One of the first relationships we form in life is with food. Our parents feed us to nourish us and help us grow, and in many families, food may even be a way to convey love. At the same time, we receive messages from an early age that being overweight is bad and eating too much is shameful. Food goes from being a basic building block of life to becoming a source of anxiety and guilt.
Food does not have to be an all-consuming issue in your life.
Many people feel at war with both food and their bodies. Yo-yo dieting, emotional overeating, eating in secret, frequent weighing, purging after meals, use of laxatives or diet pills, and extreme exercise are all behaviors that may be used to exert control over not just food and your weight, but also your feelings. If this sounds familiar to you, know that you are not alone; millions of people in the U.S. every year struggle with eating and body image issues. The good news, however, is that with an experienced psychotherapist it is possible to heal your relationship with food, eat more mindfully, and feel better about your body.
It’s not about the food; so what is it about?
Disordered eating affects both women and men of all ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations and religious backgrounds. People who struggle with these issues commonly manipulate food as a coping strategy to deal with stress and difficult emotions. Therapy can identify the connections between food and emotion, and offer healthier coping skills to help you function more positively. In addition, your therapist can work alongside dieticians, medical doctors, and other professionals to help provide the most holistic care possible to address your eating concerns.
