The reaction can be a variety of things to help try to gain control back and calm the nervous system. When we use food as an example, we can be numbing the emotions with food, allowing us to feel comfort and a serotonin rush in the moment.

The biggest test of if it was hunger or emotional eating is after the reaction, do we feel guilt or shame afterward? If we do then it was an emotional response that was triggered by an event. The goal is to be able to eat a cupcake when we want to but not have it be an emotional response to a trigger that is then followed by shame and guilt.