ADHD and Binge Eating

ADHD affects somewhere between 5.9% and 7.1% of individuals. It has been shown that as individuals with ADHD age, they are at increased risk of developing an eating disorder. 

What is ADHD?

According to the DSM-V: ADHD is:

A pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with the individual's life development or functioning. 

Examples of inattention 

• Inattention to detail; makes careless mistakes 

• Difficulty holding attention to tasks; i.e. cannot focus or read long passages 

• Doesn’t seem to listen when spoken to directly; their mind elsewhere

• Doesn’t follow through 

• Difficulty organizing tasks & time management

• Reluctant to engage in tasks that include sustained mental effort

• Often loses things 

• Easily distracted by extraneous stimuli

• Often forgetful in daily activities

Examples of hyperactivity

• Fidgety 

• Often leaves seat

• Runs or climbs in inappropriate situations - in adults, this could be just a general restless feeling 

• Unable to take part in leisure activities quietly 

• Often “on the go.”

Examples of Impulsivity

• Blurts out an answer before the question has been completed

• Difficulty waiting in line

How does ADHD relate to Binge Eating and Bulimia?

1. Individuals with ADHD have a greater response to food stimuli. 

a.  A study of individuals with different levels of ADHD were shown pictures of food. Researchers found a greater increase in brain activity from patients with high levels of ADHD, suggesting that those with a high level of ADHD have a greater risk of developing binge eating disorder. 

b. In one study, females with ADHD were 3.6 times more likely to have an eating disorder than females without ADHD.

c. In another study, 9% of bulimic inpatients also presented with ADHD - suggesting a link between the two. 

2. There is a potential link between lack of dopamine in binge eating and ADHD. 

a. Individuals with ADHD are predicted to have lower levels of dopamine in the brain, making it hard to maintain motivation, specifically for jobs or tasks without immediate rewards. Thus, those with ADHD often gravitate towards short-term, smaller rewards rather than long-term, more significant ones. Binge eating often gives that short-term dopamine influx that these individuals crave - making them more likely to develop an eating disorder or obesity. 

b. One study showed that when food stimuli were given with methylphenidate (a drug used to treat ADHD), there was an increase of dopamine in the caudate in individuals with binge eating disorder and less of an increase in those candidates without binge eating disorder. The caudate is a part of the brain that plays a role in goal-directed behavior and decision-making based on rewards and uncertainties. This suggests that dopamine transmission in the caudate may be a factor in binge eating - similar to how it is a factor in ADHD. 

What Can I Do About It?

1. Participate in CBT 

   1. CBT can help reduce ADHD symptoms. One study showed that even 5 months after therapy, individuals had reduced ADHD symptoms and improved executive function.  

   2. CBT is also the number one treatment for binge eating and bulimia. 

      
      

If you are interested in a self-guided CBT and DBT workbook, I have made one that can be found in the "coming soon" tab. 

2. Consider medication

   1. An interesting tidbit: Vyvanse is FDA-approved to treat binge eating disorder and ADHD. This alone suggests that there may be some common denominator regarding what is happening in the brain for both binge eaters and those with ADHD. 

   2. Another drug - methylphenidate - which is also used to treat ADHD, is currently being researched and has proven effective for binge eating disorder treatment as well.