Food

Food can become something you think about all day.

Some people notice it as rules about what, when or how much they eat.

Others feel it as a pull to eat when they’re stressed, lonely or numb.

Some only notice it when others comment on their body or their plate.

Maybe you feel:

• anxious
• comforted
• guilty
• judged

Your nervous system may use food to settle, numb or feel in control when life feels like too much.

Your relationship with food makes sense in the context of your life.

What Causes Food Concerns?

Food concerns often come from a mix of your body, your history and the world around you:

• Your body: genetics, temperament and changes like puberty or illness can play a part.
• Your experiences: trauma, loss, bullying or big changes can make food feel like a way to cope.
• Your relationships: comments about bodies, food rules at home or too little comfort can shape eating.
• Your surroundings: diet culture, weight stigma and food insecurity can affect how you eat and how you see your body.

Food rules can bring a sense of control, and they can also make food harder to enjoy.

Your relationship with food often makes sense once you see what it’s been helping you through.

Food and Trauma

What if your relationship with food carries part of your story?

After trauma, food can become tied to comfort, control, safety or pain.

Trauma can also change how your body senses hunger and fullness.

That’s part of why food can feel tangled up with feelings.

Food concerns after trauma can look like eating to numb, restricting to feel in control or hiding what you eat.

Each of these once helped you get through something that felt like too much.

With enough safety, food can become nourishing again.