Compulsive overeating - consultation and treatment in Warsaw
Compulsive overeating is a problem that is often connected not only with food, but also with emotions, stress, tension and a sense of loss of control. A person facing this mechanism may repeatedly start new diets and promise themselves change, yet still return to episodes of overeating, especially in moments of fatigue, overload or low mood.
At OpenMed in Warsaw we offer psycho-dietetic consultations for people who want to better understand their relationship with food and work on a lasting change in their habits. Psycho-dietetics combines knowledge about nutrition with an understanding of the emotions, beliefs and psychological mechanisms that influence the way we eat.
When is it worth seeing a psycho-dietitian?
It is worth considering a psycho-dietetic consultation when food starts to become a way of coping with stress, loneliness, fatigue or difficult emotions. The help of a specialist can be especially important when eating is followed by shame, frustration or guilt.
It is worth seeing a psycho-dietitian when the following occur:
- compulsive overeating,
- eating despite a lack of physical hunger,
- difficulty stopping eating despite feeling full,
- snacking under the influence of stress,
- a sense of loss of control over eating,
- frequently starting and abandoning diets,
- an "all or nothing" approach to eating,
- guilt after eating,
- eating in secret or with a sense of shame,
- alternating periods of restriction and overeating.
A psycho-dietitian helps you look at the problem more broadly than just through the lens of calories, a meal plan or willpower.
Compulsive overeating and emotions
For many people, episodes of overeating appear in similar situations: after a stressful day, a conflict, exhaustion or a period of an overly restrictive diet. Food can then give momentary relief, but it is often followed by remorse and further tension. In this way a vicious circle is created: tension, eating, short-lived relief, guilt and renewed tension. A diet alone is often not enough if the mechanism that triggers compulsive eating is not identified.
Psycho-dietetic work helps you notice when eating becomes a reaction to emotions and when it results from real hunger.
Why do successive diets often fail to help?
A restrictive diet may initially give a sense of control, but over time it leads to fatigue, tension and growing psychological hunger. As a result, an episode of overeating becomes more likely, after which the patient often interprets the situation as a failure and returns to even greater restrictions.
In psycho-dietetics, what matters is not only what the patient eats, but also how they think about food, the body, control, mistakes and their own effectiveness. The aim of the consultation is to build a more stable and realistic relationship with food, without judgement or reinforcing feelings of guilt.
What does a psycho-dietetic consultation look like?
The first psycho-dietetic consultation takes the form of a conversation. The specialist asks about eating habits, diet history, situations that trigger episodes of overeating, lifestyle, stress levels and the patient's current goals.
During the meeting you can discuss, among other things:
- the mechanism of compulsive overeating,
- eating under the influence of emotions,
- difficulty recognising hunger and satiety,
- restrictive diets,
- guilt after eating,
- the relationship with the body and body weight,
- ways of coping with tension.
The consultation does not involve criticising the patient or imposing unrealistic rules. Its aim is to understand the problem and choose a form of support that can be maintained in everyday life.
Psycho-dietitian Warsaw - support at OpenMed
At OpenMed in Warsaw patients can get help with psycho-dietetics, eating disorders and a difficult relationship with food. If needed, psycho-dietetic support can be part of a broader course of action that also includes a psychological, psychiatric, internal medicine, diabetology or endocrinology consultation.
This approach is especially important when eating difficulties co-occur with overweight, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, hormonal disorders or chronic stress or low mood.
Compulsive overeating - FAQ
It can be a symptom of a disturbed relationship with food, and in some people it may meet the criteria for an eating disorder. It is worth consulting the problem if the episodes of overeating are recurrent and cause suffering.
No. A psycho-dietitian works with the relationship with food, emotions and eating habits, regardless of body weight.
Not always. If food serves to regulate emotions, a diet alone may be insufficient. It is important to identify the mechanisms that lead to a loss of control over eating.
Yes. This is a common reason for a psycho-dietetic consultation. The specialist helps you understand why your earlier attempts at change did not last.
Sometimes yes. If eating difficulties are accompanied by intensified anxiety, depression, compensatory behaviours, significant food restriction or great psychological suffering, a psychiatric or psychotherapeutic consultation may be advisable.