# Alison Spittle ‘The compulsion to eat was stronger than wanting to live’

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-do-you-cope-7205595/alison-spittle-the-compulsion-to-eat-was-stronger-than-wanting-to-live
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-do-you-cope-7205595/alison-spittle-the-compulsion-to-eat-was-stronger-than-wanting-to-live.md
Podcast: [How Do You Cope?](https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-do-you-cope-7205595)
Published: 2026-04-27T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://howdoyoucopepod.com/
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68da307b136216b12fc38bf5/e/69e76f3507ecece42a372c3a/media.mp3
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Duration seconds: 4136

## Resource

What does it mean when your coping mechanism stops working for you? John speaks to comedian, podcaster, writer and actor Alison Spittle about using food as protection, and how it shaped her sense of self.  After a serious health scare forced a change, Alison found herself confronting feelings she had numbed with food. She reflects on being treated differently since her weight change, how it feels to address emotions she had previously buried, and the complexity of labels. On Thursday in our bonus episode The Gratitude List, Alison shares the 5 things that she is currently grateful for. You can send in your thoughts and reflections to hello@howdoyoucopepod.com or via howdoyoucopepod.com Watch and subscribe on YouTube   Follow the show on Instagram , TikTok and Facebook  If you need support, you can find advice and someone to talk to by visiting www.samaritans.org , emailing jo@samaritans.org or calling 116 123. How Do You Cope is a Significant Production . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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