Using Food to Avoid Coursework

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope

The college life is one full of many expectations, especially when it comes to academics.  Maintaining adequate grades in courses while keeping up with a social life, work responsibilities and more can bring new challenges that students may not be used to facing.  Regardless of what a student may be majoring in, keeping up decent grades is generally important and necessary for making the most of the college opportunity.

Procrastination

For many students, procrastination is a means of putting off the inevitable.  College students are notoriously known for pulling all-nighters, cramming in study sessions and finishing projects at the last minute, and constantly falling in a time crunch.  Whether for a lack of planning, poor time management, or simply having an overloaded schedule, procrastination can lead to greater stress and anxiety about the work at hand that needs to be completed.  Waiting until a deadline looms to complete anything can also produce a poorer quality of work and outcomes. 

Procrastination can be intentional or unintentional, and either way, be achieved by a variety of means.  When avoiding the completion of an important priority, many individuals find that other things suddenly become of greater necessity,  From cleaning the apartment, to doing laundry, to grocery shopping or finishing other chores, procrastination occurs through the action of delay with the intent of postponing something.

Choosing the Path of Least Resistance

Sometimes a person may seek out more pleasurable things in the place of tasks or priorities that may be less pleasurable.  For example, a student may procrastinate from doing coursework by engaging in other activities that may seem more enjoyable or gratifying at the time.  This can be anything from watching television to shopping, hanging out with friends, even cooking and eating.  Because academic coursework is often challenging and requires attention and discipline, a student may unintentionally seek out ways to fill their time with more pleasurable activities.

For some individuals, food becomes a way to escape or avoid more intense situations.  Food can also become addictive in the sense that some people are drawn to eating certain foods for the effects of chemical releases in their brains that induce feelings of pleasure and “good moods”.  Without even fully being aware of what might be transpiring, food can become more than a means of nourishment for the body but an actual way of avoiding and procrastinating.

Food Rush

If you have found yourself using food in this manner, it may be helpful to reevaluate your eating habits in conjunction with the rest of your lifestyle.  To you frequently turn to food during stressful situations?  Do you find yourself wandering in the kitchen or searching through the refrigerator and pantry when you should be studying or working on another important task?  Perhaps you use cooking as a way to put off something else that is more precedent.  Whatever your situation may be, it is important to analyze how you are using food and for what reasons you might be turning to food other than nutritional concerns.  If you find yourself eating, particularly when you are not hungry, this can be an indicator that food is being used for non-nutritive reasons.

Working with a counselor, therapist, and/or dietitian can be helpful in reestablishing a normal relationship with food.  Many irregular and unhealthy food habits can develop under stressful and difficult circumstances, and learning effective ways to deal with these situations can prevent a chaotic relationship with food from arising.  Having an outside, professional perspective can also be helpful in understanding ways to best move forward.  Perhaps by rearranging your schedule, lessening or load, or even switching majors, you might find that your schedule feels less overloaded and stressful.

Being aware of any irregular eating habits is important for making changes that support not only a successful college career but for building a foundation that will allow you to thrive in life.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

What do you think are the dangers for using food as a form of procrastination?  What are some healthier coping mechanisms that can be utilized in the face of stress and/or anxiety?

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders.  These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer a discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.  We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors.  If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on September 21, 2015. Published on EatingDisorderHope.com