Corporate America is highly skilled at getting you to eat and drink things that are not good for you. Every day, we’re bombarded with the wrong messages: TV commercials, billboards and radio ads show us misleading images of happy, attractive people enjoying greasy fast food and dehydrating caffeinated drinks that decrease brain function and lower your self-control.
Unfortunately, the more overweight you are, the greater the stress on your physiology—particularly the increased inflammation in your body—which affects the volume of the grey matter between your ears, in addition to putting you at risk for serious medical problems.
Introducing Type 4 Overeater: Sad/Emotional
People with this type tend to use food to medicate underlying feelings of sadness and to calm the emotional storms in their brains.
They often struggle with:
1. Boredom
2. Loneliness
3. Depression
4. Low self-esteem
5. Pain issues
6. Decreased libido
7. Periods of crying
8. Low energy levels
9. Suicidal thoughts
10. Lack of interest in usually pleasurable activities
11. Feelings of guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, or worthlessness
For some people, these feelings come and go with the seasons and tend to worsen in winter. Others experience mild feelings of chronic sadness, called dysthymia. Still others suffer from more serious depressions. This type is more frequently seen in women.
What SPECT Findings Tell Us
The SPECT findings of sad or emotional overeaters typically reveal markedly increased activity in the deep limbic areas of the brain—commonly seen in mood disorders and in people who have had emotional trauma—and decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex.
Treating mood disorders with behavioral interventions, natural supplements, and medication when needed, can be the key to weight loss.
We Can Help
At Amen Clinics, we know that food addiction issues are not a function of not trying hard enough, being lazy, or not having enough willpower. We will work with you to address your specific brain type so that you can eliminate food addiction, reach your weight loss goals and feel amazing every day. Click here to learn more about how Amen Clinics can help, or call today at 888-288-9834.
Love the information.. I’m a exercise physiologist and starting a radio program on major channel.. love to have dr amen as a guest .. Gordon
Comment by Gordon Duffy — February 21, 2018 @ 10:47 AM
Reading type 4- sad emotional eaters, If a person has history of depression, suicidal thoughts, had a gastric bypass, lost 200 pounds & gained it back, how would amenclinics help? Getting a scann still doesnt solve the problem. What specific interventions does Amen provide. All thats been recommended by doctors is diet after diet: slim fast, atkins, weight watchers, jenny craig, etc, and dictors Rx diet pills w/ adverse reactions, some creating suicidal thoughts creating shame & frustration. There is no holistical care OR support.
Comment by PL Buffington — March 5, 2018 @ 8:01 AM
What I have found very effective is intensive trauma therapy. Oftentimes obesity or overeating is related to unresolved traumas.
Many of my patients lost weight without medication or surgeries after their trauma
was processed and no longer affecting their
inclusive of their weight.
I would highly recommend to anyone that struggles this way to find experienced doctor
that specializes in trauma treatment.
Dr. Jeanette
Comment by Jeanette — March 1, 2019 @ 9:47 AM
This description sounds like me to a T I’m taking an anti-depressant, Duloxetene 60 mg once a day. Is this a good dosage? I also have chogrins disease(sorry for the spelling I know it is wrong just spelled the way it sounds), And I take meds for that. I work for the USPS 6 days a week , fairly physical job. I ‘m always exhausted. Well is most likely that this is too much info for this forum, but there it is
Comment by Debra Bostwick — March 1, 2019 @ 8:07 PM
Most emotional eater know who they are. The issue is usually not diet since quiet a few have done diet after diet and each time the dam breaks and they are back to old patterns. Is there an intervention that speaks to the deeper issues that are driving the behavior. Are there real answers for the real problems.
Comment by Hopeful — March 2, 2019 @ 6:02 AM
If I wanted to go there for treatment, does your facility accept Aetna Medicare?? I have OCD, PTSS, Depression, even on medication, and more recently have become a compulsive overeater, who fluctuates between starving myself with eating around 600 calories per day or binging,eating as many 3000 or more calories. Can you help and would you accept my insurance. I would love to be treated because I have suffered all my life with severe OCD and Post Tramatic Stress. You may email me with answers. thank you.
Comment by linda s winer — March 4, 2019 @ 6:31 AM