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4 minutes
There are several consequences of feeling guilty about eating. We tell you what they are, why they occur and how to deal with them.
Feelings and food often go hand in hand. It happens almost without us realizing it, but every time we eat we feel something related to our food. The negative feelings that surround eating can lead to the consequences of feeling guilty about eating.
The guilty feeling it is the feeling of having done something bad, of harming something or someone. Then, guilt about eating refers to feeling that something wrong has been done by eating a certain food or by the amount that was eaten.
When do we feel guilty about eating?
Just as in daily life we feel guilty about some issues in our personal environment, in the food field we can also feel that way. The most common causes are eating too much or eating a certain dish. and then feel bad about thinking that you are going to gain weight.
The reality is that the consequences of feeling guilty about eating exist and include psychological disorders. These are some.
Bulimia
Ortiz, in his Article Eating disordersensures that bulimia is a disorder in which the patient feel abnormal hunger and binge eat. But then he senses guilt and discomfort. This leads to vomiting, taking laxatives, or exercising too much. By Binge we refer to very short episodes of rapid food consumption and in very large quantities.
In addition, the expert indicates that in periods of excess food, patients feel ashamed of their behavior, so they promise not to repeat it. So it’s a cycle of binge eating followed by guilt and trying to purge calories. There is a dissatisfaction with the body and an intensification of the restrictive regimen.
Bulimia can trigger complications like the following:
- dehydration
- Severe dental caries.
- Anxiety and depression.
- Missed menstrual periods.
- Drug abuse and self-harm.
- Heart and digestive problems.
Anorexy
The anorexy is a psychiatric disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a minimum normal weight through a restriction of caloric intake or excessive energy expenditure during physical exercise. In these cases, guilt, obsession, rejection and high competitiveness cause a vicious circle.
The complications and physical alterations of this disease are various and at different levels:
- Arrhythmia.
- Amenorrhea.
- Hypertension.
- Malnutrition.
- Hair loss.
- Nail atrophy.
- Lack of attention and concentration.
- Alterations in the perception of hunger and satiety.
Binge eating disorder
It is a disorder in which a person eats a much larger amount of food than normal. As you eat disproportionately, you feel out of control. Unlike the other problems, this one is not about burning calories.
In this case, the person experiences shame and guilt. His hunger responds to anxiety, discomfort and emotional instability. Then the phenomenon of emotional hunger.
It is the kind of hunger that appears in response to emotional needs. It manifests itself suddenly and persistently. The sensation persists despite eating.
This can lead to health problems such as the following:
- Depression.
- Insomnia.
- Overweight.
- Digestive problems.
- Joint pain.
- Menstrual cycle disturbances
How to deal with feeling guilty about eating?
This process involves the help of professionals in the psychological areathat help the patient understand his body and that no food is bad if eaten in moderation.
Conscious eating
It is also recommended to apply mindful eating to try to understand the reason for the negative emotions we feel and find the cause of the internal conflict. This is a intake process being aware with all our senses of what causes us to eat and how we perceive it.
Physiological hunger versus emotional hunger
Another step you can take to deal with feeling guilty about eating is learn to identify physiological hunger to ignore emotional hunger. The first is the need of our body to obtain nutrients. At that moment, a series of signals are triggered that let us know that it is time to eat.
The second is the hunger that gives signals from the mind. It does not do it for lack of food, but rather it is oriented to a specific food.
Eat just to recharge
Usually, it is recommended to eat alone to recharge energy and, if you feel guilty, see a mental health professional. In this way, a number of serious disorders can be prevented.
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