Author: Gordan Maleković, MD, coach, psychotherapist
Emotional eating occurs when we use food to regulate emotions rather than to satisfy hunger.
One client told me that every evening after work he sits down and eats a burek, even though he already had lunch and dinner is waiting for him at home. He said, “I can’t stop — it’s my reward for getting through the day.” Scientific research confirms that stress activates the same part of the brain associated with reward, which is why it’s not surprising that food becomes a “quick fix.” Studies show that people under stress consume up to 40% more foods high in fat and sugar. This isn’t a weakness — it’s a biological response that calls for a careful and compassionate approach.
Why does emotional eating occur?
Food, such as chocolate or burek, triggers the release of dopamine — the hormone of pleasure.
This effect is short-lived, so the feeling of emptiness quickly returns. One client who often comforted herself with chocolate described it as ‘five minutes of relief, followed by an hour of guilt’. Research shows that emotional eating activates the same reward pathway in the brain as other forms of reward. This tells us that it is a learned pattern — one that can be replaced with a healthier alternative.
How to recognize patterns of emotional eating?
Physical hunger builds gradually and can be satisfied with a variety of foods. Emotional hunger comes on suddenly and is usually tied to a very specific craving: ‘I need pizza now’ or ‘only chocolate will help’.
If you feel guilt after eating and don’t actually feel full, it’s likely emotional hunger. One client who kept an emotions-and-food diary discovered that every time she received criticism at work, she ended up in a bakery. That insight gave her the opportunity to look for a different outlet for stress. There are also very concrete strategies that can help. For example, research on mindful eating shows that just three minutes of conscious chewing can cut the likelihood of impulsive overeating in half.
How to stop emotional eating?
Restrictions rarely work. The more we forbid ourselves something, the more we want it. A more effective approach is addition rather than restriction: add a walk, a conversation, journaling, or a breathing technique before reaching for food. One client who introduced a ten-minute walk before buying ice cream realized that in half of the cases, the craving simply disappeared.
At Celeste Balance, we combine nutritional plans with psychological support precisely to help people break this vicious cycle. Studies on intuitive eating confirm that listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues reduces emotional eating in the long term (Intuitive eating – Wikipedia).