The Link Between ADHD and Eating Disorders

Image reference: https://www.adhdevidence.org/blog/eight-pictures-describe-brain-mechanisms-in-adhd

It’s not always obvious from the outside, but ADHD and eating disorders often share a tangled relationship. Many people are surprised to learn how frequently these two conditions show up together — and how much they can reinforce one another. 

In fact, several of my clients only came to suspect they had ADHD once they started navigating recovery. After conversations with friends, learning more about ADHD, and then following up with a professional, many have gone on to receive a diagnosis, which has massively supported their eating disorder recovery.  

At first glance, they might seem like separate challenges. ADHD can contribute to reduced attention, impulsivity, and poor emotional regulation (amongst other things). Eating disorders, on the surface, seem to be about food and body image. But when we dig a little deeper, But dig a little deeper, and the overlap between eating disorders and ADHD starts to make sense. 

Why ADHD Can Increase the Risk of an Eating Disorder 

ADHD makes it harder for the brain to filter, organize, and prioritize information and sensory input. That means everyday tasks such as deciding what to eat, remembering to eat, or noticing hunger cues, can quickly become overwhelming. When we add in factors like time blindness (losing track of time), decision fatigue, and visceral emotional responses, food can quickly shift from a source of nourishment into a stressor. 

After forgetting to eat for a long period, someone may feel intense hunger, causing them to eat large amounts of food in a reactive way. They might turn to foods that are rich in calories to meet their unmet hunger or use food to create a numbing or soothing effect. However, these eating patterns can result in guilt and shame, making the emotions or intense overwhelm they were trying to avoid significantly worse.   

For others, the complete opposite can happen. Eating might be forgotten altogether, or the act of buying, preparing, cooking and eating food can feel too complex to deal with. Restriction or avoidance of eating can also be used as a coping mechanism to numb the chaos ADHD can provoke, providing short-term relief but long-term a much deeper issue. 

Additionally, the use of purging behaviors may be used to manage ADHD symptoms – including regulation of emotions, increasing dopamine or the need for somatic release. While these behaviors may not seem linked to ADHD management on the surface, when we dig deeper, the connection is often present.  

The important thing to note here is that navigating recovery with ADHD is not about willpower or inadequate motivation. It’s about executive function, which is the brain’s ability to plan, regulate, and follow through. When ADHD symptoms are present, combined with common co-occurring issues such as trauma, food, and body can be used as a tool to cope and manage the overwhelming dysregulation. 

Next week I'll be talking about some of the common behaviors I speak to clients about about how their ADHD shows up in their eating patterns. Stay tuned for more insights and advice!