Eating for stimulation is common in ADHD. However, it can lead to adverse effects such as an increased risk of chronic diseases and unintentional weight gain.

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The part of the brain responsible for feelings of pleasure, reward, and motivation may not work the same in people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This dysfunction has to do with the way certain neurotransmitters, like dopamine, are released, explained Becca Harris, a registered dietitian specializing in ADHD.

As a result of this structural difference, Harris said, you may not feel the same level of satisfaction internally. So, you might turn to outside sources of stimulation — including food.

“Dopamine levels tend to be low in individuals with ADHD,” noted Michele Goldman, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and media advisor for the Hope for Depression Research Foundation.

Goldman explained that people with lower levels of dopamine may experience greater impulsivity, which could lead them to reach for high-calorie foods that activate dopamine release and the pleasure center of the brain.

This may help explain the link between ADHD and disordered eating, particularly binge eating disorder (BED).

Eating can provide stimulation for people with ADHD in many different ways, explained Cali Estes, PhD, an addiction recovery coach.

Not only does food offer stimulation in the way of taste, but it can also satisfy other senses:

  • smell
  • sight
  • touch, in the way the texture of the food feels

“Any time we ingest something, the body has a natural reaction. People with ADHD might be more sensitive to these shifts within the body because of their brain chemistry,” Goldman said.

According to Cassie Willnauer, a licensed professional counselor, people with ADHD are often affected by sensory input to a greater degree than people without ADHD. This may help explain why you might find the taste, smell, temperature, texture, and feeling of satiety from eating incredibly satisfying.

Binge eating can occur due to a lower awareness of internal body cues, like those relating to hunger and fullness. This can make it more difficult to regulate eating patterns. If you don’t recognize your body’s hunger signals, you may go too long without eating and overeat later.

Similarly, if you don’t recognize body cues that let you know you’re satisfied, you might be more likely to keep eating past the point of fullness.

Goldman noted that people with ADHD often have trouble with time management, which may also lead to binge eating. If you forget to prepare meals for work, you might go without eating all day and binge eat when you get home.

ADHD often involves an overwhelming focus on one thing at a time. This period of hyperfocus may not allow space for other things, explained Willnauer.

“People with ADHD may skip meals within this state and binge eat later, after their hunger cues return or can no longer be ignored,” Willnauer said.

Binge eating isn’t always BED

The criteria for BED include:

  • eating more food in any 2-hour period than most people would eat under similar circumstances
  • feeling that you can’t control what you’re eating or how much
  • experiencing noticeable distress around your binge eating
  • binge eating at least 1 day a week for 3 months

BED also involves at least three of the following:

  • eating faster than usual
  • eating to the point of discomfort
  • eating a lot of food when not hungry
  • eating in private due to feelings of shame or embarrassment
  • experiencing feelings of guilt, disgust, or depression after overeating

Regularly eating past the point of fullness as a means of stimulation can eventually affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Physical effects

  • Physical discomfort: Overeating may sometimes cause nausea, gas, bloating, or stomach pains, according to Allison Chase, PhD, a clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist with the Eating Recovery Center.
  • Increased risk of certain chronic diseases: Goldman explained that eating large amounts of certain foods regularly may contribute to certain health conditions and diseases. For example, high sodium foods could raise your risk of high blood pressure. Foods high in saturated fat could raise your risk of high cholesterol.
  • Unintentional weight gain: Eating more than your body needs may lead to unintentional weight gain over time. Weight gain can depend on your activity level, the types of foods you eat for stimulation, and whether you binge eat often.

Mental health effects

  • Guilt and shame: An episode of binge eating can sometimes trigger feelings of shame, guilt, and remorse, Goldman says. This can then lead to more binge eating, creating a cycle that can be difficult to break.
  • Higher risk of restriction: In response to this guilt, shame, or remorse, Goldman said that you may feel tempted to restrict your eating or deprive yourself of food later.
  • Depression and anxiety: Both depression and anxiety are also risk factors for overeating, so mood symptoms and disordered eating behaviors may fuel each other.
  • Eating in isolation or hiding while eating: Chase said you may begin to avoid eating around others if you feel embarrassed about your eating habits. This can create stress around social situations, lead to feelings of isolation, and prompt a sense of shame.
  • Lifestyle disruptions: Estes explained that going out of your way to seek stimulation from food — driving 10 miles out of your way to get a specific type of ice cream, for example — can disrupt your work, social schedule, and other responsibilities.

If eating for stimulation negatively affects your life, you can do a few different things to address it.

Learn to recognize body cues

Mindful eating may help reduce binge eating and emotional eating. However, the research is mixed.

“Don’t restrict your food intake if you’re hungry,” Harris added, explaining that ignoring or avoiding hunger cues can lead to binge eating behaviors. “It’s important to learn to work with your hunger, not against it.”

Know your triggers

Goldman said that it can help you recognize your go-to trigger foods.

If you know that having those foods in your house may make you more likely to eat a lot of those foods at once, you may want to avoid keeping them at home, or only keep them around in small quantities.

For example, maybe you often find yourself eating an entire bag of potato chips. In that case, you might opt to buy a single-serving bag instead of a family-size one.

Eat regularly

You might also find it helpful to eat regularly throughout the day — ideally, every 3 to 5 hours. This can help you avoid overeating as a result of letting your hunger get out of control, Goldman said.

“Some people prefer to eat four or five smaller meals, while others prefer three meals a day with smaller snacks in between,” she said. “Find what’s right for your body and then set timers to help you remember to eat something.”

Goldman recommends keeping some satisfying and nutritious snacks easily accessible, like on your desk or in the console of your car.

Try a replacement activity

A replacement activity can also provide stimulation. Some ideas to try include:

Eating for stimulation isn’t something you have to deal with on your own. If you’re having a hard time managing unwanted eating behaviors, including binge eating, restricting, or eating for stimulation, a trained professional can offer more guidance and support.

To find the right therapist, you can start by:

  • exploring therapist directories, like the American Psychological Association database
  • contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers near you
  • ask a healthcare professional for a recommendation or referral

Getting treatment for ADHD can also help address eating for stimulation.

Many therapies teach compensatory strategies to help manage ADHD symptoms, Goldman explained, including those that can affect your relationship with food.

A therapist can help you explore effective ways to:

  • navigate impulsivity
  • make and keep plans
  • manage time

Medication interventions might also help reestablish chemical levels in the brain, which can decrease the need to eat for stimulation, Goldman said.

Eating for stimulation is particularly common among people with ADHD. Regularly eating more food than intended can eventually begin to affect your daily life and overall well-being.

Trying other stimulating activities can help you avoid eating for stimulation, while practicing intuitive eating can help you learn to recognize your body’s hunger and fullness cues more easily.

A therapist can offer more support with narrowing down potential causes of eating for stimulation and helping you explore steps toward change.

Rebecca Strong is a Boston-based freelance writer covering health and wellness, fitness, food, lifestyle, and beauty. Her work has also appeared in Insider, Bustle, StyleCaster, Eat This Not That, AskMen, and Elite Daily.