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ОглавлениеLife’s too short to sweat the small stuff.
Can your emotions affect your health? Evidence now suggests the answer is ‘yes’. One study of pre-menopausal, peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women found that emotions like anger, depression and anxiety increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Other studies have confirmed that long-term stress causes the shape-shifting phenomenon of middle-age spread due to too much sugar being converted to fat, which gets deposited in the midriff area. Researchers have also established a link between stress and poor health. And, of course, when we are stressed, sad, angry, afraid, hurt, worried, lonely, frustrated or depressed we reach for food as a source of emotional comfort.
Most experts define emotional stress as a person’s reaction to any situation that places special physical or psychological demands on them so as to unbalance their equilibrium and take them outside their comfort zone. These situations can give rise to feelings of fear, anger or anxiety as the body responds to the perceived threat to its wellbeing. Emotional stress varies from person to person so is difficult to measure. It is highly subjective and influenced by personality and experience; everyone has a different sensitivity to stressful events – what may be stressful to one person can be perceived as quite manageable to another.
The concept of emotional stress pioneered by Dr Hans Seyle proposes that during stressful situations, the sympathetic nervous system sets in motion a series of physiological responses. Various hormones produced by the adrenal cortex, including cortisol and epinephrine, prepare the body for an instant state of readiness, the classic ‘fight or flight’ response. It is also theorized that once the ‘stress-invoking threat’ has passed, the body returns to a state of normality and balance. However, recent research shows that long-term elevated cortisol levels can lead to weight gain, especially in the belly.
Although both men and women may be uncomfortable with some of the changes to their faces and bodies as they get older, women often feel more vulnerable as society places such a high value on their physical appearance. For women over 40, excess weight can become more difficult to shift, and this is often compounded by emotional challenges. At this stage of life, emotional issues that have been suppressed for years can resurface. Additionally, divorce, financial burdens, concerns about retirement, career moves and residential changes often occur alongside unpleasant menopausal symptoms. With the children now grown up and out of the family home, many people begin to question their own identity, which was typically being the family caregiver. This loss of identity can be unsettling for many, and may coincide with a new role of becoming the ‘parent’ to their own ill or ageing parents.
Emotional challenges can be difficult at any age. In later life, emotional stress can be harder to deal with if we are no longer physically fit and healthy. Coping with an age-related medical condition – such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or osteoporosis – can be a considerable burden. Physical problems combined with emotional challenges – such as periods of mourning, feelings of increased isolation in retirement and a changing social role – can all contribute to a sense of loss of control and helplessness. This makes people vulnerable to depression.
We all know food can make us feel good, providing a great source of psychological fulfilment. From infancy, we are taught that love and food are intertwined. A baby cries – we feed it to calm it down; a child does well and is rewarded with a food treat; and of course seduction and food have been entwined since Creation – just think of Adam and Eve! In later life we have a whole catalogue of food memories associated with holidays, celebrations and happy times, so it’s really no wonder that we equate food with positive feelings. When emotionally stressed, some people strive to recapture those happy feelings by comforting themselves with food. It has recently been shown that we are more likely to engage in emotional eating if our basic human needs – such as security, love and belonging – are unfulfilled. Prolonged periods of depression and anxiety also tend to cause emotional eating, leading to cravings for sweet and fatty foods.
Many parents and grandparents mistakenly use food as a reward for positive behaviour: ‘If you are a good girl or boy today you will get a treat.’ This strategy may create a lasting unconscious desire to reward oneself with sweet, high-calorie foods when under emotional stress. This may develop into unhealthy eating habits, so that being overweight becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Aim to reward younger members of the family with non-food treats, such as a trip to a park, a treasure hunt or a physical activity. This will have a much more positive impact on their health.
Why People Eat Emotionally
In my experience with both female and male clients, people often find themselves trapped in a cycle of stress-eat-stress, feeling helpless to change. Significant weight gain can occur as a result. There may be unconscious reasons for this behaviour. You may want to prevent other people getting too close, and feel that a layer of fat on the body may protect you. Or it can represent an attitude of needing to let go and be out of control when all other aspects of your life have to be neat and in order.
Case Study
A male client, a city high-flyer, had a major problem with emotional eating late in the evening. After working with him for a month it became clear that the nature of his professional position meant he had to be in control and on top of his game 110 per cent of the time. There was no room for a slip-up. This was big business with big rewards. The client was exceedingly good at his job, but it came at a price to his health – 5 stone of excess weight gain. Although he ate healthily, and in moderation at work, it was all part of his professional approach. When he came home it was almost as if some element of being out of control was needed as light relief from the constant responsibility and challenges. Ice cream was the answer, and his excessive eating of it represented a rebellious act against all the constraints in his day-to-day life. After discussing this, we established a physical activity plan that introduced an element of stress management, as well as letting him create a little slack in other areas of his life, so that the ice cream eating was not his only outlet to let off steam and take his foot off the throttle.
Emotional stress is real, and it doesn’t go away quickly or simply. However, recognizing it is the first step to taking action. If you feel you are susceptible to emotional stress, try completing the following questionnaire. Often, it can be easier to express sensitive issues on paper rather than in a face-to-face discussion. You may find that the very act of completing the questionnaire provokes thought and introspection, creating an awareness of the role stress is playing in your life.
Emotional Stress Questionnaire
Using the scale below, rate the following items/events according to how frequently they cause you emotional stress in the form of sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, depression, worry or guilt:
1 – Never
2 – Occasionally (a few times a month or less)
3 – Sometimes (one to three times a week)
4 – Often (three or more times a week)
5 – Always (daily or more)
Job-related issues (unhappy with/change in/losing job) 1 2 3 4 5
Children (leaving/returning home, marital difficulties) 1 2 3 4 5
Relationship issues with loved ones 1 2 3 4 5
Separation or divorce 1 2 3 4 5
A new relationship 1 2 3 4 5
Loneliness 1 2 3 4 5
Concerns about personal health 1 2 3 4 5
Illness or death of a parent, close relative or friend 1 2 3 4 5
Thoughts about retirement 1 2 3 4 5
Worrying about finances 1 2 3 4 5
Food and eating 1 2 3 4 5
Your physical appearance/body weight 1 2 3 4 5
Your physical activity levels 1 2 3 4 5
Moving home 1 2 3 4 5
Feelings of general unhappiness 1 2 3 4 5
Other _______________________________ 1 2 3 4 5
Answer the following questions:
Have you experienced any recent or sudden weight gain? YES/NO
Do you have frequent, general feelings of sadness, anxiety, loneliness, despair, resentment, anger, guilt, shame, boredom or fear? YES/NO
Have these feelings interfered with your normal daily functioning, including lifestyle habits such as healthy eating, regular exercise, not smoking, drinking alcohol only in moderation? YES/NO
Do you reach for food when feeling emotionally stressed? YES/NO
If yes, what sort of food do you usually reach for? ________________
Do you feel better after eating these foods? YES/NO
Are you a (circle one) binge-eater/chronic dieter/emotional eater/purger?
Do you have difficulty sleeping? YES/NO
Are you (circle one) pre-/peri-/post-menopausal?
Do you experience any menopausal symptoms? YES/NO
If so, are they severe enough to interfere with daily living? YES/NO
Are you (circle one): happy | somewhat satisfied | dissatisfied – with your current body weight?
Do you regularly participate in any stress-relieving activities, such as listening to relaxation tapes, meditating or attending mind-body classes (such as yoga or t’ai chi), or do you participate in individual or group counselling sessions with a social worker or other mental health professional? YES/NO
Are you taking any anti-anxiety/anti-depression medication? YES/NO
How You Answered
The purpose of the first part of this questionnaire is to raise your awareness of certain issues or factors that can cause you stress. The second part is designed to highlight how you respond to specific events or situations.
Raising your level of regular physical activity – especially when it involves getting outside, as in the walking plan – has been shown to be a highly effective way to combat stress and limit depression. If your answers to the questionnaire highlighted several areas that could be improved, I’d encourage you to revisit the questionnaire after you have completed the six-week plan.
Breaking the cycle of emotional stress can be hard, but the number one message to remember is that exercise – specifically cardiovascular activity – is a powerful tamer of emotional stress. Your six-week walking plan will help you alleviate anxiety and depression and boost self-esteem. You will lose excess body fat and feel more confident. So not only are you going to look better, you will feel better too.
As well as exercising, allocating a little time for yourself to engage in some form of self-nurture that doesn’t involve food can have a positive impact on how you feel about yourself. You could, for example, take a class, read or relax in the bath …
