Uplifting Eating Pattern

Developed by Dr. Jessica Yu, Clinical Psychologist

About the Uplifting Eating Pattern

An Uplifting Eating Pattern is a way to cope with negative feelings through eating. People with this pattern might feel bored, tired, or sad and find comfort in food. This starts a cycle where they eat in order to feel better, but will often then feel shame or guilt about their eating habits. These negative feelings then cause them to seek the temporary relief of food, and the cycle continues.

Those with an Uplifting Eating Pattern may experience weight gain, which can contribute to feelings of sadness or shame. People with this pattern may feel like they'll never get their habits around food under control.

What does an Uplifting Eating Pattern look like?

• Struggling with low mood

• Using food as a pick-me-up

• Often feeling worse after eating

• Feeling pessimistic or hopeless about the future

The habit

The primary challenge for those with an Uplifting Eating Pattern is to identify and challenge negative beliefs about themselves. Examining the cause of low mood and learning other ways to self-soothe can help them break this cycle.

Dr. Jessica Recommends:

People with an Uplifting Eating Pattern are prone to depression, low mood, and low energy. To cope, they turn to food. This can give them a quick boost of energy or take an edge off their sadness, but that relief is often quickly overpowered by guilt about their eating. That guilt can lead to repetitive destructive thoughts that they’ll never feel better or get a handle on their eating habits or weight.

Learning about depression and diet can help people with this pattern gain insight into their behavior and mindfulness and meditation exercises to build a sense of self-worth and calm can help them find relief.