stress eating
Tension-driven food consumption
Stress eating is consuming food in response to emotional tension rather than hunger.
The behavior typically involves comfort foods—high in sugar, fat, or salt—eaten compulsively as a coping mechanism: I've been stress eating my way through this deadline.
The term implies the eating is excessive or unhealthy, a way of managing feelings rather than nourishing the body.
- snackingEating small portions casually
- late night snackingEating during sleeping hours
- comfort foodEmotionally consoling dishes
- cortisolAdrenal steroid regulating stress
- cravingsIntense desires for something
pint of ice cream · overeating · dopamine release · anxiety · emotional hunger · self-soothing · coping mechanisms · emotional regulation · digestive discomfort · boredom · guilt · loneliness · indulgence · depression · lonely · fatigue · hormonal imbalance · fridge
- overdoingoverdoing, overindulging, overkill, excess, overreacting
- bad habitssmoking, drinking, lying, swearing, gossiping
- eating habitsvegetarian, vegan, omnivore, carnivore, pescatarian
- guilty pleasuresguilty pleasures, junk food, fast food, comfort food, ice cream
- eating psychologyfood guilt, food anxiety, overeating, undereating, food obsession
- nervous habitsnail biting, lip biting, hair pulling, skin picking, knuckle cracking
stress eatingloss of appetite
Reduced urge to eat
appetite suppression · meditation · skipping meals · self-care