ADHD and Binge Eating: How to Build a Healthy Relationship With Food
Do you sometimes eat so much food that you become uncomfortably full? Maybe you lose control over your eating habits when bored or stressed, only to feel bad about it later. If so, you could be binge eating.
Research suggests that this eating pattern can be associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as the two often co-occur.[1]
To break this cycle of overeating, it’s important to understand that the ADHD brain is wired to work differently, but this doesn’t mean you’re “greedy” or “broken.”Understanding the link between ADHD and binge eating can help you be more self-compassionate and forgive yourself.
Keep reading to learn the connection between ADHD and binge eating and how to build a healthy relationship with food.
Recognizing Signs of Binge Eating in ADHD
Some ADHDers might binge eat without realizing it.
If you’re concerned that you or a loved one is binge eating, look out for the following signs:[2]
- Feeling sad, disgusted, guilty, or ashamed after overeating
- Consuming food in secrecy or isolation due to shame
- Eating until you feel uncomfortably full or nauseous
- Feeling distressed about your eating habits
- Consuming a high quantity of food quickly
- Eating even when you do not feel hungry
- Feeling like you’re unable to stop
- Losing control over your eating
The guilt you feel after a binging episode can affect your self-esteem. This can cause you to fall into a cycle of overeating and shame, which can fuel the urge to do it again.
In these circumstances, self-empathy is an effective antidote. Positive self-talk and compassion can help you break this cycle and build healthier eating habits.
The Connection Between ADHD and Binge Eating
One of the most common eating disorders that can co-occur with ADHD is binge eating. While they might not seem related at first glance, there are a few possible explanations for why the two are linked.
1. Executive Dysfunction
ADHD is linked to problems in executive function[3] – the set of mental skills that enable us to plan, focus, solve problems, and meet our goals.
Because of this, ADHDers may have difficulty planning and resolving issues related to their eating habits.
For example, an individual may struggle to plan and stick to regular meal times. As a result, they could get too hungry and binge.[4]
2. Impulsivity
One of the core signs of ADHD is impulsivity.[5] ADHDers may struggle to pause and think of the possible consequences of overeating before acting.
It can be challenging for them to control their impulses and prevent ADHD overeating when they feel the urge to do so.
3. Low Dopamine
Research has found that excessive eating involves the dopamine pathways of the brain.[6] Dopamine is a chemical messenger of the brain associated with pleasure, reward, and motivation.
Due to a disruption in the dopamine pathway of the ADHD brain, individuals tend to choose short-term gratification over longer-term rewards.[6]
Because of this, they may binge eat for immediate pleasure, especially when bored or understimulated.
4. Strong Emotions
Adults with ADHD may have trouble processing and regulating their emotions.[6] Emotional dysregulation is thought to affect around 70% of adults with ADHD.[7]
Due to this, an ADHDer might struggle to cope with negative emotions, such as stress and sadness. They might also act rashly in response to these emotions.[7]
They may turn to binge eating to find comfort and relief,[7] which is why ADHD is linked to a greater risk of addictive-like eating habits, including emotional overeating.
4 Strategies to Manage ADHD and Binge Eating
Finding the root cause behind your overeating can help you devise a targeted plan to break free of this cycle. This is why it’s important to take time to reflect and pinpoint which factors impact your eating habits most.
Try the following tips to manage your ADHD eating habits better:
1. Create Structures for a Healthy Diet
Being more intentional with what and when you eat can help you build healthier eating patterns.
Here are some strategies you can try to eat healthier:
- Plan your meals. Set a routine for eating that you can follow each day. You can add reminders on your phone to go off when it’s time to eat to help you stay on track.
- Schedule routine grocery runs. Create a list of items needed before you go. Opt for healthier foods and snacks rather than junk food or highly processed options.
- Stock healthy snacks. Get rid of unhealthy snacks in your home and office so you’re less likely to have access to them when the urge to binge eat hits.
You can also portion snacks into individual packets or smaller containers and only grab one whenever you want to eat. That way, you’re less likely to go through an entire bag of snacks in one sitting.
2. Be Mindful and Present When You Eat
Practice being present and mindful of what you consume.
Minimize distractions while you eat. For instance, you can turn off your TV or put your phone away. This helps you avoid getting distracted and eating without realizing it.
Pay attention to the taste and portion of what you’re consuming. Count to ten before swallowing your food and pause now and then to check if your body feels full.
3. Stimulate Your Brain
Some ADHDers may eat out of boredom since it helps to boost stimulation and pleasure.
To prevent this, keep your mind occupied during your downtime. Prepare a list of activities you enjoy, like drawing, walking, biking, playing an instrument, or reading.
When you feel the urge to binge eat, pull out that list and pick an activity to do. Eventually, the urge will pass.
4. Explore Healthy Coping Mechanisms
If stress, sadness, anxiety, or other intense emotions often fuel the urge to binge eat, you can focus on finding better ways to cope with those emotions.
Here are a few examples of ways to handle stress:
- Exercise. Researchers have found that physical activity is linked to improved mood and reduced stress.[8] Going for a quick jog or quick-paced walk is a great way to combat stress.
- Relax. Tap into meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises to help promote relaxation. Meditation, for instance, helps calm your mind by eliminating thoughts that crowd your mind.
- Reach out to trusted friends and family. When you feel the urge to binge eat from stress, call someone you can talk to about it.
ADHD can make it tricky to deal with emotions, making it all the more important to experiment and find healthy coping mechanisms that work best for you.
Seeking Professional Help for ADHD Overeating
Binge eating isn’t an easy thing to bring up or talk about, and many people who experience it feel scared or ashamed to reach out for help.
ADHD treatment and medications may help you manage your symptoms and curb the urge to eat. Talking to a therapist or ADHD coach can also be helpful. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for instance, is one form of ADHD therapy that can help you identify unhelpful mindsets and behaviors and replace them with healthier ones.
You can also seek support from a community. ADDA+ is a safe place for adult ADHDers to grow in a community that understands their struggles.
References
[1] Yao, S., Kuja-Halkola, R., Martin, J., Lu, Y., Lichtenstein, P., Norring, C., Birgegård, A., Yilmaz, Z., Hübel, C., Watson, H., Baker, J., Almqvist, C., Eating Disorders Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Thornton, L. M., Magnusson, P. K., Bulik, C. M., & Larsson, H. (2019). Associations Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Various Eating Disorders: A Swedish Nationwide Population Study Using Multiple Genetically Informative Approaches. Biological psychiatry, 86(8), 577–586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.04.036
[2] Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, et al. Management and Outcomes of Binge-Eating Disorder [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2015 Dec. (Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 160.) Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338301/table/introduction.t1/
[3] Roselló, B., Berenguer, C., Baixauli, I., Mira, Á., Martinez-Raga, J., & Miranda, A. (2020). Empirical examination of executive functioning, ADHD associated behaviors, and functional impairments in adults with persistent ADHD, remittent ADHD, and without ADHD. BMC psychiatry, 20(1), 134. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02542-y
[4] Manasse, S. M., Forman, E. M., Ruocco, A. C., Butryn, M. L., Juarascio, A. S., & Fitzpatrick, K. K. (2015). Do executive functioning deficits underpin binge eating disorder? A comparison of overweight women with and without binge eating pathology. The International journal of eating disorders, 48(6), 677–683. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22383
[5] National Institute of Mental Health. (2023, September). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd
[6] Seymour, K. E., Reinblatt, S. P., Benson, L., & Carnell, S. (2015). Overlapping neurobehavioral circuits in ADHD, obesity, and binge eating: evidence from neuroimaging research. CNS spectrums, 20(4), 401–411. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1092852915000383
[7] El Archi, S., Cortese, S., Ballon, N., Réveillère, C., De Luca, A., Barrault, S., & Brunault, P. (2020). Negative Affectivity and Emotion Dysregulation as Mediators between ADHD and Disordered Eating: A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 12(11), 3292. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113292
[8] Schultchen, D., Reichenberger, J., Mittl, T., Weh, T. R. M., Smyth, J. M., Blechert, J., & Pollatos, O. (2019). Bidirectional relationship of stress and affect with physical activity and healthy eating. British journal of health psychology, 24(2), 315–333. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12355
