If you tend to eat more when you’re feeling sad, stressed, or overwhelmed, you’re not alone. But how can you tell if it’s emotional eating or binge eating? The difference between these two eating behaviors can be confusing.

“A cookie used to make me feel better when I wasn’t feeling great — then a cookie turned into an entire package,” said one MyObesityTeam member, who was curious about whether they were eating emotionally or binge-eating. “Then comes the regret from eating a whole package, which makes me want to eat more.”

While emotional eating and binge eating disorder (BED) have similarities, they’re not the same. Read on to learn more about each eating pattern and how to recognize the differences.

What’s Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating means eating in response to feelings — like stress, anxiety, boredom, or depression — rather than hunger. Many people consume their favorite comfort foods when eating emotionally.

In some cases, emotional eating can serve as a distraction from negative emotions or unpleasant emotions. By focusing on food instead of what’s causing stress or worry, it can feel like you’re avoiding emotional discomfort — at least temporarily.

In other cases, emotional eating is a habit learned early in life. For instance, if a caregiver gave you a treat to cheer you up as a child, you may continue to associate food with comfort as an adult. You might automatically reach for something to eat when difficult feelings arise.

Emotional eating is common. Most people do it from time to time. But for some, it becomes hard to stop. This can lead to unwanted weight gain and more negative feelings. That’s because the emotions you were trying to avoid usually return, and now there may be added frustration or guilt from eating to cope. Some people then start overeating to cover up those feelings, creating a cycle.

“I’m under a lot of stress and I’ve been emotional eating,” one MyObesityTeam member said. “I ate a pumpkin cake log roll. Now I feel worse.”

For some people, emotional eating may also be tied to positive feelings. Some people eat to celebrate or to enhance their happy moments.

What Is an Example of Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating happens when someone eats to cope with their feelings rather than to satisfy physical hunger. MyObesityTeam members have shared several examples of their emotional eating habits:

• “When I hear my mind wanting a cookie, I ask myself why, and it’s usually for an emotional reason that is not really about food. Like I miss my momma, who has been gone for 18 years! No cookie is going to bring her back, so I have to figure out what it was about her that I can get somewhere else besides food.”
• “A relative is having a triple bypass today, and he has been battling leukemia for over a year. Of course, I’m very concerned, and my eating is a mess. I eat to drown feelings, but I also eat as a celebration when I’m feeling good.”
• “You hear how some are stress eaters — well, I am a stress drinker — not alcohol, but soda. I normally keep my soda intake to one or two a day, but my stress has been through the roof and I have been noticing that it has increased to about five or six a day, maybe more.”

Managing Emotional Eating

It’s possible to manage emotional eating by learning to recognize the emotions behind your cravings. When your mind tells you to eat something, try asking yourself: “Am I actually hungry, or am I feeling something else?”

What really matters is finding a healthy balance. Completely restricting yourself isn’t healthy, but regularly using food to manage emotions can also lead to challenges. Practicing mindful eating — being present while eating and checking in with your feelings — may help reduce emotional overeating and improve self-esteem and overall well-being.

Here’s one way to tell the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger:

• Physical hunger tends to build gradually. You don’t crave a specific food, and you’re more likely to stop eating when you feel satisfied. You’re also unlikely to feel guilt or shame after eating.
• Emotional hunger often comes on suddenly. You may crave one specific type of food and feel like it’s hard to stop, even when you’re full. Some people feel guilty afterward.

If you notice that a lot of your eating is tied to emotions, finding other ways to cope with those feelings can help. That might mean:

• Journaling
• Going for a walk
• Talking to someone you trust

Making changes can be tough, and you don’t have to do it alone. It may require help and interventions from a mental health professional, dietitian, or nutritionist to explore your emotions around food and develop supportive strategies.

What’s Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge eating disorder is a recognized medical condition. It affects about 3 percent of the U.S. population, and it’s more common than bulimia and anorexia combined. People with BED eat large amounts of food in a short period of time and often feel like they can’t control how much they’re eating. They may also eat alone, hide food to eat later, or spend a lot of time thinking about food even when they’re not eating.

BED can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, and background. However, it’s more commonly diagnosed in women and teens, according to Cleveland Clinic. Not everyone who binges eats for the same reasons. Some people do it to numb painful emotions. Others may get a rush of pleasure or comfort during an episode. Researchers have found that certain hormones have been linked to obesity in some people, while other hormones may be tied specifically to eating disorders like BED.

What Does Binge Eating Feel Like?

People with BED may feel a sense of urgency or loss of control around food. During a binge, they may not be able to stop eating, and some people may not even realize how much they’ve eaten until afterward. In other cases, binge eating may look like grazing throughout the day in a way that feels compulsive or hard to manage.

Binge eating often leads to intense emotions afterward. If you have BED, you may experience feelings of shame, regret, or guilt following a binge episode.

“I’m a binge eater between 4:00 and 6:00,” one MyObesityTeam member said. “I understand how I got here, but I don’t know how to stop this binge eating.”

Another replied, “I binged a chocolate cake today and now I’m feeling bad.”

Managing BED

Binge eating disorder is a mental health condition, so it’s important to talk with a mental health professional to get the support you need. Try to find a provider who has experience treating BED. If possible, look for a certified eating disorders specialist (CEDS) or a fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (FAED).

These professionals can offer treatment options like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps you recognize and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. They also may recommend dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to help you manage intense emotions and reduce binge eating episodes.

In some cases, a mental health provider may refer you to a doctor who can prescribe medications to help reduce the urge to binge.

What Is the Difference Between Emotional Eating and Binge Eating?

Emotional eating tends to be occasional and more manageable. It’s often triggered by feelings and doesn’t always involve eating large amounts of food.

Binge eating, on the other hand, involves recurring episodes of eating a large amount of food in a short time, often with a feeling of loss of control. These episodes may require professional treatment and can be linked to mental health conditions like anxiety or depression.

Many people with BED also practice emotional eating, but not everyone who eats emotionally has BED.

Speak With Your Doctor

If you think you may be experiencing emotional eating or binge eating disorder, talk to your doctor or an obesity specialist. They can help you understand what’s going on, provide a diagnosis if needed, and connect you with treatment options that support your goals.

With the right care, many people find ways to manage emotional or binge eating and improve their overall well-being.

Find Your Team

On MyObesityTeam, the social network for people with obesity and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with obesity.

Do you have emotional eating issues or BED? Have you experienced feelings of guilt or shame about your lack of control over food intake? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.