Try this quiz. These statements are examples of the most common types of emotional eating: depressed eating (items 1 – 3), anxiety/stress eating (4 – 6), angry eating (7 – 9), bored eating (10 – 12), lonely eating (13 – 15), and happy eating (16 – 18). Reviewing your responses to these statements should give you a general idea of your emotional eating tendencies. The first step in overcoming emotional eating is to become aware of your unique pattern.  Some people are anxious eaters, others lose their appetite when anxious but eat more when depressed. Hypnotherapy can help you manage your emotions and build a wider portfolio of ways of coping.

____ 1. When I am feeling “down” or “blue” a little snack will lift my mood.

____ 2. When I’m feeling depressed I have more desire to eat.

____ 3. If someone disappoints me I want to eat something.

____ 4. When I am feeling under pressure I have the urge to snack.

____ 5. I eat more when I am stressed than when I am calm.

____ 6. If I am worried or afraid of something I tend to eat.

____ 7. Sometimes when people irritate me I want to get something to eat.

____ 8. I have had something to eat to get back at someone who has upset me.

____ 9. When I get angry, eating will make me feel better.

____ 10. I look forward to eating something when I’m bored.

____ 11. I eat more than usual when there is nothing to do.

____ 12. If time is passing slowly, I look forward to having a snack.

____ 13. Being alone increases my appetite.

____ 14. I am less likely to eat when other people are around as I am when I’m by myself.

____ 15. Eating makes me feel better when I am lonely.

____ 16. I celebrate with food when I’m in a good mood.

____ 17. If I’m feeling really good, I don’t worry about my diet.

____ 18. When I’m happy, having a favorite snack makes me feel even better.