Hey there, doctor friend. Let me guess – you’ve been checking the news lately, and somehow you keep ending up in front of the fridge afterward? And then you beat yourself up because “you should know better”?
Yeah. I thought so.
First, let me say this: you’re not alone. Not even close. As women physicians, we’re dealing with a double whammy right now – the state of the world is legitimately concerning (understatement of the year), AND we’re expected to keep our shit together through all of it.
If you’ve found yourself eating more while doomscrolling about threats to human rights or health policies, this post is your official permission slip to stop the shame spiral. Right now.
It’s Not You, It’s Your Brain (Seriously)
Let’s get something straight: when the world feels like it’s on fire, and you find yourself demolishing a bag of chips while reading about the latest political mess, your brain is doing exactly what it’s designed to do.
Think about it – we’re facing big, complicated problems that have no easy fixes. The dismantling of diversity programs, threats to reproductive rights, attacks on LGBTQ+ communities… this stuff is legitimately distressing. And what does your brilliant physician brain think when faced with distress?
“Let me find something – ANYTHING – that will make me feel better for even five damn minutes.”
Enter: food.
It’s accessible, it works quickly, and it does provide momentary relief. The problem isn’t that you’re eating. The problem is when you add a layer of shame on top of it.
Please Stop Being an Asshole to Yourself
“Please, please, please do not beat yourself up. Do not be mean to yourself about this.”
Yes, I’m literally begging you here, because I see so many brilliant women physicians destroying themselves with self-criticism.
You are an adult. If you want to eat to feel better sometimes, that’s your choice. Nothing terrible will happen if you make that choice consciously.
As I often say to my physician clients: “You are allowed to make that decision. You can choose to eat to feel better. It’s totally fine. It won’t work and man, I wish it would.”
That last part is key. Food will give you temporary relief, but those big emotions about the state of the world? They’re still going to be there waiting for you after the bag of cookies is empty.
What you don’t want to do is add to those negative emotions by then being mad at yourself because you ate. That’s just piling suffering on top of suffering.
Find Your Control Where You Actually Have It
One reason world events trigger stress eating is that they make us feel utterly powerless. And let’s be honest – for many things happening right now, we ARE somewhat powerless as individuals.
But here’s what helps: focusing on where you DO have control.
When I find myself getting really worked up about things outside my control (which, these days, happens approximately every 23 minutes), I know it’s time to redirect:
- How much time I spend doom-scrolling (setting a timer works wonders)
- Which social media accounts I follow or unfollow
- How I show up for my patients who are directly impacted by these changes
- How I speak to myself when I’m overwhelmed
- Small, concrete actions I can take to support causes I care about
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do in chaotic times is to be intentionally kind—to yourself and to others. That’s not trivial. It’s essential.
Self-Care Dosing: Why Your Regular “Prescription” Isn’t Enough Right Now
Let me put this in terms we understand as physicians: if your patient’s blood pressure was 200/110, would you prescribe the lowest dose possible of a single medication and call it a day?
Hell no.
So why do we think our normal self-care routine is going to cut it when world stress is at an all-time high?
“I think of self-care as like a dose response thing. Meaning, if you’re in a situation where there’s a whole lot more stress going on… if you’re feeling super stressed out and you’re dealing with really tough stuff, just taking breaks on the weekend may not be an adequate dose.”
What this looks like for me:
- Moving my body in some way, even if it’s just cranking up angry music and dancing around my living room
- Going for walks, especially in nature, WITHOUT my phone
- Connecting with friends who help me feel better, not worse
- Journaling briefly about what’s bothering me and what I want to focus on instead
- Giving myself permission to say NO to things that drain me
Which brings me to another crucial point…
You’re Allowed to Say No (Even When It’s Just for You)
“We’ve been taught that saying no so we have more time for ourselves is somehow wrong, somehow not valid. That’s bullshit.”
We can say no if it’s for work or our kids, but to say no just so we can care for ourselves? That’s supposedly selfish.
This belief system – that our needs come last – is deeply ingrained in medicine, and especially for women physicians. But here’s the truth: You can’t pour from an empty cup. You can’t fight for what matters when you’re running on fumes.
If there was ever a time in the world to give yourself permission to meet your own needs, this is it.
Your Body Isn’t the Problem
When we’re stressed about world events, it’s easy to hyperfocus on our bodies or eating as the “problem” that needs fixing. But your body is not what needs to change right now.
Your body is carrying you through incredibly stressful times. It’s doing its best. Your weight might fluctuate during periods of high stress about the state of the world, and that’s completely normal.
What matters more is how you’re treating yourself through it all. Can you offer yourself the same grace you’d give to a patient or a friend who’s struggling with the same things?
Practical Next Steps That Actually Help
If you want to reduce your reliance on food for comfort (while still being kind to yourself), try these small steps:
- Give yourself permission to feel big emotions. Anger, sadness, fear – they’re all normal responses to abnormal situations. You don’t have to polish it up and pretend everything’s fine.
- Try super-quick journaling. I was resistant to this for YEARS. Now I spend just 3-5 minutes writing what’s bothering me, then how I want to feel today and what might help. That’s it. It’s shockingly effective.
- Move your body in ways that actually feel good. Not punishing exercise. Not “I should go to the gym.” Just movement that helps process emotion – walking, dancing, stretching.
- Connect with people who get it. Fellow physicians who understand both the medical perspective and the human one can be incredibly validating.
- Focus on being kind to yourself with the same energy you bring to caring for patients. What would you say to a colleague who told you they ate a pint of ice cream after reading disturbing news? Say THAT to yourself.
- Remember that food is just one tool for coping. It’s not inherently bad to use it sometimes. The goal is to have multiple tools so it’s not your only option.
Remember, the goal isn’t to never eat for comfort when the world feels like it’s falling apart. The goal is to have multiple ways to process big emotions, so food doesn’t have to carry all that weight alone.
A Final Note from One Doctor to Another
As physicians, we’re trained to handle crisis. To stay calm when things fall apart. To have the answers.
But what’s happening in the world right now? We don’t have easy answers. And that’s uncomfortable as hell for our high-achieving, problem-solving physician brains.
So be gentle with yourself. Your stress eating isn’t a moral failing or a lack of discipline. It’s a very human response to genuinely difficult times.
And you, my fellow physician, deserve the same compassion you show your patients every single day.
If you’re finding that stress about world events is making your eating feel out of control, I get it. And I’m here to help. Because you deserve to feel at peace with food, even when the world feels anything but peaceful.
Listen to the full episode below.
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