Events, Emotions and Eating Module
摘要
This module manual addresses the influence of events and moods on the eating behaviour of patients with eating disorders. It emphasizes that life circumstances and emotional states often trigger deviations from regular eating, particularly during the non-assisted eating stage. Typical responses include binge eating, dietary restriction, excessive exercise, or purging. The chapter provides guidelines for assessing whether events and emotions maintain the eating disorder and outlines two key intervention strategies: (i) proactive problem-solving to address event-related disruptions in eating, following a structured seven-step process, and (ii) immediate coping strategies (“things to say and do”) to manage unexpected emotional shifts without resorting to dysfunctional eating behaviours. The chapter highlights the importance of early identification of triggers, flexible, proactive problem-solving, and the development of healthy emotion regulation skills. It also recommends addressing intolerance of emotions in cases where dysfunctional coping strategies (e.g., bingeing, vomiting, substance use, and self-harm) dominate.