| Written by Allison Rosa, MA, LAC
“When you use food to cope, it’s not a character flaw—it’s a signal that you’re trying to soothe something deeper.” — Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD
We’ve all had moments where food brings comfort. A bowl of ice cream after a hard day, a bag of chips during a stressful night—these aren’t inherently bad things. But when emotional eating becomes a repeated pattern of numbing, when food becomes our only coping tool, it’s worth exploring what’s really going on underneath.
This is the “food as numbing” cycle. And the first step to shifting it isn’t guilt or restriction. It’s gentle curiosity and compassion.
What Is a ‘Food as Numbing’ Cycle?
Numbing through food happens when we use eating as a way to disconnect from uncomfortable emotions: stress, loneliness, shame, sadness, boredom, even trauma-related pain. It’s often unconscious and can feel automatic.
The cycle usually looks like this:
Emotional Trigger: Something causes internal discomfort (a fight, deadline, memory, insecurity, etc.).
Food as Escape: Eating brings temporary relief, distraction, or comfort.
Shame or Guilt: After eating, negative self-talk kicks in. “Why did I do that again?”
Disconnection: Instead of processing the emotion, we disconnect even further, increasing vulnerability to repeat the cycle.
- 22% of children and adolescents worldwide show disordered eating.
López-Gil, J. F., García-Hermoso, A., Smith, L., Firth, J., Trott, M., Mesas, A. E., Jiménez-López, E., Gutiérrez-Espinoza, H., Tárraga-López, P. J., & Victoria-Montesinos, D. (2023). Global Proportion of Disordered Eating in Children and Adolescents. JAMA Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5848
Why This Pattern Makes So Much Sense
This cycle isn’t a sign of weakness or lack of willpower. It’s a coping strategy—one that may have once helped you survive. For many, especially those with histories of trauma, neglect, or emotional invalidation, food can become a safe and consistent source of comfort.
It’s important to acknowledge:
Eating to self-soothe is a signal, not a failure.
It tells us, “There’s something painful here that hasn’t found another outlet yet.”
Eating Disorders Recognized in the DSM-5
1. Anorexia Nervosa
A disorder marked by extreme restriction of food intake, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image. Despite being underweight, individuals often see themselves as overweight. It can include a restricting subtype or a binge-eating/purging subtype.
2. Bulimia Nervosa
Characterized by cycles of binge eating (consuming large amounts of food in a short time with a sense of loss of control) followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative use to prevent weight gain.
3. Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Involves recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often rapidly and to the point of discomfort, accompanied by feelings of shame or guilt. Unlike bulimia, there are no regular compensatory behaviors.
4. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
A pattern of restrictive eating not related to body image. Individuals may avoid foods based on sensory issues, fear of choking or vomiting, or a general lack of interest in food, leading to weight loss and nutritional deficiencies.
5. Pica
The persistent eating of non-food substances (e.g., dirt, paper, hair) for at least one month, inappropriate to developmental level and not culturally sanctioned.
6. Rumination Disorder
The repeated regurgitation of food, which may be re-chewed, re-swallowed, or spit out. This behavior is not due to a medical condition and is different from purging in bulimia.
7. Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
Used when a person has significant symptoms of an eating disorder that cause distress or impairment but do not meet full criteria for one specific diagnosis. Examples include:
- Atypical Anorexia Nervosa: All criteria for anorexia met, but weight is within or above the normal range.
- Purging Disorder: Purging without bingeing.
Night Eating Syndrome: Recurrent episodes of eating at night with awareness, often tied to distress or insomnia.
Emerging & Non-DSM Eating Disorders
While not officially recognized in the DSM-5, these are increasingly acknowledged in clinical practice and research:
8. Orthorexia Nervosa
An unhealthy obsession with “clean” or “healthy” eating. Individuals may cut out entire food groups, become increasingly rigid in their eating rules, and experience distress or guilt when deviating from their ideal diet. Although not weight-focused, it can result in malnutrition and social impairment.
9. Compulsive Exercise (Exercise Addiction)
Excessive physical activity driven by guilt, anxiety, or rigid rules—often at the expense of rest, social life, or physical health. Commonly co-occurs with anorexia or bulimia but may also appear on its own.
10. Bigorexia / Muscle Dysmorphia
Technically a subtype of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, it involves an obsessive desire to gain muscle and a distorted belief that one’s body is too small or not muscular enough. Often involves disordered eating, supplement misuse, or overtraining.
11. Diabulimia
A term used (not officially recognized) for individuals with Type 1 diabetes who deliberately restrict insulin to lose weight. This can lead to severe medical consequences.
12. Food Addiction
A controversial but increasingly studied pattern where individuals experience cravings and compulsive eating, especially for highly palatable foods, similar to substance addiction. Not recognized as a formal diagnosis but widely discussed.
13. Chewing and Spitting Disorder
Repetitive chewing of food followed by spitting it out before swallowing, often used to experience the taste without the perceived consequence of calorie intake. Can co-occur with other eating disorders.
- Drunkorexia
Drunkorexia is a non-clinical term used to describe a pattern of restricting food intake, excessive exercise, or purging behaviors to “make room” for alcohol calories. It often includes:
- Skipping meals to offset alcohol calories
- Using alcohol as a meal substitute
- Binge drinking after periods of food restriction
- Engaging in disordered eating patterns to avoid weight gain from alcohol
When Vaping Becomes a Weight Control Tool
In recent years, some teens and young adults have turned to vaping as a method to suppress appetite or manage weight—a deeply concerning trend that often flies under the radar. Certain nicotine products can act as appetite suppressants, and for individuals struggling with body image or disordered eating, this effect can become a tempting coping tool.
Here’s the problem:
While vaping might feel like a quick fix to curb cravings or avoid eating, it reinforces the belief that hunger is something to fight, not honor. Over time, this can weaken a person’s ability to trust their body’s cues, and deepen the cycle of body dissatisfaction and disordered behavior.
⚠️ Potential risks include:
- Nicotine addiction
- Increased anxiety and heart rate
- Disruption of natural hunger cues
- Gateway to other disordered eating or substance use behaviors
Why It Matters
Eating disorders are diverse, complex, and not always visible. Many fall outside of classic diagnostic categories but still cause immense emotional pain and physical harm. Recognizing the full spectrum can lead to earlier intervention, more inclusive support, and greater self-understanding for those struggling.
How to Gently Break the Cycle
You don’t need to shame yourself into change. What helps most is slowing down, getting curious, and learning new ways to sit with emotion.
Here are gentle, doable steps:
1. Pause and Name the Emotion (Even If You Still Eat)
Before, during, or after eating—ask:
“What was I feeling just before I reached for this?”
Even if you continue to eat, this step builds emotional awareness and breaks automaticity.
2. Practice “Adding In” Instead of “Taking Away”
Rather than focusing on stopping the behavior, try adding supportive alternatives:
- Can I journal for 3 minutes before I eat?
- Can I step outside, breathe fresh air, or stretch my body?
- Can I text someone I trust?
- Can I add more green into my plate rather than completely removing my enjoyed food groups?
The goal is not to eliminate emotional eating immediately, but to widen your coping toolkit.
3. Focus on Soothing vs. Stuffing
Ask:
“Is there a way I can soothe this emotion without shutting it down?”
This might be a warm bath, holding a soft object, listening to music, or even saying, “This is hard, and I’m allowed to feel this.”
4. Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mentality
Emotional eating doesn’t mean you’ve “failed.” A slip into the numbing cycle isn’t a sign of no progress. It’s a sign that something in you still needs care. Be gentle with that part.
5. Seek Support If You Feel Stuck
Sometimes, food becomes a stand-in for connection, safety, or control because those needs weren’t reliably met. In that case, working with a therapist or support group can help you uncover and meet those deeper emotional needs—without using food as the primary tool.
Coping through writing
Here are five journal prompts that can apply to all the eating disorders mentioned and help explore emotional coping through food:
- What emotions or situations tend to trigger my urge to use food for comfort or control?
- How do I feel about my body right now, and how do those feelings influence my eating choices?
- When I turn to food to cope, what am I trying to avoid or numb?
- What are some non-food-related ways I could address my emotional needs or soothe myself?
- How can I show myself compassion when I slip into old eating habits, instead of criticizing myself?
Final Thoughts
Breaking the numbing cycle is not about eating perfectly, it’s about relating to yourself differently. Each time you slow down, get curious, and ask, “What do I really need right now?”you’re gently rewriting the story.
You deserve to feel your emotions.
You deserve to be supported.
You deserve to move from survival to thriving.
Food may have helped you cope—but healing can offer you so much more.
Allison Rosa is a Certified Trauma Professional, who specialized in Victim Counseling during her graduate program. Using person-centered techniques, Allison helps others to rewrite their trauma narratives and relationships with food. Allison is also an EMDR-trained therapist.
Check out Allison’s professional bio here.
Email Us: info@exceptionalwellnesscounseling.com
Call Now: (908) 415-2042
NEXT STEPS & RESOURCES
- Are you ready to take your first step? Reach out to us.
- Do you feel you may benefit from counseling during this time? Take the first step.
- Interested in online counseling? Learn more
- Interested in group counseling? Learn more
