Ask the expert: How to keep stress from controlling eating habits In times of stress — like a full year of coping with COVID-19 — many people turn to food for a source of comfort or control. While modifications to typical diets are to be expected, living in a state of tension can cause a resurgence of disordered eating patterns.
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Feb. 22-28, brings attention to a specific type of mental illness that affects people from all walks of life and can be fatal if left untreated. Megan Mikhail, a doctoral student of clinical psychology in Michigan State University’s College of Social Science, specializing in eating disorders, shares some insights on how to avoid letting stress take hold of eating habits.