It appears that when I get happy\sad I reach for food right away. A few years ago me being sad or elated would have the opposite effect on me. I wouldn't eat...either way. What happens in us or in our lives that makes this change? I mean why? How can I try and figure this out? Anybody have any words of wisdom? I have posted in another forum about my binging and overeating cycles, however I just realized it's exreme sadness or extreme happiness that triggers it. I am curious to what you all think? Do you think I should maybe go talk to someone, I am 31 years old, shouldn't I have my eating habits under control by now?

I recommend this book:

Breaking Free from Emotional Eating
by Geneen Roth

That book helped me a lot, as most of other books by the same author. It's been a slow process, but I think I've made progress to let myself BE. If I feel sad, I let myself feel sad. I don't know if I'm imagining it but it doesn't feel like food has the same kind of hold it used to have on me. The evidence of that is I've been 60+ days binge/purge free and I feel no danger of relapsing. I still enjoy eating a lot but I look at food and my body differently now. Most of the time when I eat, I think about self-care and self-nourishment. As a result, I eat things that I know my body likes -- whole, natural food -- lots of veggies and meat. I have no desire to abuse my body (like I used to before).

Breaking free from emotional eating is very hard but you can overcome it. Take small steps, be self-aware, treat yourself kindly. You DO have the strenght and wisdom to trust and listen to what your body says.

Good luck!