Binge eating and Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Binge eating and Maslow's hierarchy of needs

What motivates our behavior beyond a physical pursuit of food or water, shelter and security?

According to humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow, our actions are motivated to fulfill certain needs. His hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to meet basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs

His Hierarchy of Needs model is often presented as a pyramid, with the bottom or lowest levels of the pyramid being our most basic human needs. Our more complex needs are at the top of the pyramid.

In short, this means that our basic needs must be met first before we can meet more complex needs.For example, it's difficult to focus on self-esteem when you're starving.

Once we have our basic needs met, we move up the pyramid. Our needs become more psychological and social than physical. Soon our needs for love, friendship and intimacy become important to our overall well-being and health. Later, our needs for personal self-esteem and the ability to achieve goals become important.

Maslow puts self-actualization at the top, which is the highest “need” of a human being, the need to grow and develop as a person to reach your fullest potential.

In fact, when you feel bored with the pace of your everyday life and itch for something “deeper” or “bigger” in your life, then you are experiencing your need for self-actualization.

Abraham Maslow theorized that the physical, safety, social, and esteem needs are deficiency needs (also known as D-needs), meaning that these needs arise due to deprivation.

The highest levels of the pyramid are considered growth needs (also called needs or B needs). Growth needs arise not from a lack of something, but from a desire to develop as a person.

The lack or basic needs are intended to motivate people when they are not met. Furthermore, the longer they are denied, the greater the need to meet such needs. For example, the longer a person goes without eating, the hungrier they become.

This model was originally released in 1943 and was revised in 1954. It was later expanded to include cognitive, aesthetic and transcendence needs in the 1970s.

Here is Maslow's model of what all needs are like:

1. Biological and physiological needs – air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.

2. Security needs – protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, etc.

3. Social needs – belonging and love, – work group, family, affection, relationships, etc.

4. Esteem needs – self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, leadership, etc.

5. Cognitive needs – knowledge, meaning, etc.

6. Aesthetic needs – appreciation and search for beauty, balance, form, etc.

7. Self-actualization needs – realization of personal potential, self-actualization, search for personal growth and peak experiences.

8. Transcendence needs – helping others realize themselves.

How does this relate to food?

Maslow's model highlights the needs that drive our behavior... and since overeating or binge eating is often not due to physical hunger, it is the behavior that depends on other needs.

Binge eating is generally motivated by something that is not usually obvious. It's often the result of a habit or a reaction to something emotional or situational: stress, anxiety, boredom, loneliness, guilt, shame, anger... you get the idea.

If it is a habitual reaction, there may be no obvious connection to an emotion or situation. It might be just what you've become accustomed to.

If you regularly overeat and feel disgusted because you are “weak” or have “no control” over food… step back for a moment to consider the 8 human needs above. Is there a need that you are not fully meeting?

Maybe you are stagnating. Or like your life is on autopilot. Maybe you lack beauty and balance. Maybe there is a relationship that isn't the way you want it to be.

Take action

For the next 8 days, focus on one of the 8 listed requirements in Maslow's hierarchy. Plan and do whatever you feel most fulfilled in that area that day. Nourish yourself at this level.

Pay attention to your eating habits as you make a conscious effort to meet your needs on multiple levels. Are you feeling hungrier than ever? Feeling inspired to try something new? Don't you feel your usual craving?

I am very curious to know. After tinkering with this, I realized that it is often social, esteem, or self-actualization needs that make me feel anxious or unfulfilled. And when I'm feeling unfulfilled... it's very easy to fill myself with food without thinking about it.

Inspired by Chelsea Lorynn O'Brien