Nervous System Regulation and Overeating

Feel all of your emotions and your nervous system will automatically regulate through this process.

The best way to regulate your nervous system — and all your body's systems — is to feel your emotions. To cry, to scream, to shake, the same way little kids do.

There is a lot out there these days on "nervous system regulation". Some of the recommendations in these circles seem to involve practices that can help you slow down and connect with your body. This is good and these are practices to try. For example, deep, diaphragmatic breathing can help you to connect with your emotions better.

However, I also see things taught in the name of nervous system regulation that essentially encourage people to shut down or reduce their intense emotions.

There can be an underlying belief that there is such a thing as too much emotion, and that you need to calm your emotions down.

This latter approach will prevent you from healing overeating.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying to not do nervous system regulation practices or courses. I myself have done some that could be classified under that umbrella! But pay close attention to the person teaching it and what they're really saying or encouraging. And play close attention to what happens for you when you do it.

Does the practice help you cry more? Then it's a good one to stick with. Does it help you get closer to your suppressed anger and help you feel like screaming and punching pillows? If yes, stick with it. If not, I recommend stopping that practice. If you do the practice regularly for a period of time, is your overeating changing without you even trying? That'll be the proof in the pudding.

Your emotions are not dangerous. Suppressing your emotions is dangerous.

Avoiding feeling your emotions is what creates stress in the body, not feeling them. If you've ever had a deep, cathartic cry, you probably remember how relaxed and calm your body felt afterwards.

When I healed my binge eating years ago, there was nothing out there on the topic of nervous system regulation, nobody talked about it. All I did was try the recommendations of authors and people who I trusted, which was to feel emotions the same way a 1- or 2-year old does. Cry, shake, scream.

Do 2 year olds need to know about nervous system regulation to feel emotions? No they don't. Do they concern themselves with calming themselves down and worry that their emotions will be too big? No they don't.

The best resource I've ever found on how to regulate your body's systems, how to feel emotions and how to heal addictions is the Divine Truth material. You can find their material on their YouTube channel or at www.DivineTruth.com.

Photo by Olga Tutunaru via Unsplash