Many people, mostly women, of course, are ready to take advantage of any slight excuse to open the refrigerator door and eat something tasty. This allows them to better control their emotions, brush aside negative thoughts and achieve peace of mind.
How does food addiction develop?
Often, by the time you realize the full depth of the problem of “stress eating,” the habit has already turned into a persistent addiction that harms not only your figure, but also your state of mind.
The mechanisms of such dependence are not much different from the formation of alcoholism, nicotine and drug addiction.
By and large, it makes no difference what stimulus will lead to a surge in the level of the “happiness hormone” – serotonin – a glass of alcohol or a piece of chocolate. An increase in serotonin allows a person to feel a surge of good mood, happiness, and drive away feelings of melancholy, loneliness and dissatisfaction in life.
Different people find different ways to “escape from reality” through serotonin stimulation – drinking alcohol, excessive shopping or gluttony, but all of them are driven by the desire to forget about difficulties in their personal lives or at work, self-dissatisfaction and low self-esteem, unfulfilled plans, financial difficulties, fear facing the future, loneliness, etc.
If you realize that you have a problem with food addiction, the best thing to do is visit a consultation with a psychologist or psychotherapist who will help identify specific reasons that contribute to the formation of addiction.
One of the effective ways to combat addiction, including food addiction, is regular physical activity. In case of overeating, physical activity will help you lose weight, but the main thing is that aerobics, dancing, yoga or simple walks at a fast pace help release the same serotonin and gain a sense of happiness and self-sufficiency.