It takes extraordinary willpower to keep trying to go on diets or make changes to eating patterns. If willpower were the only issue, this problem would have been solved long ago! Willpower is actually a finite resource in our brains and can get used up by all of the mental tasks we do in a day as well as emotions such as anxiety or depression. The reasons behind emotional eating/compulsive eating are always complex, and are typically about both past and present stressors, biochemistry, and genetics. Often, people have a long history of using food to meet needs other than hunger, including distraction, soothing and companionship. To change eating habits permanently, these needs must be met in new ways. Otherwise, the person will revert back to emotional eating/compulsive eating as soon as a stressor occurs.