Although stress eating can provide momentary relief, it doesn't treat the underlying stress or anxiety. In many instances, eating to relieve stress can make you feel worse, Malkani says. Part of that has to do with our general view of emotional eating, that it's "being bad" or misbehaving from a regimented diet. "We attach feelings of guilt and shame to emotional eating, and that perpetuates the cycle," she says. "When we feel shameful, we tend to isolate ourselves, which can trigger more feelings of stress, which can trigger more emotional eating." (This is similar to the " restrict-rebel-repent " cycle that tends to come up as a result of dieting.) Removing the "shame piece" from the equation is one way you can deal with the underlying cause of your stress, she says.