Anxiety and depression have become a silent pandemic affecting the Spanish. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, up to 6.7% of Spanish suffer from an anxiety disorder, and 4.1% suffer from depression. Although social awareness has increased significantly in recent years regarding mental health, there is still a large amount unknown about it where can it come from and what is the best way to treat it.
The origins of diseases such as anxiety often have an element genetics, from prolonged stress or drug use, there is no determining factor. In this sense, it is very important to identify some symptoms to go to a specialist as soon as possible and be able to start some treatment.
In many cases, anxiety manifests itself in a growing dependency and addiction food. “Today I will eat a pizza because I deserve it”, “What stress, I need something to eat” are some of the most common phrases of people who turn to food to fight anxiety. With this in mind, Miguel Navarro, CEO of Salud Feroz, online school for food, training and emotional well-being, and Ana Montes, Clinical Director of Salud Feroz, recount some of the reasons and factors that cause poor eating due to anxiety. , and which are the steps to overcome them.
Reason
Emotions can affect eating through a tendency to consume food to satisfy or control certain emotions. Negative emotions such as stress, sadness, anxiety or even boredom are the product desire to escape the body, which on many occasions translates into the desire for comforting and pleasant foods such as sweets or carbohydrates.
On a physical level, emotions can affect levels cortisol and serotonin, which is reflected in appetite. Cortisol, the stress hormone, can increase hunger and promote the accumulation of abdominal fat, while serotonin can reduce appetite and control the desire for sweet foods.
Food intake concerns may prevail very negative consequences That is why it is important to learn how to manage emotions in a healthy way by practicing exercises, meditating, talking with family and friends and organizing fun plans and, of course, with the help of mental health professionals.
Factors that indicate the problem
To try to correct bad eating habits due to anxiety, it is essential to locate it motive for which they produced:
- Eating food in times of stress or anxiety. If in times of anxiety and fear unhealthy foods such as sweets, snacks or carbohydrates are used in order to fight these emotions.
- Eat without feeling hungry. If you continue to eat even though you are not hungry get a distraction from other problems with emotional stability.
- Feeling of loss of control. This feeling comes from an inability to control the amount of food one consumes when there is an anxious state, and the subsequent guilt or shame after eating.
Tips to correct binge eating
Correcting these habits that are so harmful to mental and physical health involves working on willpower and imposing new routines:
- conscious eating, which means paying attention to the food they eat, savoring each bite and enjoying the process of eating. It also helps to be aware of physical hunger and fullness signals, which can prevent overeating. Mindful eating can also be positive for controlling the amount of food you eat. For example, chew food a certain number of times, stop eating when you are satisfied, or avoid distractions during meals.
- identify and avoid Anxiety triggers can be triggered by factors such as stress, lack of sleep, and lack of physical activity.
- meal plan It can help prevent overeating due to anxiety, since it allows you to control in advance the food they will eat, trying to ensure that they are always eating nutritious food. This is very positive to avoid the excessive temptation in times of anxiety or stress.
- Search Emotional support reduce the emotional burden. Talking to a therapist or close friend is beneficial for processing emotions and is a way to manage anxiety without having to binge eat. Plus, it can help you feel less isolated and more connected to others.
- practice there full attention, a practice that involves paying conscious attention to the moment without judgment. Helps reduce anxiety, because it allows you to recognize and accept thoughts and emotions without reacting impulsively. Mindfulness is the best way to recognize these thoughts and emotions, without reacting mindlessly to them. Through the practice of mindfulness, it is possible to learn to recognize patterns of thought and behavior and, over time, change them to avoid relapse. This can be practiced through breathing exercises, meditation or yoga, doing daily activities such as washing dishes, walking or showering. Just try to be present in the moment and have the person focus on their feelings and thoughts in that moment, without judging them.
