ADHD and eating disorders: Are they connected?
Impulsivity. Emotional dysregulation. Difficulty maintaining structure in life. What do these three symptoms have in common?
Answer: They can be attributed to either eating disorders or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Why the overlap?
And which comes first? Do disordered eating patterns cause symptoms that mimic ADHD, or do traits of ADHD make it more difficult to meet nutritional needs?
In this post, I’ll:
reveal the latest research that shows a connection between ADHD and eating disorders,
take a closer look at common symptoms of ADHD,
break down ADHD symptoms by eating disorder, and
discuss treatment methods, one of which is highly controversial.
*Disclosure: I am not a registered doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian. I have compiled the information below based on my research. For further reading, please click the links throughout.
Prevalence of eating disorders among people with ADHD
As I began my research on this topic, I hadn’t previously connected eating disorders and ADHD. Sure, eating disorders often co-present with other conditions like anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). But as it turns out, between 10% and 20% of people with ADHD also experience eating disorders. What’s more, research shows that adolescent females with ADHD are 3.6 times more likely to develop an eating disorder than the general population.
Why is this the case?
Researchers have surmised that people with ADHD and people with eating disorders lack sufficient dopamine production. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that’s responsible for all sorts of stuff: mood, attention, information processing, reward, learning, motivation, and how we experience pleasure or pain. A lack of dopamine can make it harder for an individual to regulate their emotions and actions, possibly leading to impulsive behaviors like hyperactivity or binge eating.
To go further into the symptoms and how they interact, let’s break them down.
ADHD symptoms mirrored in eating disorders
People with ADHD who deal with the following symptoms on a daily basis might be more vulnerable to developing disordered eating patterns.
Impulsivity
An individual who lacks the ability to resist urges or delay gratification might take actions without thinking. People with ADHD also might be unaware of natural hunger cues, leaving them unsure as to whether they’re satiated after eating. In eating disorders, this compulsivity may manifest in overeating or other symptoms that present with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder.
Emotional dysregulation
People with ADHD often struggle to regulate their emotions, experiencing highs and lows on a whim. They may find food to be a relief from emotions that feel too strong in the moment, such as anger, sadness, or anxiety. For eating disorders, poor emotional coping mechanisms can, once again, lead to overeating and a disconnect with natural hunger cues.
Difficulty with structure
Poor impulse control and irregular eating schedules make for an unstructured nourishment program, especially for someone with ADHD. As a result, an individual might eat when they’re not hungry or keep eating after they’re full, making it difficult to follow any kind of structured meal plan.
Food sensitivity & sensory processing
Similar to neurodivergent conditions like autism, people with ADHD are often sensitive to certain smells and tastes. This might result in eliminating entire food groups or avoiding foods that would likely help assuage their symptoms.
Difficulties interpreting physical signals and cues from the body (e.g., thirst, hunger, pain) may also contribute to abnormal eating behaviors and patterns.
In summary, people with ADHD and eating disorders both might use food as a way to self-medicate and/or control environmental chaos. Let’s break these symptoms down even further based on eating disorder subtypes.
ADHD symptoms by eating disorder
With the link between ADHD and eating disorders becoming clearer, we’ll now look at how each of these ADHD traits might show up in specific eating disorders.
Anorexia nervosa
Sensorial aversions to certain foods can cause individuals to avoid eating those foods. When someone feels overwhelmed, unable to concentrate, or hyperactive, restricting food can increase feelings of control. In this way, symptoms of ADHD mimic those of the restrictive subtype of anorexia nervosa.
While ADHD can be marked by an inability to concentrate, some find they’re able to hyper-fixate on details, which can translate to their eating habits—in this case, obsessing over nutrition labels, exercise, or other food-related minutiae.
ARFID
Sensory sensitivities are symptoms of ADHD that feed right into symptoms of avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID. People with ARFID tend to avoid certain foods or entire food groups in part because they don’t like the smell, taste, or texture of the food.
Binge eating disorder & bulimia nervosa
Impulsivity plays a huge role in eating disorders like BED and bulimia nervosa. Those with ADHD might use large amounts of food as a means for instant gratification, and might feel a compulsion to purge for instant relief afterward.
ADHD also might result in abnormal pleasure responses. When a person with ADHD eats, they may be unable to detect when their pleasure/reward center has been satisfied, which can lead to overeating.
Treatment for ADHD and eating disorders
Now it’s clear: ADHD and eating disorders are connected. If you or someone you know might be struggling with the two conditions, here are a few ways to work through them.
Professional treatment options
Here’s the part of the post where I emphasize the importance and benefits of professional help. 😊 Often, we don’t even know what we’re struggling with until we talk to someone about it. Through something like talk therapy, you may unearth fears or concerns that you can start addressing privately with a professional, which may enhance your understanding of your thoughts and behaviors.
If you’re ready to talk to a professional, try to find someone who has experience treating ADHD and eating disorders. Click below to start your search.
Mindful meal practices
Each time you sit down for a meal, take a beat. Take a few deep breaths. Observe your surroundings and each item on your plate. As you eat, notice how each bite tastes and pay attention to how you’re chewing. By implementing more mindful eating practices, you’ll be working to counter impulsivity and allow your body to process at its natural pace.
Treatment of underlying issues
ADHD and eating disorders often present with other mental illnesses, such as depression or anxiety. Finding ways to treat the underlying conditions can be a great first step to learning more about yourself, your behaviors, and possible treatment options.
Pharmaceutical options
Historically, ADHD is treated with a category of drugs known as stimulants. The drawback of these medications is that they can suppress appetite, which would be extremely unhelpful if not damaging to someone who is already exhibiting disordered eating behaviors. Therefore, this method of treatment can be controversial. Taking stimulants requires close monitoring and collaboration across a treatment team.
A final word
It can be tricky to identify whether symptoms are caused by one thing or another. And if you’re anything like me, you can become obsessive about finding the cause for any and every ailment that pops up. You know your body best and you’re your own best advocate—if something feels off, it’s OK to ask for an opinion, to be seen, and to be heard.
Pause & Prompt
When I feel impulsive, I…
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