PART 2: STEP 3
Understand Why You Have Disordered Eating Behaviours
Most people are easily able to identify the reasons why they have eating issues, but for some it’s not as obvious, and so self-reflection is required.
For most, they often associate their eating issues with the fact they have been triggered by either stress, boredom, sadness, trauma or anxiety, but the truth is that those specific emotions themselves aren’t the cause, emotional dysregulation is.Â
Emotional dysregulation is the inability to manage intense emotions in a way that interferes with daily life. It involves experiencing emotions that are out of proportion to the situation, struggling to calm down after being upset, and having difficulty recognizing one’s own feelings.Â
As well as leading to disordered eating habits it can also lead to behaviors such as mood swings, impulsivity, anxiety, depression, and relationship problems.
Signs of Emotional Dysregulation:
- Difficulty managing emotions:
Individuals may struggle to recognise, understand, and respond to their own emotions or those of others.
- Intense emotional reactions:
Outbursts of anger, sadness, or anxiety that are disproportionate to the situation may occur.
- Mood swings:
Rapid and dramatic shifts in mood make it difficult to maintain a stable emotional state.
- Impulsivity:
Difficulty delaying gratification or making thoughtful decisions, often leading to impulsive behaviours.
- Difficulty with self-regulation:
Struggling to calm oneself or manage emotional distress; difficulty returning to a baseline emotional state after experiencing intense feelings.
- Relationship difficulties:
Intense emotions and impulsive behaviours can make it challenging to form and maintain healthy relationships.
Causes and Contributing Factors:
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- Brain differences:
Variations in brain structure or function may impact emotional regulation.
- Mental health conditions:
Conditions such as anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder can contribute to emotional dysregulation.
- Trauma:
Early childhood trauma — such as abuse or neglect — can interfere with emotional development and regulation.
- Genetic factors:
A genetic predisposition may influence how individuals experience and regulate emotions.
- Difficulty with self-regulation:
Struggling to calm oneself or manage emotional distress; difficulty returning to a baseline emotional state after experiencing intense feelings.
- Relationship difficulties:
Intense emotions and impulsive behaviours can make it challenging to form and maintain healthy relationships.
People that struggle with emotional regulation also tend to have nervous system issues as acute states of stress trigger the body’s “fight-or-flight” response, resulting in a cascade of physiological changes.Â
This response, initiated by the brain’s amygdala and hypothalamus, activates the sympathetic nervous system and releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. And as previously mentioned, these hormones not only inhibit weight loss but can actively cause weight gain.
That is why it is so important to understand that eating as a result of emotional dysregulation isn’t just harmful due to the excessive amount of calories consumed, but also because of the physiological resistance it can cause in weight loss success and maintenance, and that the process of improving emotional regulation is a factor in overcoming unhealthy eating habits and disordered eating behaviours.
This system includes various tools to help with emotional regulation, which I strongly recommend you utilise.
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