Bored/Depressed eaters?

Are there any bored/depressed eaters out there on the forum other than me ? Though not particularly specific to the US or UK, has anyone kicked the habit and can offer their advice?

I'm trying to drop about 15 pounds, just to be on the thinner side of healthy but my age-old snacking habits are hindering my progress. I know I have to cut it out but again, it's age-old for me and usually I'll do well for a few days, weeks even then slowly and bitterly the habits come back.  Help anyone?

I have no advice, unfortunately, I just wanted to sympathize with another bored/depressed eater :-( It kills me, because whenever a stressful event hits - I gain weight. I recently went through 8 months of clinical rotations at school and boy were they stressful - it was frustrating to hear of my classmates gushing about how they lost 10 - 15 pounds due to the stress. I gained like 10-15 pounds! Ugh.

I will be watching the post though! Hopefully someone has good tips?!

Count me in that number too. I hope someone has a good coping technique.

The best that I've found that worked in any way, is to keep myself stuffed with fruit all day. But that was only a limited success.

When you feel boredom / depression coming on--go for a walk!  It really does help a lot.  Also, keep veggies in the fridge at all times and snack on celery, carrots, and like Mort suggested--fruit.  Herbal teas (or even just regular tea) will help, too.

I definitely eat a lot when I am down or miserable.  I was made redundant this week and I don't even want to step on the scales to see the damage i've already done this week.

I am one!  I eat when I'm bored, and sometimes when I'm depressed (although it depends on the kind of depressed if that makes any sense).  I'm really trying to cut it out, and get out of the house to do some walking. 

I agree with Andee.  If you can't stop snacking...at least fill the fridge with 'low penalty" foods.  Although, that's sometimes hard with a family...they want their ice cream and pretzels.

Yeah, I actually snack on either salads, I keep bags of them in the fridge, fruits, or bits of chocolate. Due to my thyroid condition, I take meds for it and apparently its slowly my metabolism down  

Also with my situation now, I'm no longer sharing my food because I live alone, instead of shopping and ordering for two. For example, if I order a desert with my significant other, I could always count on him to devour more than half of it. Versus now, if I order such a desert, I have to eat all by myself usually. I can't bare to throw food away because I think it's a waste but even if I take half of my desert home I still end up finishing it eventually.

I eat absentmindedly when bored, but oddly enough can't eat at all when depressed.  So you're not alone.

I read suggestion that you should go brush your teeth when you are tempted to grab a snack. 
(I'm gonna try that one of these days...)

I can sympathize, I'm completely the same, especially in the evenings when I like to graze because I'm bored. I agree with Andee that going for a walk, doing some crunches or other activity, or having a cup of tea are all good subsitutes for a snack, or just have some fruit, or a glass of skim milk can be pretty filling, too. I find that I might still feel hungry before I do an aerobics video but afterwards, I completely lose my appetite for a few hours. Sometimes I also just treat myself to a nice long bubble bath to keep me away from the fridge, or absorb myself in a book I don't want to put down for long enough to pick up a snack! 
What has helped me the most is logging in my calories online, then I can budget in for evening snacks and I tend to only eat what I have put down on my list rather than just stuffing myself with whatever is handy.
Hope that helps!

Drinking tea or milk is a good idea, I also like to have a glass of fruit juice.  If you sip it through a straw it lasts longer, and it feels like you're savouring a treat, which is what I want when I'm bored or depressed.  Also, sometimes I'll put some vanilla and a little sugar in a glass of milk and sip that, which is nice because it feels decadent but isn't very caloric. 

Drinking tea or milk is a good idea, I also like to have a glass of fruit juice.  If you sip it through a straw it lasts longer, and it feels like you're savouring a treat, which is what I want when I'm bored or depressed.  Also, sometimes I'll put some vanilla and a little sugar in a glass of milk and sip that, which is nice because it feels decadent but isn't very caloric. 

Along these same lines, if I am hankering for dessert but trying to watch the calories, I will often have a cup of low cal hot chocolate or an ice lolly! Ice lollies, especially the ones with real juice in them, often have less than 100 calories and feel like a real treat because they are sweet and take ages to eat! 

Drinking tea or milk is a good idea, I also like to have a glass of fruit juice.  If you sip it through a straw it lasts longer, and it feels like you're savouring a treat, which is what I want when I'm bored or depressed.  Also, sometimes I'll put some vanilla and a little sugar in a glass of milk and sip that, which is nice because it feels decadent but isn't very caloric. 

Remember--half juice & half water is half the calories of a full glass of juice. An even better combo is half sparkling & water half juice.

Remember--half juice & half water is half the calories of a full glass of juice. An even better combo is half sparkling & water half juice.

Yep, I like cranberry or orange (or a little of both!) with club soda and a lime. Very refreshing! Also, if you like iced tea (yeah, I'm from Texas!) I like to add a bit of Robinson's no sugar added black currant and apple concentrated juice to my tea to make a flavoured, fruity tea with very low calories. And filling up with water helps, too. Sometimes when people think they are hungry, they are really just thirsty - it's true!