Shrink Yourself : Break Free From Emotional Eating Forever by Roger Gould MD was a very enlightening book.  Gould uses his years of working with overweight patients to discover why we eat for emotional reasons and how to put the brakes on.  I think it could be summarized as we overeat when we feel powerless over a situation.  Maybe we feel powerless over our finances or our job or a relationship.  But guess what?  Eating isn’t going to fix it.  That temporary food trance does not last.  If you can create just a small pause in the feelings and the eating you can start to gain control of the eating.  Choose to do something instead that really will help your situation.  Make a change or just take a time out for yourself. Allow yourself to feel the feelings.  You really won’t cry a river. You are stronger than you think.  I highly recommend this book.