Wellbeing and mental health

Wellbeing and emotions are often linked to our relationship with food and eating. For example, you might celebrate a special occasion with cake, or a meal with friends and family. Alternatively, when someone is feeling sad or has suffered a loss, you might offer them chocolate or treats to show you care. Some people might eat less when they are feeling anxious or low, whereas others might eat more. It can be helpful to call this "non-hunger eating". 

Emotional eating is an example of how mental health can play a role in your relationship with food. Emotional eating occurs when food is used to help manage tricky feelings such as sadness, anger or stress. The brain tends to crave certain foods such as sweet or higher-fat foods. This can develop into a habit, and support can be helpful when trying to overcome this. Physical activity is a good way to manage emotions as it leads to the release of endorphins which can improve mood. We also know that boredom can be a reason that we eat when we are not hungry, so it can be helpful to identify certain times of the day/days of the week and think of something else to do at these times. 

We also know that some young people have times when they eat more than they usually would and may not feel in control of what or how much they eat, particularly if they are feeling low. We call this binge eating. For young people who experience binge eating, there may be times when very little food is eaten, followed by intense hunger, and times of overeating. Some young people find themselves in eating patterns that are difficult to change, and the psychologists in the Paediatric Weight Management Team can help you and your young person think about how you might start to break these patterns and manage those tricky feelings in other ways. 

Often young people might experience shame or guilt about their food and eating or have a difficult relationship with their body. The psychologists in the Paediatric Weight Management Team can explore these feelings with your young person, and also help you think about family patterns connected to eating or overeating, behaviour change, and goal setting. The team will also think about any sensory needs of your young person, which might mean that change is difficult. 

Useful links

Childline  0800 1111  https://www.childline.org.uk/ 

Beat Eating Disorders  is a charity which offers information and support around recovering from eating disorders  www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk  

Off the Record  offers 1:1 and group interventions for young people living in Bristol and South Gloucestershire  www.otrbristol.org.uk/ 

Young Minds  offers advice for finding mental health support  https://www.youngminds.org.uk/ 

Mind Bristol lists avenues for mental health support for children and young people in Bristol  https://bristolmind.org.uk/support_type/children-young-people/ 

The Bristol HEADSSS website lists support services and resources for young people. The site covers issues such as life at home, education, activity, drugs and alcohol, sex and gender, self-harm, depression, self-image, and safety.