DBT Method to Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating (3) - Behavior Chain Analysis

Last time we shared the relationship between emotional management and overeating, and learned some skills, including reaffirming commitments, wise thoughts, and abdominal breathing. These skills can help you effectively cope with uncomfortable emotional states that may trigger self-soothing through food.

The next step in learning is to use these skills when you find yourself experiencing these powerful emotions.

The better we understand the factors that contribute to eating disorders, the more likely we are to find ways to change these patterns and prevent them from recurring.

In order to be more proactive in stopping overeating, and to persist after overeating, we need to be our own DBT coach. For this purpose, the behavioral analysis chain is mentioned in the book.

Behavior chain analysis:

Allows us to identify exactly what the problem behavior is, what triggers binge eating, the function of binge eating, and other options to more effectively solve the problem. Not letting our emotions, negative thoughts, or judgments interfere with our objectivity.

Sometimes, gluttony sneaks into our lives quietly. We may know that binge eating occurs, but not realize how it occurs. This will cause us to experience a "sense of loss of control".

Behavior chain analysis helps you understand that you are not pushed into binge eating by some uncontrollable external force.

By analyzing the events before and after a binge eating episode, we can prevent future binge eating episodes and stop problem behaviors that are already developing.

Breaking any link in the chain of behaviors that lead to binge eating can lead to the breakdown of the entire chain.

A behavior chain has five components:

Vulnerability factors, precipitating events, links, problem behaviors, and consequences. To find a way to break the chain, you need to first understand how the chain of behavior is linked together.

We can use tables to record and analyze.

Filling out and analyzing the behavior chain form can help us review what happened before, and then find that in many places, skills can be used to replace the behavior at that time.

This form can be filled out as soon as possible after overeating to record your overeating behavior at any time. Or, when you have the urge to overeat, you can use the table to analyze the situation you chose. Analyze your behavior and you might see improvements.

Learn to use behavior chain analysis, and you will become more aware of your own thoughts and feelings. These experiences cannot be experienced in those negative environments.