When I was in primary school, my mother bought me a cardboard box full of Kinder buenos from her grocery shopping run one day. Since I was on school vacation and therefore had all the time in the world, I'd made sure to cherish these chocolates every single day, for many hours a day.

I put the little cardboard box right next to my bed. This way, I didn't even have to leave the warm-fuzzy comfort of my bed in order to un-wrap and bite into yet another crispy, hazelnut cream filled praline. A new, shiny and delicious Kinder bueno chocolate bar was at all times just within an arm's reach.

And I eat, I eat, I eat.

My hunger for chocolate, for sugar, for comfort, does not know any limits.

I could exist in a state, like this, for days, for weeks, for years or for decades: just lying still, barely moving, tightly snuck under my warm duvet cover while continuing to eat, eat, eat all the Kinder chocolate in the entire world.

I overeat. But for me, it's never too much.

In fact, it's never enough. I eat, eat, eat and still I feel the need to eat more. I don't want to stop now, this felt so good and I wish this good feeling could last an entire lifetime.

Because every time I stop eating, things don't just feel bad, they feel really, really bad. In fact, the terror and the fear of her emotional violence, her unpredictability, her complete disregard for my actual wants and needs and feelings, is overwhelming. I can't deal with any of it!

And what's worse, there is yet another, really, really bad feeling that is worse than all the others. It's so bad, I'm too afraid to even spell it out to just myself.

When I, many years before, promised myself to become 'perfect' for her, to 'mind-read' and anticipate her mood swings in an attempt to avoid her frightening rage attacks, to never ask her for anything that resembled emotional support to avoid triggering her shame and rage —

When a part of me was successful in letting go of the last speckle of hope, that she could ever be a real mother, when this part fully accepted that she would never turn around and start loving me the way that every child deserves to be loved by their mother —

That part became so afraid and haunted by everything that reminded it of what was still left within me that still yearned for her love, for her comfort and for the warmth of her arms. The thought of still being connected to her, to this monster, who was on a mission to destroy her own life and viciously drag me with her on her way down to oblivion, was terrifying and unbearable.

So as a denied, unacknowledged, exiled part of myselves quietly longs for her affection, that part I have to hide it from myself in order to keep on going and oh look, how good I am at doing just that as long as I can hold onto my cardboard box full of emotionally soothing chocolate bars.

Hi! I am creating an online platform and am looking for some more influences to help me better round out my offerings. Has anyone had any really excellent experiences with any courses on emotional eating that they would recommend? I am super interested in Out of the Cave with Lisa Schlosberg? thanks!!

Hello! I am curious what everyone's experience with courses on emotional eating have been? Has anyone found a program that is helpful? I just finished Alanna Kessler's Sober Eating Sequence and have had some success. I am super interested in The Out of the Cave Coaching program. Has anyone tried it? I also am enrolled in a course with Lily Mae Redding where she uses a method called Upguided--which is essentially subconscious reprogramming mixed with inner child healing and visualization. It's really kind of amazing. I just feel like I need a little more support. Anyone had any success with any coaching programs on emotional eating that they would recommend?

I have been sober from alcohol for nearly 2 years and I used to smoke a pack a day and occasionally 2 packs then started vaping and dipping but have been almost 3 years completely off of nicotine as well. but my emotional eating is something that I really want to quit. I have lost 70 pounds but want to lose another 30. What can I do so I have self control over my eating? I have also done a 7 day fast already all while working and doing a 4 mile 15 percent incline walk. I can’t cut food out of my life like I did with my alcohol and nicotine. What can I do ? Any help would mean so much to me.

My boyfriend broke up with me and blocked me.

Since then, I’ve felt this huge empty feeling in my chest. Like a hole I can’t calm down.

And even when I’m not hungry… even when I’m already full… I keep eating.

It’s not even about the food at that point. It feels like I’m trying to fill something that food can’t actually reach. Like I need to keep eating until the pain finally quiets down.

But then the guilt hits. The shame. The regret. And suddenly I’m not just heartbroken, I’m angry at myself too.

Sometimes I wonder if this is something I learned as a kid. Maybe food became comfort. Maybe it became safety. Maybe it became the only way I knew how to deal with rejection, abandonment, or feeling unwanted.

But I don’t want to keep living like this. I want to unlearn it.

Has anyone else gone through this after a breakup, being blocked, or feeling abandoned?

And here’s the honest question:

Do you think emotional eating is a lack of self-control, or is it a coping mechanism that helped us survive until we learned something better?

I’m open to advice, personal stories, or anything that helped you break the cycle. Please be kind.

I see people posting small plates per meal, how can someone feed satisfied with such small portion. I'm ashamed of size of my plates, full of food, I will share here. Does anyone eat same amount as mine? How do you control your hungry? I'm woman and very short.

I spent years stuck in the dieting cycle, believing I just lacked willpower. One of my lowest points was standing on that cold, public scale at a WW meeting, waiting for the number to show, feeling that wave of shame.

At the same time, as a senior exec, I could handle big responsibilities at work - budgets, campaigns, the lot - but at home I couldn’t resist the urge to comfort eat. It didn’t make sense.

I genuinely believed I was the problem.

I remember one week standing in line for a weigh-in, and something shifted for me. I realised it wasn’t about restriction or “trying harder” - it was about understanding the psychological why behind turning to food in the first place.

I’m curious:
-Has anyone else held similar beliefs about themselves?
-Are you still feeling stuck in that cycle, or have you had a shift?
-If something changed for you, what was it?

Aku mulai sadar sesuatu tentang diriku 😅

kadang aku makan bukan karena benar-benar lapar tapi karena lagi stres, capek, atau bahkan cuma bosan

yang anehnya, walaupun sudah kenyang, tetap aja pengen makan lagi kayak makanan itu jadi cara buat nenangin diri

dulu aku pikir ini cuma soal kurang disiplin tapi sekarang aku mulai ngerasa ini lebih ke hubungan sama emosi

aku lagi coba pelan-pelan ngerti pola ini, tapi jujur nggak gampang 😅

ada yang pernah ngerasain hal yang sama? biasanya kalian ngadepin momen kayak gini gimana?