Maryland Peace of Mind: The Link Between Overeating and Mental Health

PEACE OF MIND REPORT THIS MORNING MENTAL HEALTH AND OVEREATING DR. COLLEEN SCHREIER. SHE IS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. HELLO AND THANK YOU. TO REACH US WHAT FIGHTS OVEREATING ALL YEAR ROUND THESE LAST MONTHS OF THE YEAR CAN BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE ALL HOLIDAYS ARE PACKED. YES ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK STRESS PLAYS A BIG ROLE THERE, YOU KNOW IN ADDITION TO OUR NORMAL DAILY LIVES NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SHOPPING PLANNING KITCHEN ETC. SO THIS EXTRA STRESS OFTEN MEANS WE HAVE NO TIME TO EAT REGULARLY, AND THERE IS ALSO AN ABUNDANCE OF DELICIOUS HIGH CALORIE FOODS EVERYWHERE, AND I THINK TEMPTATION MAKES IT REALLY HARD FOR PEOPLE NOT TO OVER EAT WELL, AND WE GO THROUGH THE COOLER MONTHS AND HAVE TO, YOU KNOW COMFORT FOOD IS CALLED COMFORT FOOD FOR A REASON. ABSOLUTELY, TRUE AND SO WIMPER FEELING MORE ANXIOUS OR EVEN DEPRESSED DURING THE HOLIDAYS, WE GO TO THESE COMFORTING FOODS BECAUSE THEY MAKE US FEEL BETTER. AND AND THEY DO BUT THEN IT’S A SHORT TERM FIX BECAUSE THEN SOMETIMES YOU FEEL SO GUILT THEN AFTER YOU OVER AND THE GUILT CAN REALLY BUILD UP DAY BY DAY AND IT CAN SOMETIMES HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. YES ABSOLUTELY. SO WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IS THEY FEEL QUITE GUILT AFTER EATING TOO MUCH AND THIS THEN LEADS THEM TO MAYBE TRYING TO EAT A LITTLE LESS, WHICH THEN END UP BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF YOU EAT LESS DURING THE DAY SO YOU GO TO A PARTY AND THERE ARE ALL THESE DELICIOUS FOODS YOU WILL EAT OVER EAT AGAIN AND THEN THE CYCLE CONTINUES AND THEN YOU BUILD UP THE PRESSURE OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND MAYBE A SOME ANXIETY SAW PEOPLE YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IN A LONG FAMILY PROBLEMS THAT PRESS TO CREATE THE PERFECT HOLIDAY AND THE FOOD CAN BE YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT HAS BEEN FOR ME IN THE PAST PERSONALLY. IT MAY BE A COPING MECHANISM. ABSOLUTELY, I THINK PEOPLE GET STRESSED WHILE EATING. I THINK AS WELL AS HOLIDAYS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH VERY PLEASANT MEMORIES. IT CAN ALSO BE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES AND FACE THE HOLIDAY SEASON ALONE EVEN AND SO THEY MOVE TO FOOD TO COMFORT AGAIN AND HELP THEMSELVES FEEL BETTER. TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL BATTLE THAT IS TAKING PLACE HERE BECAUSE IT CAN OFTEN BE ACCOMPANIED BY, YOU KNOW, THE ANXIETY OF DEPRESSION. YOU CALL IT, RIGHT? SO I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO FIGHT OVEREATING THEIR OFTEN ALSO FIGHT WITH THEIR WEIGHT, THEY ARE VERY STRESSED ABOUT WHAT THEY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AND SO THE BATTLE IS OFTEN, YOU KNOW, THEY FEEL VERY GUILTY AND OFTEN NOT RECOGNIZING THAT YOU MAY KNOW THEY WANT TO CONTROL THEIR EATING, THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY DRIVEN TO EAT BY OTHER FACTORS. YEAH, AND SO OF COURSE TOMORROW IS HALLOWEEN AND THEN WE GO STRAIGHT TO THANKSGIVING AND THEN YOU KNOW THE OTHER HOLIDAYS. SO WHAT SOME OF YOUR TIPS WHEN WE GO IN THESE FEW WEEKS, BASIC? ABSOLUTELY SO I ALWAYS SAY EAT THREE MEALS A DAY AND SNACKS AS NEEDED YOU WANT TO EAT NOURISHING FOODS SO THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN THESE SITUATIONS YOU ARE NOT DRIVEN BY A STRONG HUNGER AND ALSO TO ENSURE THAT YOU RE GET A GOOD BALANCE OF PROTEIN CARBOHYDRATES FATS. AND ALSO THIS IS THAT I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT A LOT OF PEOPLE BUILD THEMSELVES AND ALLOW THEMSELVES TO EAT WHATEVER THEY WANT ON THE HOLIDAYS. SEASON IT’S IMPORTANT TO EAT YOUR FAVORITE FOODS ALL YEAR ROUND SO THERE IS LESS OF THIS ORDER TO SAY. OH WELL I WAS ONLY LET ME HAVE IT DURING THIS PERIOD YOU KNOW IF YOU LET YOU EAT IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THERE IS LESS OF IT BUILT AND THEN MAYBE ANSWER SOME OF THE PROBLEMS UNDER- JACENTS FOR DEPRESSION ANXIETY IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE AND USE FOOD TO DEAL WITH IT. ABSOLUTELY, SO IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A PROBLEM I WILL LOOK AT I RECOMMEND YOU REACH OUT TO TRY TO FIND A DIETARY THERAPIST. WHICH MEANS YOU WANT TO STOP BUT YOU CAN’T ANOTHER RED FLAG MAYBE YOU ARE EATING IN SECRET AND IF YOU HAVE JOINT DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. THERE ARE A LOT OF DRUGS AND THERAPIES THAT CAN BE VERY HELPFUL IN TREATING THESE PROBLEMS CORRECTLY AND YOU KNOW, IT’S BEEN BIG ON SOCIAL MEDIA, KIND OF HASHTAG EAT YOUR FEELINGS. I WANT, THERE IS A REASON WHY THESE PHRASES ARE CREATED ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, THIS IS WHAT YOU POINT OUT WITH THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO STRUGGLE AND SO I THINK THE SHAME REALLY STOPS PEOPLE FROM SEEKING HELP. ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN IT’S SO COMMON AND I HEAR THE STORY ABOUT HOW PEOPLE EAT REGULARLY FOR COMFORT IN MY JOB. OKAY. WELL DR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. I REALLY APPRECIATE. THANK YOU FOR HOSTING ME.

Maryland Peace of Mind: The Link Between Overeating and Mental Health

Updated: 9:43 a.m. EDT October 31, 2022

In our Maryland Peace of Mind segment, the link between mental health and overeating. Joining us is Dr. Colleen Schreyer, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has more on fighting overeating and how mental health plays a role.

BALTIMORE—

In our Maryland Peace of Mind segment, the link between mental health and overeating. Joining us is Dr. Colleen Schreyer, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has more on fighting overeating and how mental health plays a role.