Emotional hunger vs Emotional overeating vs

support group participants and volunteers. *Beat survey, 2014

All quotes received from emotional overeating body image of themselves.

physical hunger binge eating disorder

overeat told us they had a negative
help and support. 86% of people who emotionally
journey. Read on to find further feeling worse rather than better.
you might need support on your The guilt and shame can leave people 86% This kind of eating is not related to physical hunger, These two terms have lots in common, they both talk
overeating is possible, though instead it is about satisfying an emotional hunger. about a time when an individual eats an amount of food
Recovery from emotional as a coping strategy for emotional hunger.
Emotional Hunger Physical Hunger
Guilt Emotional overeating Binge eating disorder
• Comes on suddenly • Comes on gradually
" Recovery
and relief
Comfort

Emotional overeating cycle

Weight gain
" • Feels like it needs to be
satisfied instantly
• Is not urgent in nature
• A range of foods sound
• A type of eating
behaviour
• A specific mental health
diagnosis which may be
given when binge eating
• Craves specific foods, appealing • The amount of food
eaten in an episode of occurs regularly over a
especially those high in • Satisfied with a full
emotional overeating prolonged period of time
fat and sugar
image
Binge eat stomach and is causing distress
because I eat. Poor self does not need to be
• Not satisfied with a
surface.
I’m depressed Distress • Does not cause large • In a binge eating
full stomach
I don’t want to
negative emotions episode a person will
sometimes
"
I’m depressed,
I eat because
silence a range of negative emotions and distress.
"
other feelings that
to try and suppress
It’s like I’m eating
• Causes feelings of
guilt, shame and
powerlessness
eat an unusually large
amount of food
Sometimes
Many people emotionally overeat as a way to • Physical hunger can
trigger binge eating
• Ritualistic in nature –
strategy and it happens so regularly you feel you are out of control, or caught in a cycle, problems arise. binges might be
range of strategies to manage emotions and cope, it can be helpful and is something most people do. However, if this the only planned in advance,
Enjoying food as a reward or pick-me-up from time to time is a normal and natural part of life and when used as part of a particular foods and
emotionally it is in an attempt to feel better, to feel comforted or soothed by eating. plates used and some
Emotional overeating means turning to food for comfort and escape during times of low mood. When someone overeats people say they feel like
they are in a ‘trance’
What is emotional overeating?

Looking for support? How can I spot the signs What causes emotional
Helpline: 0808 801 0677 and symptoms of emotional overeating?
[email protected] overeating? We are still learning more about the causes of emotional
@BeatEDSupport BeatEDSupport
overeating and eating disorders. There is no one main
Behavioural Psychological Physical cause or trigger for an individual and it is likely to be
Issue date: June 2016 Review date: June 2019

a complex combination of genetic, psychological,

• Bingeing Shorter term: • Stomach
environmental, social and biological influences.
• Eating in secret • Comfort pains
@beatED beat.eating.disorders Spotting the signs and symptoms of emotional
• Hiding food • Relief • Bloating
Unit 1 Chalk Hill House, 19 Rosary Road, overeating in yourself or someone you know can be
Norwich, NR1 1SZ wrappers • Escape • Feeling sick difficult, particularly as often the eating behaviour is
• Spending lots Longer term: • Poor skin kept hidden or secret from those around them.
Emotional overeating
0300 123 3355
of money • Depression • Trouble What could increase the risk of developing
beateatingdisorders.org.uk
on food sleeping emotional overeating?
[email protected] • Anxiety
• Becoming • Weight gain
A charity registered in England and Wales (801343) • Guilt • Low self-esteem and sense of self-worth.
withdrawn
and Scotland (SC039309). • Shame • Other mental health conditions like depression
Company limited by guarantee no 2368495 The facts and • Worry and anxiety.
• Feeling fed up • Stressful or traumatic events in your past.
• Dissatisfaction with the way you look.
Funded by
where to find support • Isolation, boredom or feelings of stress and anger.
• Differences in your brain or the level of hormones
produced by your brain to others who don’t eat
emotionally.
With thanks: Beat is Version 1.0. Sources used to
grateful to the funding from create this information are • Following strict, low calorie or restricting diets.
HSCVF to create this leaflet available by contacting
and the contributions from Beat. We welcome
support group participants your feedback on our
and volunteers. information resources.
support group participants and volunteers. *Beat survey, 2014
All quotes received from emotional overeating body image of themselves. Emotional hunger vs Emotional overeating vs
overeat told us they had a negative
help and support. 86% of people who emotionally physical hunger binge eating disorder
journey. Read on to find further feeling worse rather than better.
you might need support on your The guilt and shame can leave people 86% This kind of eating is not related to physical hunger, These two terms have lots in common, they both talk
overeating is possible, though instead it is about satisfying an emotional hunger. about a time when an individual eats an amount of food
Recovery from emotional as a coping strategy for emotional hunger.
Emotional Hunger Physical Hunger
Guilt Emotional overeating Binge eating disorder
and relief Weight gain • Comes on suddenly • Comes on gradually
• A type of eating • A specific mental health
Recovery Comfort • Feels like it needs to be • Is not urgent in nature
satisfied instantly behaviour diagnosis which may be
• A range of foods sound
• The amount of food given when binge eating
• Craves specific foods, appealing
Emotional overeating cycle
eaten in an episode of occurs regularly over a
especially those high in • Satisfied with a full
emotional overeating prolonged period of time
fat and sugar
image
Binge eat stomach and is causing distress
does not need to be

"
because I eat. Poor self

"
• Not satisfied with a
surface.
I’m depressed Distress • Does not cause large • In a binge eating
full stomach
I don’t want to
sometimes negative emotions episode a person will
• Causes feelings of
other feelings that
I’m depressed, eat an unusually large
guilt, shame and
to try and suppress
I eat because amount of food
powerlessness
silence a range of negative emotions and distress. It’s like I’m eating
Sometimes
Many people emotionally overeat as a way to • Physical hunger can
trigger binge eating
• Ritualistic in nature –

"
binges might be

"
strategy and it happens so regularly you feel you are out of control, or caught in a cycle, problems arise.
range of strategies to manage emotions and cope, it can be helpful and is something most people do. However, if this the only planned in advance,
Enjoying food as a reward or pick-me-up from time to time is a normal and natural part of life and when used as part of a particular foods and
emotionally it is in an attempt to feel better, to feel comforted or soothed by eating. plates used and some
Emotional overeating means turning to food for comfort and escape during times of low mood. When someone overeats people say they feel like
they are in a ‘trance’
What is emotional overeating?
Looking for support? How can I spot the signs What causes emotional
Helpline: 0808 801 0677 and symptoms of emotional overeating?
[email protected] overeating? We are still learning more about the causes of emotional
@BeatEDSupport BeatEDSupport
overeating and eating disorders. There is no one main
Behavioural Psychological Physical cause or trigger for an individual and it is likely to be
a complex combination of genetic, psychological,
• Bingeing Shorter term: • Stomach
environmental, social and biological influences.
• Eating in secret • Comfort pains
@beatED beat.eating.disorders Spotting the signs and symptoms of emotional
• Hiding food • Relief • Bloating
Unit 1 Chalk Hill House, 19 Rosary Road, overeating in yourself or someone you know can be
Norwich, NR1 1SZ wrappers • Escape • Feeling sick difficult, particularly as often the eating behaviour is
0300 123 3355 • Spending lots Longer term: • Poor skin kept hidden or secret from those around them.
Emotional overeating of money • Depression • Trouble What could increase the risk of developing
beateatingdisorders.org.uk
on food sleeping emotional overeating?
[email protected] • Anxiety
• Becoming • Weight gain
A charity registered in England and Wales (801343) • Guilt • Low self-esteem and sense of self-worth.
withdrawn
and Scotland (SC039309). • Shame • Other mental health conditions like depression

Issue date: June 2016 Review date: June 2019

Company limited by guarantee no 2368495 The facts and and anxiety.
• Worry
• Feeling fed up • Stressful or traumatic events in your past.
• Dissatisfaction with the way you look.
Funded by
where to find support • Isolation, boredom or feelings of stress and anger.
• Differences in your brain or the level of hormones
produced by your brain to others who don’t eat
emotionally.
With thanks: Beat is Version 1.0. Sources used to
grateful to the funding from create this information are • Following strict, low calorie or restricting diets.
HSCVF to create this leaflet available by contacting
and the contributions from Beat. We welcome
support group participants your feedback on our
and volunteers. information resources.
 Emotional hunger vs Emotional overeating vs
support group participants and volunteers. *Beat survey, 2014
All quotes received from emotional overeating body image of themselves.

physical hunger binge eating disorder

overeat told us they had a negative
help and support. 86% of people who emotionally
journey. Read on to find further feeling worse rather than better.
you might need support on your The guilt and shame can leave people 86% This kind of eating is not related to physical hunger, These two terms have lots in common, they both talk
overeating is possible, though instead it is about satisfying an emotional hunger. about a time when an individual eats an amount of food
Recovery from emotional as a coping strategy for emotional hunger.
Emotional Hunger Physical Hunger
Guilt Emotional overeating Binge eating disorder
• Comes on suddenly • Comes on gradually
" Recovery
and relief
Comfort

Emotional overeating cycle

Weight gain
" • Feels like it needs to be
satisfied instantly
• Is not urgent in nature
• A range of foods sound
• A type of eating
behaviour
• A specific mental health
diagnosis which may be
given when binge eating
• Craves specific foods, appealing • The amount of food
eaten in an episode of occurs regularly over a
especially those high in • Satisfied with a full
emotional overeating prolonged period of time
fat and sugar
image
Binge eat stomach and is causing distress
because I eat. Poor self does not need to be
• Not satisfied with a
surface.
I’m depressed Distress • Does not cause large • In a binge eating
full stomach
I don’t want to
negative emotions episode a person will
sometimes
"
I’m depressed,
I eat because
silence a range of negative emotions and distress.
"
other feelings that
to try and suppress
It’s like I’m eating
• Causes feelings of
guilt, shame and
powerlessness
eat an unusually large
amount of food
Sometimes
Many people emotionally overeat as a way to • Physical hunger can
trigger binge eating
• Ritualistic in nature –
strategy and it happens so regularly you feel you are out of control, or caught in a cycle, problems arise. binges might be
range of strategies to manage emotions and cope, it can be helpful and is something most people do. However, if this the only planned in advance,
Enjoying food as a reward or pick-me-up from time to time is a normal and natural part of life and when used as part of a particular foods and
emotionally it is in an attempt to feel better, to feel comforted or soothed by eating. plates used and some
Emotional overeating means turning to food for comfort and escape during times of low mood. When someone overeats people say they feel like
they are in a ‘trance’
What is emotional overeating?

Looking for support? How can I spot the signs What causes emotional
Helpline: 0808 801 0677 and symptoms of emotional overeating?
[email protected] overeating? We are still learning more about the causes of emotional
@BeatEDSupport BeatEDSupport
overeating and eating disorders. There is no one main
Behavioural Psychological Physical cause or trigger for an individual and it is likely to be
Issue date: June 2016 Review date: June 2019

a complex combination of genetic, psychological,

• Bingeing Shorter term: • Stomach
environmental, social and biological influences.
• Eating in secret • Comfort pains
@beatED beat.eating.disorders Spotting the signs and symptoms of emotional
• Hiding food • Relief • Bloating
Unit 1 Chalk Hill House, 19 Rosary Road, overeating in yourself or someone you know can be
Norwich, NR1 1SZ wrappers • Escape • Feeling sick difficult, particularly as often the eating behaviour is
• Spending lots Longer term: • Poor skin kept hidden or secret from those around them.
Emotional overeating
0300 123 3355
of money • Depression • Trouble What could increase the risk of developing
beateatingdisorders.org.uk
on food sleeping emotional overeating?
[email protected] • Anxiety
• Becoming • Weight gain
A charity registered in England and Wales (801343) • Guilt • Low self-esteem and sense of self-worth.
withdrawn
and Scotland (SC039309). • Shame • Other mental health conditions like depression
Company limited by guarantee no 2368495 The facts and • Worry and anxiety.
• Feeling fed up • Stressful or traumatic events in your past.
• Dissatisfaction with the way you look.
Funded by
where to find support • Isolation, boredom or feelings of stress and anger.
• Differences in your brain or the level of hormones
produced by your brain to others who don’t eat
emotionally.
With thanks: Beat is Version 1.0. Sources used to
grateful to the funding from create this information are • Following strict, low calorie or restricting diets.
HSCVF to create this leaflet available by contacting
and the contributions from Beat. We welcome
support group participants your feedback on our
and volunteers. information resources.
Help and support
"
Finding professional help and support

"
I think that, ultimately,
the key to recovery is You might find to overcome your emotional overeating you need to seek out

Recovery from emotional overeating learning to respect,

like and love oneself
professional help or support. At first I felt
embarrassed about
Visit your GP
is possible, read on for support for and learning to be Your GP should be able to support and refer, if necessary to other NHS services
talking to my doctor,
but when I did she

"
comfortable in our in your area. This might mean seeing a dietician or nutritionist, an eating disorder
yourself and others. skin. was kind, helpful

"
specialist or prescribing medication to help your recovery.
and patient.
Seek counselling
There are many registered counsellors who specialise in supporting people with

"
eating problems. Find them on Beat’s HelpFinder (helpfinder.beateatingdisorders.
Self-help strategies

" "
org.uk). While you might need to pay for a private counsellor some local charities
may provide this free of charge. The group has made
Self-care The more I maintain me think about all
Be kind and forgiving to yourself. Acknowledge a positive feeling
Be kinder to yourself. Join a support group the chains I carry
that emotional overeating is not a weakness Whatever it is that’s eating Talking about your experiences with others going through similar situations can around and how to
towards myself,
in character but a mental health issue. Take away at you inside and help you feel less alone. They might also give you the opportunity to exchange get rid of them one
the less I overeat
time to do something calming, comforting and leading you to experience distraction techniques and coping methods. Find them on Beat’s HelpFinder by one.
emotionally.

" "
non-food related: going for a walk, reading it as hunger, it can be put (helpfinder.beateatingdisorders.org.uk) or join our online ‘Nightingale’ support group
your favourite book, trying meditation are in its place. You have to at 7pm every Friday for people suffering with emotional overeating or binge eating.
just some ideas. be prepared to work and
Call, email or chat online to Beat’s Helpline
keep on going, but you

"
Food and mood diaries Beat’s Helpline offers support and information about eating disorders. If you’re
will get there.
Keeping a diary of the food you eat can encourage eating healthily worried about yourself or someone you know call or email the service to speak to
and mindfully. Commenting on your mood alongside food might help you one of our Helpline Support Workers. 0808 801 0677 [email protected].
understand patterns and identify trigger times. Keeping a diary recording how For more information visit: beateatingdisorders.org.uk/support-services.
you’re feeling is a way to express yourself and help you make sense of how you are feeling.
Some people use journals to note positive things every day – a good pick-me-up during times of low mood.

"
Art, creativity, self-expression
Tapping into your creative side can help you take time out from a busy schedule,
express emotions and reflect. Take pride and satisfaction in what you create.
When I play my I'm worried about someone I know
piano it gives me
Distraction techniques Emotional overeating doesn’t just affect the
If you can identify triggers and put strategies in place to
time to release and
individual but the people around them too.
How to help

"
reconnect with
help find comfort and support without turning to food, You might feel at a loss at what to do or how
myself. Afterwards I
it can help to break the cycle of emotional overeating. to support them. By reading this leaflet and
feel refreshed. Ask...

"
Colouring books learning more about emotional overeating
Exercise you’ve already made a big first step.
are great for
Taking regular exercise brings benefits to both physical de-stressing,
and mental health. It releases happy hormones within How to help: Be prepared...
it’s a form of

""
the brain, helping to increase feelings of happiness • Ask them if they’d like to talk.
meditation.
and motivation. It can also help to control weight. • Be prepared to speak openly and honestly.
Exercising regularly doesn’t mean joining a gym,
Be understanding...
• Leave any prejudgement behind – emotional
which can be expensive and you might find it daunting overeating isn’t about a lack of willpower or
exercising in public. It feels good to be education about exercise and healthy eating, Be patient...
Walking is a great form of exercise, try an exercise video at home able to connect but a complex mental health issue.
or find a trusted friend to go to a class with you for support. with the people • Be understanding and patient.
around me. Encourage...

"
• Encourage them to seek help.
Talking with friends and family
• Offer your support – could you accompany
Although it can be difficult, talking to someone you trust can provide comfort.
them to support groups or their medical Offer your support...
It can help them understand what you’re going through and see how they can best support you. appointments? Is there a particular difficult
time when it would be useful to have someone
Self-help books to call? Leave prejudgement behind
There are lots of books which can help you understand more about emotional overeating and how
to use self-help strategies on your way to recovery.
You can’t change the person but you
Visit beateatingdisorders.org.uk/recovery-information/ can empower and support them to
book-reviews to find some we have read and reviewed. their recovery.

All quotes received from emotional overeating support group participants and volunteers.
 FOLD TOP FOLD FOLD

Emotional hunger vs Emotional overeating vs

support group participants and volunteers. *Beat survey, 2014
All quotes received from emotional overeating body image of themselves.

physical hunger binge eating disorder

overeat told us they had a negative
help and support. 86% of people who emotionally
journey. Read on to find further feeling worse rather than better.
you might need support on your The guilt and shame can leave people 86% This kind of eating is not related to physical hunger, These two terms have lots in common, they both talk
overeating is possible, though instead it is about satisfying an emotional hunger. about a time when an individual eats an amount of food
Recovery from emotional as a coping strategy for emotional hunger.
Emotional Hunger Physical Hunger
Guilt Emotional overeating Binge eating disorder
• Comes on suddenly • Comes on gradually
" Recovery
and relief
Comfort

Emotional overeating cycle

Weight gain
" • Feels like it needs to be
satisfied instantly
• Is not urgent in nature
• A range of foods sound
• A type of eating
behaviour
•A
 specific mental health
diagnosis which may be
given when binge eating
• Craves specific foods, appealing • The amount of food
OPEN TO eaten in an episode of occurs regularly over a
especially those high in • Satisfied with a full
1st A5 PG emotional overeating prolonged period of time
fat and sugar
image
Binge eat stomach and is causing distress
because I eat. Poor self does not need to be
• Not satisfied with a
surface.
I’m depressed Distress • Does not cause large • In a binge eating
full stomach
I don’t want to
negative emotions episode a person will
sometimes
"
I’m depressed,
I eat because
silence a range of negative emotions and distress.
"
other feelings that
to try and suppress
It’s like I’m eating
• Causes feelings of
guilt, shame and
powerlessness
eat an unusually large
amount of food
Sometimes
Many people emotionally overeat as a way to •P
 hysical hunger can
trigger binge eating
•R
 itualistic in nature –
strategy and it happens so regularly you feel you are out of control, or caught in a cycle, problems arise. binges might be
range of strategies to manage emotions and cope, it can be helpful and is something most people do. However, if this the only planned in advance,
Enjoying food as a reward or pick-me-up from time to time is a normal and natural part of life and when used as part of a particular foods and
emotionally it is in an attempt to feel better, to feel comforted or soothed by eating. plates used and some
Emotional overeating means turning to food for comfort and escape during times of low mood. When someone overeats people say they feel like
they are in a ‘trance’
What is emotional overeating?
OPEN TO
FOLD FOLD 2nd A4
SPREAD
Looking for support? How can I spot the signs What causes emotional
Helpline: 0
 808 801 0677 and symptoms of emotional overeating?
[email protected] overeating? We are still learning more about the causes of emotional
Youthline: 0808 801 0711
overeating and eating disorders. There is no one main
[email protected]
Behavioural Psychological Physical cause or trigger for an individual and it is likely to be
Studentline: 0808 801 0811 a complex combination of genetic, psychological,
• Bingeing Shorter term: • Stomach
[email protected] environmental, social and biological influences.
• Eating in secret • Comfort pains
Issue date: June 2016 Review date: June 2019

@BeatEDSupport BeatEDSupport Spotting the signs and symptoms of emotional

• Hiding food • Relief • Bloating
overeating in yourself or someone you know can be
wrappers • Escape • Feeling sick difficult, particularly as often the eating behaviour is
@beatED beat.eating.disorders • Spending lots Longer term: • Poor skin kept hidden or secret from those around them.
Unit 1 Chalk Hill House, 19 Rosary Road, Emotional overeating of money • Depression • Trouble What could increase the risk of developing
Norwich, NR1 1SZ on food sleeping emotional overeating?
• Anxiety
0300 123 3355 • beateatingdisorders.org.uk • Becoming • Weight gain
BACK PAGE withdrawn
• Guilt • Low self-esteem and sense of self-worth.
[email protected] • Shame • Other mental health conditions like depression
A charity registered in England and Wales (801343) The facts and • Worry and anxiety.
and Scotland (SC039309).
• Feeling fed up • Stressful or traumatic events in your past.
Company limited by guarantee no 2368495
• Dissatisfaction with the way you look.
Funded by
where to find support • Isolation, boredom or feelings of stress and anger.
• Differences in your brain or the level of hormones
produced by your brain to others who don’t eat
emotionally.
With thanks: Beat is Version 1.0. Sources used to
grateful to the funding from create this information are • Following strict, low calorie or restricting diets.
HSCVF to create this leaflet available by contacting
and the contributions from Beat. We welcome
support group participants your feedback on our
and volunteers. information resources.

a1092 Beat EOSG A3 > A6 V4 JUNE 18.indd 1 07/06/2018 11:28

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