Living in harmony: psychological reasons for overeating Food is the easiest and most accessible way to get pleasure, reduce stress and relax. A person gets so used to this universal source of joy that the desire to eat arises even when when there is no real hunger. Therefore, in order to take the first step towards identifying the psychological reasons for overeating, you need to ask yourself the question: “Am I really hungry now?” If you feel that there is no hunger, but the desire to eat still remains, it is important to understand the reasons for this desire. But what do I really want? Answer options can be very different: “I’m anxious, and I want to eat to drown out the anxiety” “I’m very tired at work, and I want to eat to relax” “I was offended by a loved one, and I eat to somehow cope with resentment” “I’m very bored, and why don’t I cheer myself up with some treats?” “Nobody needs me, no one loves me, but I can eat and feel a feeling of pleasure, so similar to love and care” “I hate myself for something and eat myself, thereby punishing myself, committing violence against myself” “I it’s hard to say “no” to other people, I’m afraid of offending them or seeming like a “black sheep,” and I eat for company, although I don’t feel like eating at all.” “I eat often because I have no other sensual bodily pleasures in life except food” “I set a goal for myself (for example, to lose weight) and for some reason I cannot achieve it. This makes me desperate! So let’s eat, since I can’t do anything!” Once you find the true reason for the desire to eat, you need to understand what your need or what emotional experience is behind this desire. How to satisfy this need, or how to cope with your emotions? If anxiety is hiding behind your desire to eat, think about what you can do to learn how to cope with anxiety without resorting to the usual and ineffective way of “stress eating.” When food is a kind of relaxant for you, ask yourself the question: “Why am I so tired? Can I find other ways to learn to relax? Is it true that my body relaxes when I’m full and tired after work?” Often, with the help of food, we try to drown out the feeling of loneliness, and then it is worth asking ourselves: “Does food really help me not to be lonely? Is it really through food that I get the love and care that I need so much? Or is this an illusion? Perhaps we should start doing something different?” If food is a habitual means of coping with resentment, anger, self-disagreement, uncertainty or boredom, you need to realize this and start looking for other ways to solve these problems. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the real reasons yourself, understand your emotions and needs, and realize the obstacles that prevent you from living in harmony. In this case, do not be afraid to seek help from a professional psychologist. Learn to take care of yourself!