05/16/2022
This is too important not to share. Good scarcity can happen with any type of food access concern!
When we think of food scarcity it's easy to think that it's solely a physical lack of food, perhaps due to living in poverty or food deserts. Another aspect of food scarcity is more psychologically based, where food may be present in the environment, and seemingly accessible, but in order to access it involves the threat of someone limiting access to it through physical restriction (locks on cupboards) or verbal/emotional abuse that involves the control of food indirectly (having access to the food but not without enduring emotional or verbal attacks from the one/s policing it). .
This is type of scarcity is likely more common for those in larger bodies, who's co-habitants believed they were doing them a favour by 'discouraging unhealthy eating'). What happens in these environments is that a food scarcity mentality is created. Which sets up a very firm belief that food is scarce. It's then reinforced by diet culture and internalised food policing, even if no one in your current environment polices or scrutinises intake. The impact of this history creates a foundation for disordered eating - secret eating, binging, hoarding, food preoccupation etc. Food insecurity and scarcity is often experienced as trauma, and possibly experienced in conjunction with other psychological injuries. What was your access to food like growing up? How did it inform your beliefs around access to food?
