People who abuse substances or alcohol often have a difficult time handling life’s challenges, as addiction can impede their ability to process emotions. Oftentimes, they struggle to stay in control when they’re angry, afraid, or grieving. They’re also more likely to be overwhelmed and prone to unpredictable mood swings whenever they’re stressed. According to a study, 61 percent of youths struggling with addiction are below the normative range for emotional intelligence, and it’s why they either feel intense emotions or feel emotionally numb or disconnected from their feelings. Even those who are years into their sobriety may feel emotionally unstable since they’re still dealing with the same emotional patterns that triggered their addiction.
Developing emotional regulation skills is a must since it allows you to deal with life’s challenges without turning to substances or other unhealthy coping mechanisms. Pausing before reacting, as well as identifying feelings, can help to regulate emotions, along with practicing healthy habits like putting full attention to your food and eating experiences. Mindful eating can be a powerful tool for emotional awareness, helping you build control over your emotional responses and support your long-term recovery.
What is Mindful Eating?
At some point in our lives, we’ve all had meals wherein we barely even thought about what we consumed, how our food tasted, or how the eating experience made us feel. Think about all those times when you ate in front of the TV or had a snack while scrolling on your phone. Eating mindlessly can lead to overeating, indigestion, reduced enjoyment, and weight gain as studies show that distracted eaters consume up to 25 percent more calories than mindful eaters.
Distracted eating also increases the risks of obesity and diabetes, which means that you’ll need medication to control your blood sugar levels. What’s more, if you’re still taking substances or drinking alcohol while on blood sugar medication, it can cause symptoms like constipation, nausea, and vomiting, as well as dehydration and hypoglycemia. Making a conscious decision to abstain from substances or alcohol, combined with mindful eating habits, can help to improve your blood sugar problems and enhance your emotional health at the same time.
Mindful eating is all about paying full attention to your food and accepting your thoughts, cravings, and feelings about food without criticism. It’s also about putting away distractions like phones, TVs, and other devices during meals, and eating at a deliberate pace to allow your body to register fullness. Practicing mindfulness while eating not only helps you stay physically fit, but it also allows you to manage your feelings before they become overwhelming.
Mindful Eating for Regulating Emotions
Ever wonder why activities like painting, yoga, and meditating always make you feel good? It’s because these mindful activities can calm your mind, reduce stress hormone (cortisol) levels, and break negative thought patterns at the same time. In the same way, mindful eating can be beneficial for emotional sobriety since it regulates the brain. Eating slowly can activate the brain’s parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the rest and digest response. By slowing down and engaging all your senses in between bites, you shift your mind and body out of the fight-or-flight mode, which can help you to feel safe and calm.
Many individuals who are in recovery often eat mindlessly since they cope through emotional eating. For them, food, especially sweet or starchy fare, provides a feeling of comfort and stress relief. In fact, a study has revealed that those in the early stages of recovery are more likely to engage in mood and binge eating as food often fills the void, and they use food as a substitute for alcohol or substances.
Emotional eating can hinder the recovery process since it can lead to unhealthy habits or even an eating disorder. Practicing mindful eating can help you differentiate actual hunger from emotional triggers, like stress, boredom, or anxiety. By identifying your triggers, you can manage your intense emotions without overeating or reverting to destructive behaviors. Doing so also helps you develop healthier coping strategies that will make you feel more emotionally stable in the long run.
Practicing Mindful Eating for Emotional Sobriety
To eat mindfully, do a quick check-in before making a beeline to the fridge. Ask yourself, are you really hungry, or are you just bored or stressed? If it’s the latter, try going for a walk to de-stress, or do an easy art activity like coloring, since it shifts your attention away from negative thoughts. If you’re hungry, though, choose whole foods as much as possible, and incorporate mood-boosting foods like nuts, berries, dark chocolate, and leafy greens into your meals. Have your meals at the dining table, and eliminate all distractions like the TV or phone.
While eating, take small bites and chew your food thoroughly. Engage your senses by taking note of the colors, textures, smells, and tastes, and be sure to savor the flavor of every bite. Notice how the food makes you feel, and pause to see if you’re satisfied before taking more food. It may also be a good idea to start a food journal to keep track of your triggers and patterns so you can break the cycle of emotional eating.
Mindful eating can be an amazing tool for emotional sobriety. Eat mindfully during mealtimes, and see how conscious eating habits can help you regulate your emotions and achieve lasting recovery.