The craving for sweets is closely linked to childhood traumas. Mihaela Bilic: "We should go to a psychologist with this problem"
Once again, I've eaten too many sweets today. Because I'm tired, because I've been stressed, because I didn't have time for a meal.
Why do we have these behaviors, inevitably accompanied by sweets, and why do we never crave carrots or salad.
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There are four reasons, unrelated to food. We should go to a psychologist with this problem.
I bought an ice cream because I wanted a break. I don't need ice cream. But when I want a break, I go directly for something sweet, without thinking that I just need to take it easy. That's what dependency means.
Because we feel that sweets quickly give us a sense of well-being, we eat them when we want to get rid of discomfort. Sadness, for example, is a primary emotion. Many of us learned in childhood that it's bad to be sad, to feel these normal emotions. Here's what Bogdana Bursuc, a clinical psychologist, tells us.
Bogdana Bursuc, psychologist: "You see that you're getting picked on by the others, you're loud and you’re being told to behave yourself, as you're the little one; we learn to manage our emotions much like we learn to handle interactions with others or tasks - either completing what needs to be done or leaving things unfinished. Emotions, being physiological, have a finite duration; they don't persist indefinitely. Instead, we've learnt that they are not transient".
Freedom, the best feeling for people.
Bogdana Bursuc, psychologist: "We've been conditioned to think that we 'must' do something and to remind ourselves, for instance, that every Saturday I must vacuum, although I'm not sure if it's truly necessary. In this context of obligations, choosing what to eat and how to eat it can represent a form of liberation".
It is possible not to have received enough care and attention in the family.
Bogdana Bursuc, psychologist: "This internal sense of helplessness arises from feeling like I don't have enough of what I need. I tend to overeat, accumulate more objects than necessary, such as having 20 nail polishes, all red. There's a constant fear of running out of what I need".
The study of adverse childhood experiences also shows an important motivation for comfort eating.
Bogdana Bursuc, psychologist: "In the case of overeating, that is, gaining weight, it is a protective mechanism. This behavior indicates extreme traumatic experiences. And one way to protect myself from such a traumatic experience is simply to make myself unattractive, as a way to feel safe".
I crave something sweet, and the craving repeats. The motivation varies for each individual. It is impossible to decipher it alone. And even if we understand, the brain starts blaming itself for not being able to restrain itself. Therefore, in such situations, we need specialized help