Emotional eating addiction

I have an addictive personality type and use food to cope with the unpleasant emotions and experiences/situations in my life (past and present). In my mind being a food addict is a bit more "respectable" than using alcohol or drugs, but it is just as unhealthy emotionally, mentally and physically as abusing drugs or alcohol, or any other substitute for healthy coping. At times in my life I have used many other destructive behaviours to numb my emotions. Anything to stop having to feel and to survive. It is a little scary to think of letting myself truly feel my emotions. I am afraid that I might sink into the darkness and never climb out again. But it is scary to think about staying in my addiction and destructive life style. My physical health is declining and I am well on my way to a shortened life span. I would like to spend my golden years living a full and happy life, so here I am reading and working my way through the book "Life is Hard Food is Easy" by Linda Spangle. I am taking it slow, making time and effort to journal my way through it. I may have to read it several times, but that is OK. It may take a while and a whole lot of determination and hard work to overcome 64 plus years of abusive behaviour.