweets and this was a symbol of affection, so eating these foods reminds us of this feeling.

Another theory is that we seek to eat sugar simply because raises our levels of pleasure-generating hormones such as serotonin .

3. The feeling they leave

Usually after consuming food due to emotional hunger, a feeling of guilt, regret or shame appears, as it leads to overeating and binge eating .

This is the opposite of physical hunger, which, when satisfied, produces a feeling of well-being and satisfaction.

4. Facility with which they are satiated

Emotional hunger is much more difficult to satisfy; even if sweets or desserts are consumed, the positive effect has a short duration and in a few hours, it appears again. This is because it is not a physiological need that can be satisfied with food, but an emotional need.

Of course, with physical hunger every meal eaten does count, and leaves us sated for hours.

How to combat emotional hunger?

The first step in combating this is to identify, at the moment when we get hungry, what type it is.

If it is physical, no problem we can rationalize and choose what can best nourish us and satisfy. On the other hand, if it is emotional, it would be important that we detect which feelings or emotions have triggered it and control our impulses so as not to eat junk or things with a large amount of sugar. In this case, try to stabilize our need to eat and choose to eat some fruit, vegetables or just a glass of water.

One strategy to control emotional hunger is , to learn to control your emotions , not to follow them as they appear, since they will lead us to make the least favourable decision to feel satisfied.

Going for a walk, getting some fresh air, meditating, calling a close friend or family member, listening to music or any activity that is relaxing for us is useful for calming down and making the hunger go away little by little without having to resort to a binge.

Another option that is a bit more practical is to make a menu for the week . It doesn’t have to be a diet, just serve as a guide and try to stick to it as much as possible, without binge eating. It is important that meal planning is done in a moment of emotional stability, to select foods rationally and not emotionally. When you feel “hungry” and don’t know which one it is, it’s good to ask yourself if at that moment you would eat an apple, cucumber, tuna, if the answer is no and instead you crave something with a lot of sugar, probably whatever you are experiencing emotional hunger for.

Concluding

Everyone at some point has eaten without being really hungry , and there is no shame in that. But it’s important that we take action so that it doesn’t affect us any more. Emotional hunger, besides having an impact on our figure and therefore on our self-esteem, can also lead to illnesses due to unbalanced eating.

If this cannot be resolved individually, Psychologists can be of great help in channelling all these trapped emotions and helping us to lead a fuller and, above all, healthier life.

Don’t eat your emotions!