Your Emotional Eating Toolkit: Seeking Support

This blog post is the one of a series where we’re giving advice on tools you can try and see if they are worth adding to your ‘toolkit’ when you’re faced with emotional eating. Some tools will work for you and others you won’t find as helpful—check out our previous posts here and give some of them a try!

Here at the Centre for Emotional Eating we are big fans of therapy! While that may be obvious, we are also big believers that support for your mental health doesn’t always have to be a formal in-person session. Below are a few myth-busting ideas around seeking support for your emotional eating:

Support doesn’t have to mean sitting on a therapist’s couch.

Over the past year we have seen more and more options available for different ways to access therapy. There are more virtual options than ever before! Video sessions and online courses have become more popular and can be done in the comfort of your own living room. Our online course, the First Step Course, can help you understand the cycle of emotional eating and your own individual root causes of emotional eating—all literally at the tip of your fingers! Not only can you do this at home, but you can also go at your own pace through each module. And the best part of these virtual options? You can find one that fits your current budget and time commitment.

Support doesn’t always mean therapy.

There are many professionals that could support your mental health journey. For example, maybe a greater understanding of how food makes you feel, physically and mentally, would help begin to change what and how much you eat. In this case, a nutritionist would be the professional to help increase your knowledge while also listening to your body. Or maybe you know that movement really helps your depression and anxiety but it’s difficult for you to get into a routine; a personal trainer (in the right setting) could be a great option to add some formality to your movement and build confidence.

Support doesn’t have to be something formal and paid for.

Opening up to your spouse or a friend who you trust to be a good listener can be a helpful way to reduce the intense feelings you are experiencing. However, keep in mind that everyone is carrying a burden of their own—there is something comforting in knowing this!—so check in with the other person and see if they are in a good place to listen. Creating a community of people around you, large or small, means you can be your authentic self more often. They will understand if you cancel plans at the last minute or ask for one-on-one time together instead of a group setting. While you may hesitate at first to open up to someone you know personally, you may be surprised at how wonderful it is to talk to a friend who really understands you and your history (and may even have some similar challenges)!

No matter what type of support you seek out, remember it may feel challenging at first—but stick with it! Knowing you aren’t alone can really help with feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and lack of love… All things we crave as human beings but end up filling with food cravings.

💛 Your peace awaits.