Needs That Food Serves

1) Sense of numbing.

2) Something to run to.

3) Something to have control over instead of having to face powerlessness.

4) Substitute for taking risks or having the life we want.

5) Creates familiarity -- chronic issues of shame, pain and self-rejection.

6) Way to avoid sexist pressure in our society.

7) Something we can do publicly with friends and family.

8) Get to scapegoat weight for failures rather than facing success.

9) Can provide hope -- if I lose weight, all will be OK.

10) Something to do when procrastination is a pattern.

11) Great rebellion -- screw you, mom, for wanting me thin.

12) Excuse to isolate rather than stretch.

13) Keeps us locked into a fantasy.

14) Protects us from the unfairness in life.

15) Keeps us obsessing and wanting, rather than working on ourselves in satisfying ways.

16) Something you can always depend on and is readily available and lawful.

17) Substitute for intimacy.

18) Insulates from unwanted sexual advances.


And think about the other needs you would add to this list…