If you often find yourself munching when you're not hungry—especially if you're reaching for foods high in carbs or sugar—you could be eating emotionally.

"A lot of people have trouble distinguishing [true] hunger from emotional hunger," explains Natasha McLaughlin, a registered dietitian at Santé Optimal Health in Moncton, N.B. "It may be sadness, anger or fear—any emotion people are having a hard time coping with."

The problem is, eating won't actually help you handle emotions. You may feel better temporarily, but that brief high (usually caused by a rush of serotonin) is often followed by feelings of guilt—which may lead you to seek more comfort from food. "It's a vicious cycle of masking emotions versus dealing with the real issue," says McLaughlin.

Here's what you need to know to put a stop to emotional eating.