{"id":535,"date":"2026-01-02T11:55:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T17:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?p=535"},"modified":"2026-01-02T12:05:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T18:05:44","slug":"college-stress-and-eating-disorders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?p=535","title":{"rendered":"When Stress and Eating Habits Become a Struggle: Navigating College Stress and Eating Disorders"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"535\" class=\"elementor elementor-535\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18dfd4f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"18dfd4f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f522c2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f522c2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"536\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?attachment_id=536\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=1280%2C1920&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1280,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"stressed-college-student\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" width=\"768\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-536\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=1024%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=1365%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" data-attachment-id=\"536\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?attachment_id=536\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=1280%2C1920&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1280,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"stressed-college-student\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3353ff7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3353ff7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">When Stress and Eating Habits Become a Struggle: Navigating College Stress and Eating Disorders<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ac80801 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ac80801\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6fb0fb2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6fb0fb2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"100\" data-end=\"529\">College can be a time of excitement, growth, and independence \u2014 but it can also be filled with intense pressure. Managing academics, relationships, future plans, finances, living away from home, and more can feel overwhelming. For many students, this stress doesn\u2019t just stay in the mind \u2014 it shows up in how they relate to food, their bodies, and themselves. For some, that relationship can become harmful or disordered.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"531\" data-end=\"769\">This isn\u2019t about willpower. It isn\u2019t about \u201cjust eating better.\u201d It\u2019s about understanding how the college experience \u2014 emotionally and socially \u2014 can intersect with eating and body image in ways that are painful, confusing, and isolating.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68c2489f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"68c2489f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-425f3f16 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"425f3f16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">College Stress Isn\u2019t \u201cNormal\u201d; It\u2019s Real \u2014 and So Are Its Impacts<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-49d03a27 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"49d03a27\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"851\" data-end=\"1278\">Research shows that stress in college students isn\u2019t just a feeling \u2014 it\u2019s linked to behaviors and symptoms related to eating disorders. For example, one study found that nearly 19% of first-year students reported symptoms associated with eating disorders, and that higher perceived chronic stress (from academics, appearance, future pressure, etc.) was associated with these symptoms. <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]!\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10298772\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"><span class=\"max-w-[15ch] grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">PMC<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><p data-start=\"1280\" data-end=\"1569\">And eating disorders among college students aren\u2019t rare. Multiple studies estimate that substantial portions of undergraduate populations screen positive for eating disorder symptoms, with many students experiencing persistent struggles over time. <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]!\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21950250\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"><span class=\"max-w-[15ch] grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">PubMed<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c585dd8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3c585dd8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38edc906 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"38edc906\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What\u2019s Going On? \u2014 Risk Factors &amp; Why College Can Trigger Eating Problems<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a533faf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a533faf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"1659\" data-end=\"1876\">There\u2019s no single cause of eating disorders. Instead, they emerge at the crossroads of biological vulnerability, psychological stress, social context, and coping patterns. In college, several factors can converge:<\/p><h5 data-start=\"1878\" data-end=\"1906\"><strong data-start=\"1886\" data-end=\"1906\">Intense Pressure<\/strong><\/h5><ul data-start=\"1907\" data-end=\"2106\"><li data-start=\"1907\" data-end=\"2106\"><p data-start=\"1909\" data-end=\"2106\">Academic demands, deadlines, performance comparisons, and future uncertainty can elevate stress \u2014 and sudden stress is linked with changes in eating behaviors. <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]!\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10298772\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"><span class=\"max-w-[15ch] grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">PMC<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><h5 data-start=\"2108\" data-end=\"2148\"><strong data-start=\"2116\" data-end=\"2148\">Transition &amp; Identity Shifts<\/strong><\/h5><ul data-start=\"2149\" data-end=\"2387\"><li data-start=\"2149\" data-end=\"2387\"><p data-start=\"2151\" data-end=\"2387\">Moving away from home, adjusting to independence, and navigating new social environments can feel destabilizing. For some, controlling food or body image feels like the one thing they <em data-start=\"2335\" data-end=\"2340\">can<\/em> control. <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]!\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newportinstitute.com\/resources\/co-occurring-disorders\/eating-disorders-in-college\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"><span class=\"max-w-[15ch] grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">Newport Institute<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><h5 data-start=\"2389\" data-end=\"2421\"><strong data-start=\"2400\" data-end=\"2421\">Social Comparison<\/strong><\/h5><ul data-start=\"2422\" data-end=\"2705\"><li data-start=\"2422\" data-end=\"2705\"><p data-start=\"2424\" data-end=\"2705\">Peer influences, dorm culture, social media, and body ideals create constant messages about appearance, weight, and success. These pressures are not just superficial \u2014 they affect how many students feel about themselves and their food choices. <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]!\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newportinstitute.com\/resources\/co-occurring-disorders\/eating-disorders-in-college\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"><span class=\"max-w-[15ch] grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">Newport Institute<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><h5 data-start=\"2707\" data-end=\"2745\"><strong data-start=\"2715\" data-end=\"2745\">Mental Health Interactions<\/strong><\/h5><ul data-start=\"2746\" data-end=\"3091\"><li data-start=\"2746\" data-end=\"3091\"><p data-start=\"2748\" data-end=\"3091\">Anxiety, depression, and stress aren\u2019t just emotional experiences \u2014 they\u2019re deeply tied to disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. A recent study found that depressive symptoms and non-adaptive stress coping styles predicted the <em data-start=\"2980\" data-end=\"2991\">worsening<\/em> of disordered eating behaviors over time in college students. <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><span class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\" data-testid=\"webpage-citation-pill\"><a class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]!\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36509080\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"><span class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"><span class=\"max-w-[15ch] grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\">PubMed<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-556f205e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"556f205e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d9b5782 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3d9b5782\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">More than Food: Understanding Eating Disorders<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-43664a20 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"43664a20\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"3154\" data-end=\"3301\">When we talk about eating disorders, we\u2019re talking about a range of patterns that affect physical health <em data-start=\"3259\" data-end=\"3264\">and<\/em> emotional well-being. These include:<\/p><ul data-start=\"3303\" data-end=\"3738\"><li data-start=\"3303\" data-end=\"3391\"><p data-start=\"3305\" data-end=\"3391\"><strong data-start=\"3305\" data-end=\"3325\">Anorexia nervosa<\/strong> \u2014 extreme restriction of food intake or fear of gaining weight.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"3392\" data-end=\"3489\"><p data-start=\"3394\" data-end=\"3489\"><strong data-start=\"3394\" data-end=\"3413\">Bulimia nervosa<\/strong> \u2014 cycles of overeating followed by compensatory behaviors (like purging).<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"3490\" data-end=\"3594\"><p data-start=\"3492\" data-end=\"3594\"><strong data-start=\"3492\" data-end=\"3517\">Binge eating disorder<\/strong> \u2014 recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food with loss of control.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"3595\" data-end=\"3738\"><p data-start=\"3597\" data-end=\"3738\"><strong data-start=\"3597\" data-end=\"3633\">Other disordered eating patterns<\/strong> \u2014 unhealthy relationships with food that may not meet full diagnostic criteria but still cause distress.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p data-start=\"3740\" data-end=\"3890\">For many students, disordered eating begins subtly, perhaps as dieting or stress eating, and can intensify under prolonged stress and lack of support.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73ce0e74 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"73ce0e74\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-783b6a6e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"783b6a6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Coping with the Unexpected Struggle<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86975cf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"86975cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"3942\" data-end=\"4273\">If college has triggered or intensified an unhealthy relationship with food or body image, it can feel surprising, confusing, and isolating \u2014 especially when everyone around you seems to be \u201cmanaging fine.\u201d But <em data-start=\"4157\" data-end=\"4182\">your experience is real<\/em>. There are ways to navigate this that are compassionate, grounded, and ultimately healing.<\/p><p data-start=\"4275\" data-end=\"4339\">Here are some approaches students and young adults find helpful:<\/p><h5 data-start=\"4341\" data-end=\"4374\"><strong data-start=\"4349\" data-end=\"4374\">Name What\u2019s Happening<\/strong><\/h5><p data-start=\"4375\" data-end=\"4497\">Sometimes just understanding that stress and eating behavior are connected \u2014 and not a personal failing \u2014 can be a relief.<\/p><h5 data-start=\"4499\" data-end=\"4532\"><strong data-start=\"4507\" data-end=\"4532\">Build Support Systems<\/strong><\/h5><p data-start=\"4533\" data-end=\"4660\">Talking to people who understand \u2014 friends, peers, support groups, or counselors \u2014 can lessen the sense of being alone with it.<\/p><h5 data-start=\"4662\" data-end=\"4693\"><strong data-start=\"4670\" data-end=\"4693\">Learn Coping Skills<\/strong><\/h5><p data-start=\"4694\" data-end=\"4864\">Healthy stress-management tools (like balanced routines, self-compassion practices, mindful eating, and movement for joy, not punishment) can make a difference over time.<\/p><h5 data-start=\"4866\" data-end=\"4913\"><strong data-start=\"4874\" data-end=\"4913\">Reach Out for Help When You Need It<\/strong><\/h5><p data-start=\"4914\" data-end=\"5071\">Early support from a mental health professional or counselor can provide a safe space to unpack the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors around food and stress.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b30b8ef elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4b30b8ef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Struggling Doesn\u2019t Mean You\u2019re Failing<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a038d3f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1a038d3f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"5122\" data-end=\"5356\">If you\u2019re here because you\u2019re <em data-start=\"5152\" data-end=\"5209\">feeling stuck inside the stress-eating-body image cycle<\/em>, it\u2019s okay to acknowledge how heavy that feels. These struggles are not a sign of weakness, and they\u2019re not something you should just \u201ctough out.\u201d<\/p><p data-start=\"5358\" data-end=\"5500\">There\u2019s strength in asking for support \u2014 not because you\u2019ve failed, but because you\u2019re ready to take care of yourself in a meaningful way.<\/p><p data-start=\"5502\" data-end=\"5729\">If you\u2019re curious about how therapy or supportive counseling might help you understand your stress and eating habits \u2014 and to build healthier emotional and coping skills \u2014 you\u2019re welcome to reach out and explore that next step.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1647f7f elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"1647f7f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/oakharborwellness.sessionshealth.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Reach Out Here<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Stress and Eating Habits Become a Struggle: Navigating College Stress and Eating Disorders College can be a time of excitement, growth, and independence \u2014 but it can also be filled with intense pressure. Managing academics, relationships, future plans, finances, living away from home, and more can feel overwhelming. For many students, this stress doesn\u2019t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":272882261,"featured_media":536,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[1363],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eating-disorder"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=1280%2C1920&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgSJVi-8D","jetpack-related-posts":[],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=1280%2C1920&ssl=1",1280,1920,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp",1280,1920,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp",1280,1920,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1",200,300,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=683%2C1024&ssl=1",683,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=1024%2C1536&ssl=1",1024,1536,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=1365%2C2048&ssl=1",1365,2048,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1",1200,900,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=900%2C1200&ssl=1",900,1200,true],"newspack-article-block-square-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=1200%2C1200&ssl=1",1200,1200,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1",800,600,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=600%2C800&ssl=1",600,800,true],"newspack-article-block-square-medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=800%2C800&ssl=1",800,800,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-intermediate":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-intermediate":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=450%2C600&ssl=1",450,600,true],"newspack-article-block-square-intermediate":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1",600,600,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-small":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1",400,300,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-small":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=300%2C400&ssl=1",300,400,true],"newspack-article-block-square-small":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1",400,400,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-tiny":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=200%2C150&ssl=1",200,150,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-tiny":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=150%2C200&ssl=1",150,200,true],"newspack-article-block-square-tiny":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1",200,200,true],"newspack-article-block-uncropped":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sujin-c-QJrgVKyRT4A-unsplash.webp?fit=1200%2C1800&ssl=1",1200,1800,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Lindsay Merrell","author_link":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/author\/lindsay0b904677f8"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?cat=1363\" rel=\"category\">Eating Disorders<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"When Stress and Eating Habits Become a Struggle: Navigating College Stress and Eating Disorders College can be a time of excitement, growth, and independence \u2014 but it can also be filled with intense pressure. Managing academics, relationships, future plans, finances, living away from home, and more can feel overwhelming. For many students, this stress doesn\u2019t&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/272882261"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=535"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":543,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535\/revisions\/543"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}