November 1997

Reasons for Overeating During the Holidays

• More than any other holiday, Thanksgiving is equated with overeating in the United States. But each year, many of us end the holiday feast asking ourselves why we ate so much. The San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute would like to suggest a Thanksgiving story idea about eating and the holidays.

• Eating is a basic pleasure. Thanksgiving is particularly associated with the pleasures of eating, being with family and friends, giving thanks for abundance; thus, it is a holiday that promotes "feeling full" of good things. From infancy, human instinct equates a full belly with feeling filled up with goodness inside. Therefore, food can become a substitute for feelings of satisfaction that cannot be found elsewhere (i.e., love and security).

• The reasons for overeating are complex. Different families have different cultures about food. Some families are big eaters and habits regarding overeating can begin early in life. At the other end of the spectrum, overeating can occur when people internalize their struggles with other people, but play out these struggles in their eating behavior.

• While overeating is often associated with people rewarding themselves, it can also be a means of self-inflicted punishment or rebellion. An adolescent may overeat if a mother puts too much emphasis on her child to remain slim. Overeating can also be a symptom of depression.

"Taking in food is something that a person can control," emphasizes Judith Schiller, Ph.D., a member of the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute. "Just being aware of the reasons for overeating can help individuals cope as they face Thanksgiving and that extra piece of pie."

Dr. Judith Schiller is available for interviews on all eating disorder topics, from anorexia and bulimia to overeating. Please contact Mary Tressel, 1-800-260-2663, to arrange an interview.