Whenever something happens in our house, we immediately gather in the kitchen. If we're angry, there's sweets; if we're sad, there's pie. I seriously can't break out of this cycle, but it's starting to annoy me. Is this habit genetic or just a habit? Do you think it's hard to overcome this?
It's the same with us at home; when my mom gets angry, she immediately starts making börek in the kitchen. When I started university, I realized that this had become a habit for me. At one point, when I was stressed, I indulged in sweets for two days, and then I realized that this was actually an escape. I think this is more of a habit than something genetic.
I had also fallen into a similar cycle. I thought I was eating out of stress, but when I talked to the dietician, I realized I had learned to eat emotionally. She said that I should manage that emotion with something else, so I started writing. It's not easy to give up sweets, but it's not impossible either.
So there may be a genetic predisposition to emotional attachment, but this is directly related to behavior, and the family has reinforced this. I'm saying this not as an expert, but as someone who has researched it; it is more related to environmental factors. You might work with psychologists or nutrition coaches.
You say it's just a habit, but can't it be genetic? The environmental factors you're talking about are ultimately a legacy from the family. I think it's unreasonable to exclude this; the genetic aspect is being talked about as if it doesn't exist.
Here's the thing, it doesn't just happen when we're angry. Even when we're happy, we gather in the evenings and immediately make lentil balls and stuff. So, in both bad and good situations, I always find myself in food. Is it a habit or something coming from the brain? I can't figure it out.
I think you should see a psychologist right away. I believe they call this emotional eating. You can break this cycle with family counseling or individual therapy. Consult an expert on this issue directly, otherwise it can be hard to notice it on your own.
I think the habit weighs more heavily, for instance at my home, chocolate and snacks were always bought in a tense environment. Now I'm alone in the dorm, and when I'm stressed, going straight to the grocery store is the only solution that comes to mind. But my friends in the dorm do yoga and such, so I've started to give it a try.
My daughter, I think your mother's habits have shaped you this way. But it's not unchangeable. If you don’t accept it, you can resolve it. Try making healthy snacks together instead of sweets, like going for a fruit platter.
Is it really that hard to accept a habit? It seems easy to just say it's genetic and move on. If the environment around you is wrong, then your genetics have been influenced by that, so why is it talked about as if one can be independent of the other?
