You ordered delivery again. Not because you needed it. Not because you were particularly hungry. Just because the process of scrolling, selecting, waiting-it gave the evening some kind of shape.
Afterward, you sat with the wrappers longer than you meant to. The apartment was quiet in that specific way that makes you check your phone even though you know no one's messaged.
Tomorrow you'd feel differently about it. Tonight, the food was just... there.
If you've ever found yourself eating more when you're alone than when you're around people, you already know something researchers have spent years trying to measure: loneliness can be a driving factor behind eating patterns, where food becomes a coping mechanism used to numb or deal with pain.
But here's what most articles won't tell you-this isn't a discipline problem. It's not about willpower or meal planning or better habits.