ADHD & Binge Eating: Unravelling the Connection

Did you know that around 30% of binge eaters also have ADHD?

A number of the women I have worked with, discovered later in life that they had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  This is no coincidence. For those who struggle with binge or emotional eating there are a number of factors that overlap with symptoms of ADHD.

Until recently ADHD in girls and women had been overlooked, partly because ADHD symptoms can manifest differently in girls compared to boys, leading to underdiagnoses.

Women may exhibit less hyperactivity and more of the internalised symptoms such as being highly sensitive or anxious and forgetful which were not traditionally associated with ADHD.

Additionally, societal expectations and gender norms led to girls being especially effective at masking their symptoms, with expectations of being more organised and focused. It is only now that experts are recognising the reasons behind their challenges.

Hyper focusing on tasks is one of the common symptoms of ADHD in women and this can lead to individuals forgetting to eat at regular meals times often leading to extreme hunger and cravings later in the day, which can be a binge eating trigger.   

Moreover, people with ADHD have been found to have lower dopamine levels. (Dopamine is the brain chemical associated with reward and pleasure). For those who battle with binge eating, low dopamine levels could mean that you are constantly seeking pleasure and stimulation from food.

These are just a few of the factors that help to explain the link between binge eating and ADHD and I delve deeper into this topic in my upcoming book about how to overcome binge and emotional eating, due to be published later this year.

If you would like to get started and create change in your life now, download my FREE guide Breaking the Cycle - Your First Steps to Healing Your Relationship with Food to kickstart your journey today

This invaluable resource will help you:

✔️Know when you’re really hungry and when you’re not

✔️Learn when to eat that’s best for you

✔️Know the best snacks to help you stop craving and feeling out of control

Binge Eating Disorder: What you need to know!

Many people use the phrase ‘binge’ to describe a one-off overeating episode or if they believe they have ‘overindulged’ on treats. However, this can trivialise the complex challenges faced by those struggling with binge eating.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is lesser known, but most prevalent of all eating disorders. It is believed to affect one in fifty people, and that is just those who meet the tightly defined criteria and have an official diagnosis. There are many more people who battle with disordered eating of which bingeing is factor. It often goes undiagnosed and hidden from others.

It’s important to note that BED is not about being greedy or lacking in willpower. It is a serious and severe illness, associated with significant physical and psychological problems including anxiety and depression. It is often isolating due to feelings of shame and fear of what others might think about their eating behaviour.

Perhaps you have uncontrolled eating episodes. Maybe you believe someone you love struggles with binge eating behaviour. How would you know if what you (or they) are battling with is binge eating behaviour?

Binge eating is characterised by eating a large amount of food within a short period of time, often associated with a loss of control. The eating episode does not provide any pleasure for the individual- many describe it as being in a "trance-like" state.  Often a binge is followed by periods of restriction as a means to compensate for what has been consumed.

Other Signs and Symptoms include:

• Eating faster than you normally would

• Obsessing over food, sometimes planning the binge in advance

• Eating until you are overfull, uncomfortable or even sick

• Eating large amounts of food when you are not physically hungry

• Eating in secret

• Distress, shame, and self-loathing is experienced after a binge

 Whether you have a diagnosis of BED or not, I understand that for anyone who experiences distress around food and their body, every day is a battle.

This is why having helped hundreds of people to overcome binge eating, I decided to write a book to support many more people on this journey. My book, which provides a four-pillar framework to overcoming binge and emotional eating, will be out later this year.

If you would like to get started and create change in your life now, download my FREE guide Breaking the Cycle - Your First Steps to Healing Your Relationship with Food to kickstart your journey today

This invaluable resource will help you:

✔️Know when you’re really hungry and when you’re not

✔️Learn when to eat that’s best for you

✔️Know the best snacks to help you stop craving and feeling out of control