Anorexia and bulimia are complex eating disorders in which the relationship with food can involve the body, self-image, emotions, and relationships. Controlling food intake, episodes of loss of control, feelings of guilt, or concerns about the body can take up a significant place in a person’s life and may sometimes recur despite a desire to change.
In my psychoanalytic consultations in Lyon, either in person at my practice or online, the work involves exploring what the relationship with food and the body brings into play for the individual, what these symptoms may express or sustain in their psychic life, and what patterns may be repeated in their relationship with themselves and others.
Why has my relationship with food become a source of suffering?
Eating meets a physiological need, but it can also be associated with emotions, the body, the way others see us, and self-image.
When eating becomes a source of anxiety, guilt, or control, food can gradually take up an overwhelming place in a person’s life.
Psychoanalysis offers a way to explore this individual relationship without presuming its meaning in advance.
Why do I lose control around food, or try to control everything?
Compulsive eating may occur in contexts of tension, loneliness, anxiety, or frustration.
Conversely, restricting food intake may sometimes provide a sense of control when other aspects of life feel difficult to manage.
However, these behaviours do not have a universal meaning. Understanding them depends on each individual’s personal history and circumstances.
The relationship with food can be influenced by physical, medical, emotional, and psychological factors.
When eating becomes a source of loss of control, shame, or obsession, it may be helpful to explore what food represents in one’s personal history.
It is not simply a matter of lacking willpower: eating behaviours may serve a particular function in the way a person manages certain emotions.
What is the connection between my relationship with my body, my emotions, and my self-esteem?
The relationship with the body can be deeply connected to self-image and the way others see us.
Shame, low self-esteem, anxiety, or a need for control may arise when a person feels they fall short of certain expectations.
Psychoanalysis offers a way to explore what the body and food represent for the individual, without reducing the difficulty to a question of weight or willpower.
Why do I eat when I’m not hungry?
Eating when you’re not hungry may sometimes be associated with an emotion rather than a physiological need.
Before an episode of eating, it may be helpful to notice what you were experiencing: boredom, loneliness, anxiety, anger, sadness, or a feeling of emptiness.
This awareness can gradually help you understand the relationship between emotions and eating.
Why do I feel so guilty after eating?
Guilt can create a cycle in which restriction, frustration, loss of control, and renewed guilt reinforce one another.
Being more self-critical generally does not resolve this pattern.
Psychoanalytic work can help explore the place of the body, food, control, and self-image in a person’s experience.
How can I understand what lies behind my eating difficulties?
A psychoanalytic approach offers an opportunity to put into words concerns related to food, the body, weight, and self-image.
It seeks, in particular, to understand why certain behaviours recur and what place they occupy in a person’s current life.
Psychoanalysis does not replace medical care or specialist treatment when these are necessary.
I offer psychoanalytic consultations in Lyon, both in person at my practice and online, to explore what these behaviours represent in each person’s individual history.
An initial consultation provides an opportunity to meet, clarify what brings you to therapy, and determine whether a psychoanalytic approach is suited to your situation and expectations.
Freeing Yourself from Eating Disorders Through Psychoanalysis