Why can't I stop eating? Possible causes and what to do

It is clear that food is an indispensable basic necessity for life for all of us, it is even part of the fundamental human rights of every human being. But what happens when the intensity and frequency of eating get out of our control?

In this article we are going to see how we can get involved in a situation of dependence on food and we ask ourselves "why can't I stop eating?". In addition, we will also examine what are the best treatment methods in this situation.

• Related article: "Psychology and Nutrition: the importance of emotional eating"

Why can't I stop eating? Possible causes

Let's look at some of the most common causes why a person might have trouble stopping eating consistently. There are several factors that may be generating this behavior. Let's go see them.

1. emotional hunger

This cause is the most common of all; is about an irrational appetite motivated by particular moods, and it has nothing to do with the physiological feeling of being hungry for basic survival reasons.

When emotional hunger is present in people's lives, it does so as a coping mechanism. avoidance of certain situations or sensations that produce a feeling of anguish and stress elevated.

For example, a person you could binge eat (compulsive and rapid eating) because of unpleasant news that you have just received, or when you are in withdrawal symptoms from a substance to which you are addicted.

• You may be interested in: "Emotional hunger: what it is and what can be done to combat it"

2. eating by inertia

When we ask ourselves the question "why can't I stop eating?", it is often because we realize that, almost without thinking, we are already opening the fridge. In these cases we eat by inertia, we do it in a basically involuntary way; we are not fully aware of the irrational behavior that we are maintaining. We eat in a disorderly manner, regardless of the time of day.

The amounts of food we eat can vary significantly depending on the circumstances in which we find ourselves. If it is a busy day, we may eat less than necessary, on the contrary, if we have a day off at home, we may overeat without realizing it.

3. Perceiving food as an exacerbated source of pleasure

Some people see food as a disproportionate source of pleasure that allows them to immediately satisfy the alimentary driveIn other words, for these individuals the action of eating food represents the ultimate goal of pleasure.

Regardless of whether they are satisfied or not, seek to have something to eat frequently, to feel how they manage to satisfy their desire. What is sought in these cases is to obtain satisfaction and not satisfy physiological hunger.

4. Low tolerance for frustration

Having a low tolerance for frustration often results in seeking satisfaction through food. In view of the fact that there are situations that the subject does not control and whose result can be frustrating, seeks pleasure in something that he can controlas is eating food. Faced with this type of problem, it is necessary to develop coping skills.

5. dysfunctional lifestyle

Dysfunctional or maladaptive lifestyles generally result in the person he is affected in various areas of his daily life, including food, which tends to be excessive.

When the subject has an atypical routine in relation to his basic needs, all these are altered, and Although it may be a normal situation for him, it is still harmful to his health.

6. body dysmorphia

This disorder is characterized by the fact that the person who suffers from it presents an excessive and irrational hatred towards his own body and tends to desperately seek ways to change it. It is a disorder with a higher prevalence in the female gender.

When this disorder occurs, some people have to stop eating to change the shape of their body; Others, on the contrary, compulsively eat food with the same objective, only that the change would be oriented towards weight gain.

How to solve this situation?

The first is to accept that the behavior represents a problem for our lives in terms of physical health and emotionally, once we have accepted that fact we are ready to start looking for the best alternative of solution.

1. establish new routines

Replacing our dysfunctional routine with one with healthy habits is within everyone's reach, it is only necessary to begin to organize our new expectations with a method of personal strategic planning and then put them into practice.

Establishing a number of meals a day, which we should not exceed, accompanied by a schedule for each of these meals, will eventually make us have the habit of eating at the right times and in a structured way without the inertia of disordered eating.

2. attend therapy

There are various effective therapeutic methods for this type of situation. Some of the ones that provide the best results are cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy.

All of these are aimed at changing the maladaptive and irrational thoughts of the patient. replacing them with more suitable ones, which will allow you to conduct yourself in a better way in your life daily. In this way, through a process of psychotherapeutic intervention that lasts between several weeks and a few months, learn to better manage emotions and adopt healthy eating habits based on the true needs of the body.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatry Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• Bennett, J.; Greene, G.; Schwartz-Barcott, D. (2013). Perceptions of emotional eating behavior. A qualitative study of college students. Appetite, 60(1): 187–192.
• Macht, M. (2008). How emotions affect eating: A five-way model. Appetite, 50(1):pp. 1 - 11.
• Turton, R.; Chami, R.; Treasure, J. (2017). Emotional Eating, Binge Eating and Animal Models of Binge-Type Eating Disorders. Current Obesity Reports, 6(2): p. 217 - 228.