What Is Emotional Eating?

Imagine you've had a fight with your best friend. It's a stupid fight, something you'll both get over. But right now you're upset. When you walk in the door, your mom asks what's wrong. How are you most likely to respond?

• Tell your mom what happened and have a long, comforting talk about it.

• or

• Tell your mom, "Everything's fine" and head to the freezer for the ice cream.

But can that pint of Rocky Road really help you feel better — or just make you feel sickeningly full?What Is Emotional Eating?Emotional eating is when people use food as a way to deal with feelings instead of to satisfy hunger. We've all been there, finishing a whole bag of chips out of boredom or downing cookie after cookie while cramming for a big test. But when done a lot — especially without realizing it — emotional eating can affect weight, health, and overall well-being.