11 Tips on how to stop eating emotions, loneliness and stress

A stressful situation is the excitation of nerve cells. To neutralize this process, the brain triggers the active production of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine (it is the latter hormone that for the most part "calms", as it is responsible for a sense of satisfaction).

And for this, he needs micronutrients and glucose (from which energy is extracted). It is because of this that people have a desire to "overcome" stress and anxiety with food, and mainly the choice falls on sweet and fatty foods – this is the simplest source of carbohydrates.

According to research, often all this leads to a set of excessive fat mass, since the unabsorbed carbohydrates are transformed into fatty compounds and "settle" on the stomach, on the hips.

How do you learn to stop seizing emotions, loneliness, everyday stress, various kinds of depression and other emotional problems? Why does this happen and what needs to be done to stabilize the concentration of endorphins (these are the same serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine – hormones that affect mood)?

Why do you want to eat during stress?

The answer is obvious – it's kind of defensive reaction and an attempt to relieve tension, arousal of nerve cells. The easiest option is to increase the concentration of those endorphins.

Another option is to take antidepressants, which significantly reduce the sensitivity of the nervous system to stressful situations, but the body cannot synthesize them independently. That's why the brain "provokes" to eat sweets .

That is, this is a normal reaction of the body.  Nutrition in this case has a protective and adaptive orientation. And it really allows you to survive a stressful situation, but if you constantly do this, then you can't do without excess weight. And this has a negative effect in the end, not only on brain function (the vessels of which will simply be clogged with cholesterol), but also the cardiovascular system.

It is worth noting that the desire to eat sweets is not always there. It all depends on the individual physiological characteristics of a person, his own food preferences. Men, for example, in such situations more often want something salty or crispy, like chips. But all these are signals from the brain, which is trying in a similar way stimulate the production of endorphins .

Should this condition be ignored?

What happens in the end is that emotional stress jams should be completely abandoned, but then how can you control your condition? If you do not try to cope with stress at all, then this can provoke chronic neurosis , and subsequently – both stroke and cardiovascular diseases.

That is, stress should not be ignored in any case. What should I do in this case? The most reasonable option is to seek help from a qualified specialist, that is, a psychologist. But only 2-3% of people use this opportunity. The rest simply do not attach due importance to this issue.

What can such behavior threaten?

What is the threat of constant stress "jamming"? There are three main consequences of such a habit:

1. Overweight.  Stress is often the cause of weight gain, especially in children. During stress, the feeling of hunger and satiety becomes less pronounced. Therefore, a person eats excess food, that is, overeats. Sooner or later, this will affect overweight, the accumulation of fat mass. It is also worth considering the fact that the body gradually gets used to such a method of dealing with stress. Therefore, food will cease to "calm down", but the habit will remain. Long-term work stress will certainly lead to obesity.
2. The sensitivity of the brain to endorphins will also constantly begin to decrease. The reason for this is the regular increased concentration of serotonin. Every time getting rid of depression or prolonged stress will be much more difficult. In some cases, stress, nervousness and fatigue "add up" altogether, accumulating over an extended period of time.
3. Due to the fact that a person is struggling with stress with the help of external influences, over time, this will lead to a lack of self-control in such situations. It is not reasonable to act "on emotions" in this case. As practice shows, this happens most often in women.

How to replace food — 11 options

There are plenty of effective ways to deal with stress without eating. Moreover, they act no worse, and sometimes much more effectively. The simplest option – include fatty fish in the diet , fruits and vegetables, bananas, garlic. All these products stimulate the natural production of serotonin, but at the same time they have practically no negative effect on the body.

1. Physical activity

This is one of the most effective methods. Due to muscle tension, the process of rapid breakdown of complex carbohydrates and energy extraction is started.

This will be more than enough to produce endorphins without additional "fuel" in the form of food.

Moreover, even a 15-minute jog will be enough to significantly Improve your emotional well-being . Ideally, it is necessary to exercise regularly, at least visit fitness rooms.

Fitness also helps to get rid of boredom, especially in the evenings.

2. Cold shower

It is not necessary to use ice water. It is enough that it is at room temperature. With rapid cooling of the skin, the body also starts the process of splitting carbohydrates in order to get energy and warm up as quickly as possible.

And it also stimulates the production of adrenaline (due to this, blood pressure increases and the heart begins to pump blood faster) and norepinephrine , which gives feeling of cheerfulness and energy .

The recommended shower duration is only 3-4 minutes, no more. Hypothermia should not be allowed, as this will weaken the immune system.

3. A clever trick is to eat with your left hand

Psychologists often recommend that those who suffer from overeating, eat with their left (or right for a left-handed person) hand. In general, make this process as uncomfortable as possible for yourself.

There will be no trace of overeating after 2-3 days. A person will simply refuse long meals and will eat as much as his body needs.

4. Surround yourself with red

Another recommendation of psychologists is a red light. The brain on a subconscious level perceives it as a "stop signal".

Accordingly, it is recommended to use a maximum of red colors in the kitchen. It can be dishes, cups, an apron, a pot holder and so on. All this will help to get rid of overeating.

5. Smile

When a person smiles (even if he forces himself to do it) – the brain is slow but confident begins to produce serotonin and actively assimilate it.

Therefore, you should develop the habit of smiling in any mood. Sooner or later, this will become a part of everyday life and a person will notice that he has significantly fewer stressful situations. In fact, he just becomes less sensitive to these kinds of situations.

6. Singing

One of the oldest methods of giving "vent to emotions". And the louder you sing, the better. You can recommend just going to a karaoke bar and having a good time there. This will help you get rid of even chronic depression quickly.

But it doesn't help everyone – for many, the very situation "in plain sight of others" (if it's about karaoke) scares them. So it's better to do it alone, you can even do it in the shower. It is advisable only to take care of sound insulation in advance.

7. Aromatherapy

Relaxing Aromatherapy works much more effectively than most people think. The aroma of citrus fruits, lavender, chamomile, and pine needles helps to cope with stress best of all.

You can take a bath and just add a few drops of aromatic essential oil – it won't be a problem to buy them now, since they are sold in almost every pharmacy.

8. Drink as much water as possible

Plain water really reduces stress . You can drink carbonated mineral water or natural juices. All this will help you quickly reduce cortisol concentration - this hormone provokes anxiety, a feeling of anxiety and fear.

A few glasses of cool water will help reduce its concentration in the blood by about 10-20% (depends on individual physiology).

You can still try to drink Soothing drinks , for example, green tea – it contains phytoncides, which also help to reduce the agitation of the cells of the nervous system. But you should not abuse tea or the same coffee – no more than 2 cups per day.

9. Eat a small piece of chocolate

But only a small one – no more than 20 grams (which corresponds to 1/5 of a chocolate bar). About Chocolate's ability to cheer you up has been known for a long time. It will not only help you concentrate in a stressful situation, but also dramatically will increase the level of serotonin in the blood.

Ideally, chocolate should be eaten in small portions throughout the day (in 6-8 meals you can eat a chocolate bar, but no more). Any products containing cocoa act in a similar way.

You can also just drink a portion of hot chocolate. But you should not make it too sweet. It is better to add more cocoa to get a slightly bitter cloying taste. It is also not superfluous to add a few mint leaves – it acts as a soothing.

10. Watch a comedy

It sounds corny, but laughter provokes the production of endorphins. In principle, this is a universal method of dealing with any depression , even passed into the chronic stage.

Everyone necessarily has some of their favorite comedies – it's okay that a person has already seen these films.

It is not necessary to watch comedies. Just your favorite movie will do. The main thing is that it should not be a drama with a sad ending. Let it be better if it is an animated film or even several episodes of the TV series "Friends" &8212; this is a universal method of dealing with stress.

11. Communication

Also helps to distract from stress and normalize the state of the nervous system. The main thing is to communicate on distant topics that in no way relate to the situation that has arisen. You can just call a friend, contact your friend or go to a cafe – this will already be enough to improve your well-being.

Another good option is to "pour out your soul" on some forum. You can do this anonymously and discuss everything you are interested in on this topic. Moreover, now there is an opportunity to take advantage of free consultations with psychologists – many sites of private psychological offices provide such a function.

Also pay attention to the infographic:

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Interesting video

And now we invite you to familiarize yourself with the video:

Conclusion

In total, it is quite simple to get rid of such an addiction. The main thing is to control your condition and not give in to emotions. And all the above tips will help you to normalize your condition as soon as possible.

But if all the tips have already been tried, but there is no result, then it is better to seek help from a qualified psychologist. It is quite possible that stress is caused by some kind of psychoemotional problems that require the attention of a psychotherapist (you may even have to take pharmacological drugs for a while).