Using Food to Swallow What You Want to Say

How are you using food to literally swallow what you want to say to someone?

We often use food to avoid being truthful with others about how we really feel.

The only way to cope with how terrible it feels to withhold the truth of how we feel and what we want, is to use addictions. Food is a very handy one.

What truth are you using food to swallow with your parents? With your partner? With your coworkers or boss?

Let’s be clear: I am not suggesting you dump your feelings on others and take your emotions out on them.

You can feel your emotions privately: scream in your car, take a bat to a pillow, sob your heart out. You can feel your anger, fear, and sadness by yourself and it won't hurt anyone.

I'm also not suggesting that your feelings are always the accurate assessment of a situation. Certainly we can have perceptions that aren't really what's happening.

But let's say you are concerned you've got it wrong. There is some kind of unresolved childhood hurt being triggered and you need to work through those feelings anyway.

A lot of the time when we protest that we can't say what we feel because we might be wrong, we really are just terrified. Terrified of what will happen if we say the truth and let the chips fall where they may.

When it comes to our parents in particular, usually what we really feel is completely accurate and we're terrified of that fact.

When we withhold being honest about how we really feel to others, there is always damage to ourselves.

When we swallow how we really feel and think, turmoil happens in our soul and we will not be able to help but use food and drinks to cope.

Let's have some courage and try some experiments.

What relationships in your life have a discrepancy between what you really think and feel, and what the person is aware?

"The truth shall set you free", including with healing overeating.

Photo by Min An via Pexels