03/22/2026
Something to try to help reduce emotional eating - FaceTime a friend! (Our brains are so amazing!) 😊
Research from the University of Pennsylvania and studies published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that seeing your best friend’s face triggers your brain’s reward system in the same way as comfort food. This is thought to occur because both are categorized as biological “rewards” necessary for survival and well-being. When you see a familiar, trusted face, your brain releases a combination of dopamine (the pleasure and motivation chemical) and oxytocin (the bonding hormone), creating a sense of “biological comfort” that mirrors the relief felt from eating a favorite meal.
To elaborate, both experiences activate the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, specifically targeting the nucleus accumbens and the ventral striatum. These regions process various types of pleasurable stimuli, whether they are physical (like high-calorie food) or social (like connection with a loved one).
Familiar faces act as “safety signals” to the nervous system. This recognition can dial down the brain’s stress response, shifting it from a state of alert to a state of calm, much like the grounding effect of “emotional mac & cheese”.
Research suggests that social interaction is a basic human need as essential as food or sleep. Consequently, your brain treats seeing a best friend like emotional nourishment, reinforcing the bond to ensure you continue seeking out the relationship for your own psychological health.
Send this to your bestie ❤️🙌🏻
See also PMID: 24329760
