Facing Pain
I recently read a great article by Peter Howell called "Emotion and Addiction" that encapsulated what I've tried to learn and teach my clients and children for the past 10 years: avoiding negative emotions only leads to more problems instead of solving the problem. (Excerpt to the right, or follow this link for full article .) And he uses comfort food as an example of avoidance! Yet another reason to have a Wise Food Mind.
Howell refers to our tendency to turn to comfort food in order to avoid or escape distressing feelings. He states, "It is natural for us to seek to reduce suffering, but how we do so is key. Escaping from or suppressing painful feelings in unhealthy ways usually provides limited relief and certainly does not solve the problems that trigger such feelings. I suggest that we learn to approach our suffering and deal directly with painful feelings rather than escape from them in unhealthy ways." If you look at the diagram above you can see the trap we get caught in when we avoid or mask a problem with pleasure or avoidance, or even when we distract ourselves, instead of facing the pain. How do we face it? Could be to talk to someone you are avoiding, to do exercise even though it hurts, or to admit you're wrong and accept correction. Turning to food can lead to a pattern of avoiding pain, and while not considered a clinical addiction or substance abuse, this tendency serves the same purpose for you as drugs/pornography/food does for those who have addictions.
Food is designed to be pleasurable and when eaten to provide health and nourishment can provide satisfaction and enjoyment. So it's natural to turn to it when you don't feel right and I have done so myself many times. But now when I'm struggling with something and find myself turning to the fridge, I pause. Is this undermining my ability to handle difficult emotions?
I believe one of life's greatest tests is learning how and when we need to face pain and build endurance rather than give in to our natural tendency to avoid/escape pain and seek pleasure. Of course we don't want to deliberately seek out pain in order to prove our character, but the test to gently accept discomfort in order to face a problem comes to all, and when done with courage and prayer can increase our capacity to endure problems with less pain. The best way to accept pain? Turn to the Lord and accept His will for your life, and humbly do what you need to do. The next time an issue comes up you will have the strength to face it with less distress.
Howell refers to our tendency to turn to comfort food in order to avoid or escape distressing feelings. He states, "It is natural for us to seek to reduce suffering, but how we do so is key. Escaping from or suppressing painful feelings in unhealthy ways usually provides limited relief and certainly does not solve the problems that trigger such feelings. I suggest that we learn to approach our suffering and deal directly with painful feelings rather than escape from them in unhealthy ways." If you look at the diagram above you can see the trap we get caught in when we avoid or mask a problem with pleasure or avoidance, or even when we distract ourselves, instead of facing the pain. How do we face it? Could be to talk to someone you are avoiding, to do exercise even though it hurts, or to admit you're wrong and accept correction. Turning to food can lead to a pattern of avoiding pain, and while not considered a clinical addiction or substance abuse, this tendency serves the same purpose for you as drugs/pornography/food does for those who have addictions.
Food is designed to be pleasurable and when eaten to provide health and nourishment can provide satisfaction and enjoyment. So it's natural to turn to it when you don't feel right and I have done so myself many times. But now when I'm struggling with something and find myself turning to the fridge, I pause. Is this undermining my ability to handle difficult emotions?
I believe one of life's greatest tests is learning how and when we need to face pain and build endurance rather than give in to our natural tendency to avoid/escape pain and seek pleasure. Of course we don't want to deliberately seek out pain in order to prove our character, but the test to gently accept discomfort in order to face a problem comes to all, and when done with courage and prayer can increase our capacity to endure problems with less pain. The best way to accept pain? Turn to the Lord and accept His will for your life, and humbly do what you need to do. The next time an issue comes up you will have the strength to face it with less distress.
Regarding the Word of Wisdom, President Boyd K. Packer explained: 'There are many habit-forming, addictive things that one can drink or chew or inhale or inject which injure both body and spirit which are not mentioned in the revelation. Everything harmful is not specifically listed.' We each have a responsibility to learn the do’s and don’ts of healthy living that are not necessarily spelled out in the Word of Wisdom.
I believe that Satan understands the processes that make the natural man susceptible to the enslavement of compulsive behaviors and addictions. the misuse of food to manage stress and emotional pain can operate like an addiction,
"Although food is not addictive in and of itself, certain patterns of eating can become like an addiction. Consuming sweet, fatty, or salty foods (or any combination of these) may help us avoid, escape from, or suppress painful emotions. Such foods function to relieve our stress by activating pleasure pathways in the brain.
"Most of us engage in comfort eating at times, but the consequences of using food to cope with the stresses of life are complex and can be serious. The numerous adverse consequences of persistent overeating include weight gain, self-image concerns, lethargy, reduced concentration, an imbalanced diet, harmful weight-loss practices, reduced mobility, spiritual numbing, and diabetes.
"The Lord revealed, 'In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation' (D&C 89:4). Multi-billion-dollar industries seek to entice us to use foods for purposes and in quantities that are unhealthy. Counter to what many corporations want, the Lord counsels us to use certain substances with 'prudence' and 'sparingly' (D&C 89:11, 12)."
“Emotion and Addiction” by Peter L Howell, October 2016 Ensign
I believe that Satan understands the processes that make the natural man susceptible to the enslavement of compulsive behaviors and addictions. the misuse of food to manage stress and emotional pain can operate like an addiction,
"Although food is not addictive in and of itself, certain patterns of eating can become like an addiction. Consuming sweet, fatty, or salty foods (or any combination of these) may help us avoid, escape from, or suppress painful emotions. Such foods function to relieve our stress by activating pleasure pathways in the brain.
"Most of us engage in comfort eating at times, but the consequences of using food to cope with the stresses of life are complex and can be serious. The numerous adverse consequences of persistent overeating include weight gain, self-image concerns, lethargy, reduced concentration, an imbalanced diet, harmful weight-loss practices, reduced mobility, spiritual numbing, and diabetes.
"The Lord revealed, 'In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation' (D&C 89:4). Multi-billion-dollar industries seek to entice us to use foods for purposes and in quantities that are unhealthy. Counter to what many corporations want, the Lord counsels us to use certain substances with 'prudence' and 'sparingly' (D&C 89:11, 12)."
“Emotion and Addiction” by Peter L Howell, October 2016 Ensign
