What does "eat the stress" mean here? Is it a general expression?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
The full expression is actually "(to) eat the stress away." This refers to some people's habit of snacking or overeating when they are stressed. It is similar to the expressions "emotional eating" or "stress eating." These expressions are informal and commonly used. Ex: My exams were horrible. I ate my stress away and ended up gaining 10 kg. Ex: Eating your stress away is not a good coping mechanism.