It is a learned behavior in many cases, even as far as being considered "cultural", especially among African-Americans, Jews, Arabs, and Italians (there are a few others). We eat when we are happy, we eat when we are sad, we eat when we achieve something (birthdays, anniversaries), and we eat for reasons other than hunger. It also isn't just "eating emotions", it is the quantity and quality which become an issue.
Like alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, eating can be a compulsion, a way to exert a belief of self-control or a way to mask pain. However, it isn't just the addiction part, it is the "bad food" part too, and it's even more deadly now with our increasingly sedentary lifestyles. The biggest problem, in my opinion, is the lack of education. There is a lack of education about good eating habits, good food, and proper ways to diet. There have been so many fad diets over the years, and every year, it seems, there are new ones, that are a "miracle" cure, not to mention the reliance on surgery for a quick fix (lap bands, liposuction).
I also feel our society of body shaming feeds (no pun intended) these addictions. Too thin, too fat, not muscular enough, and the lists go on and on. While I suffered from bulimia when I was in college, I find myself beating myself up for not having the "courage" to do it again because I have become fat again. I have a battle raging in my mind. I know what bulimia can do, I have had extensive work done to my teeth because my enamel was destroyed, especially on the backs of my teeth. I actually suffer from a form of dysmorphic body disorder. Fortunately, mine is not too severe, but it can and has prevented me from looking in a mirror, taking care of myself, even leading to bouts of depression and agoraphobia. Sometimes the disorder wins, and sometimes I win. It is a struggle.
I also feel there isn't a responsible education on healthy lifestyles, eating, and coping with various stressors. Support is important, but often people are shamed for not "controlling" their bodies.
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