Is Food Actually the Problem?

Or is it a symptom of something else?

I often hear people say "I have issues with food," or "I have a problem with food" or "my eating is out of control."

And often when people say that, they actually mean they’re turning to food when they’re stressed or under pressure, when they’re feeling sad or scared or depressed, or when they’re bored.

None of that is a problem with food.

That's an underlying issue or situation that food is not ever going to be able to fix, no matter how much you eat or how good it tastes while you're eating it (but let's be real, when we're stress eating, we're usually not paying attention to either of those things!)

If you’re “eating your feelings,” as many people claim they do, then you’re not feeling your feelings – or you’re at least trying not to feel them.

Food isn’t the problem in those cases. It’s just the band-aid to take your mind off what’s actually bothering you. Maybe you’re grieving a loss, going through a major life transition, feeling unsupported at home or at work, or just trying to recover from existing during a pandemic.

There’s nothing wrong with occasionally having some Ben & Jerry’s or chips or cookies, but if you feel you’re “overeating” those foods, stop and ask yourself why.

What need are you trying to address?

Are you actually enjoying every bite, or are you using food as a distraction for something else that’s going on?

Maybe you’re just bored. In that case, you can try mindful eating by eliminating distractions like tv and phones while eating, measuring out portion sizes, and using your five senses to fully experience each meal or snack.

Many times, though, when the desire to overindulge is coming from a place of emotion or stress, that’s not something that can be solved by micromanaging your nutrition.

You can follow a diet or track your macros or just make healthier choices, but if your “food issues” are actually not about food, then you’re treating the symptoms, not the cause.

Stress eating and emotional eating are incredibly common, even more now than they were prior to the pandemic. There’s no shame in it. It’s not a failure or a flaw, but it’s often a sign that something else needs to be addressed.

Depending on the situation that’s causing the stress or anxiety, that could be really scary or hard in itself. It could feel overwhelming or even painful, and in those cases, it might be a good idea to get support from a mental health professional.

If you work through that and deal with it appropriately, you might find you don't have a problem with food or overeating or feeling out of control anymore, because it was never actually the food that was the issue.