Binge Eating Disorder

[Compassion17]

Does anyone deal with ADHD and Binge Eating Disorder?

[Gettingittogether]

I binge occasionally, but I have addictive tendencies in many many areas. Addictive-compulsive tendencies are frequent with ADHD, extremely frequent. Is there a question you have?

[Compassion17 in reply to Gettingittogether]

Ok. Yes, how do you manage to keep the binges to occasionally? I went from 3 to 4 days a week to now it happens about once a week. I'm stuck on once a week for some months now. I've been craving cereal for weeks now but i know if i bring it in the house I will eat the entire box in one sitting or 2 in the same day.

[Mtron in reply to Compassion17]

Well you’re on the right track with just not having the triggers around you! Also, with our impulses or cravings, wait 10 minutes or tell yourself you’ll have it “later” and by then you’ll have forgotten. I need to try this practice with food, myself!!! It works for drugs alc smoking lol

[MTA-]

Yeah, I am dangerous around any snack foods. At parties there'll be a bowl of chips out, and I'll just watch myself at the snack table eating compulsively. When the chips are gone, I know 90 percent of that was me.

ADHD is associated with addictive and compulsive tendencies. There's even science to it. We're deficient in dopamine. Dopamine is that quick hit of good feeling you get from sex, or drugs, or junk food, or anything novel. We're always chasing novelty, and bore easily, because we're chasing dopamine.

[Compassion17 in reply to MTA-]

Yes I agree completely. How do you cope with that? Prevent from being tempted by the snack around you at parties? It requires a ton of will power, chewing gum, sparkling water, etc for me to feel full enough to no want to pick up that chip at parties. Once I eat once chip it's game over.

[MTA- in reply to Compassion17]

Being medicated.

I know it's an unsatisfying answer, but a lot of ADHD issues I never resolved, but for medication. I am living a much better life now, and unfortunately I cannot share the strategies I used, because there are none (well, a few organizational tidbits). It's all thanks to the medication.

Going to fewer parties because I am 37 and have a mortgage doesn't hurt either.

[MyJA in reply to MTA-]

+1 for medication. I spent decades trying to do it myself and three weeks on meds and I just feel in control. I can look at a food and say "nah, I don't want that donut" where as before it was "I really don't want that donut, no I really don't its going to make me feel sick later, no no put it down, what are you doing? drop it, no, don't go into my mouth, oh no, just one bite, oh no where did all the donuts in the box go?" It really felt that way for me and no amount of planning/ strategizing worked to help it. I could "accidentally" eat a whole package of Oreos in 2 sittings. But, the meds really give me a lot more control and making eating choices is no longer a monumental struggle.

[Mtron in reply to MyJA]

Haha yes this is a real glimpse. Y’all, antidepressant etc. I’m onnn 3 antidep/anxiety/ mood pills plus adderall don’t care if it sounds like a lot it took and regularly takes lots of tweaking of the meds to get the combo right! Overeating and resisting impulses is possible but adopting a couple strategies is supes helpful. Talk to a therapist all! Or google them strategies! Hehe Oh boy but auger addiction makes it all rough and it’s so goood. 👿🙀

[Compassion17 in reply to MyJA]

When I was on Adderall and Vyvanse it helped with eating but the side effects for me were not worth it. Head aches, insomnia, rapid heart beat, cost. But may need to reconsider.

[Gettingittogether]

Like other comorbid problems that come along with ADHD, like depression and anxiety, I think you have to devote time and effort and therapy and explore specific weight loss/healthy eating strategies in order to get that compulsion under control.

For all my addictive tendencies, I've had to devote time to them when they popped up. Binge eating is extremely hard to stop on your own. It's your full scale body drive vs. a little bit of prefrontal cortex. The strong drive always wins.

Have you ever seen an eating specialist ... or someone who specializes in eating disorders? Or attended a support group for eating disorders? Forget whether or not what you have is a "disorder." I recommend this approach because even if what you has is less than an official disorder, you probably have to use the same techniques as people with the full disorder use. That's what I'd recommend ....

The good news is that if you find someone good or a really good program, a lot of what you learn can be transferred to the rest of life. There are big parts of your life outside of the specific addiction-compulsion that have to be brought into a healthy state to support a new way of living. Some people think you need to find a healthy substitute action in place of the addictive behavior.

[Tim_Othy]

People with ADHD, myself included, have a very hard time resisting these pleasure inducing, dopamine rich behaviors. I have found that binging can be found in many areas of one’s life such as food, sex, drinking, substances, exercise, gambling, dangerous risk taking behavior, etc. I think it maybe important to separate “binging” from addiction. Binging is episodic and not necessarily an addiction, per se.

Consequential thinkIng helps me to realize that pretending to eat one cookie, knowing I WILL eat more, is an unworkable scenario. I have fought unhealthy weight for a large part of life. I lost 145 lbs over a 3 year period and have kept the weight off for 17 years. Typically by making small changes in my eating habits over time.

For me I set “unbreakable” rules that tend to keep me on a healthy road. Do I break these, “unbreakable rules” yep occasionally, but the more I am able to exercise the rules the better my life and self confidence is. It is not what we do occasionally that is typically life changing, it is what we do most of the time that has the greatest impact.

I believe that the previous posters recommending medication, therapy, and abstinence, are all great places to search for an eating solution.

Try to be loving and patient with yourself in the midst of being imperfectly, perfect. Everyone around you carries a burden. Continue your search for strategies that work for you, Remember, you are great and not alone in this search.

[Hidden in reply to Tim_Othy]

"I lost 145 lbs over a 3 year period and have kept the weight off for 17 years." That is outstanding and inspirational. Thank you for sharing. I also struggle with binge eating and have managed to lose 50 pounds to get down from obese (according to CDC BMI chart even though I was still fairly healthy if large) to normal body weight three different times in the past twenty years, one even managing to keep it off for two years, but I love carbs and have poor implies control and pizza argh. Anyways, I have begun a journey of discipline for the next couple months to hopefully finally sustainably be able to get down to a lower weight.) Thanks!

[Tim_Othy in reply to Hidden]

You control your destiny. It is difficult, but I would have likely died by now if I did not take action. I love carbs also, so I have them sometimes, even bad cabs like Cinnabon, pizza, etc. it’s not what you do once in a while that makes the difference, it’s what you do most of the time that impacts the most

Stay strong, You are worth the investment.

[Spiritcat]

Hi there. I have a binge eating problem and ADHD.. in Aug 2021 I was put on Vyvanse meds and I stopped binge eating and in 5 months I lost just over 30 pounds. It really worked for the binge eating but not the ADHD at all. So today I stopped the Vyvanse and I was put on Concerta 18 mg a day for 1 week then double to 36 mg a day. If I start to binge eat again and gain my weight back I'm going back on Vyvanse. I've struggled for about 30 years with my weight and I'm finally happy with the way I look.😀.Good Luck.😀😀

[Sunsetchaser]

I agree with medication. Maybe the behavior has been going on so many years, it was like my body had a physical need to do it, idk, but vyvanse somehow took away that physical desire to overeat, and I could just eat when I was hungry. I also eat when I’m upset/emotional and I am actually able to stop and think Now when I want to binge and can say to myself’that donut will not change my problem or make it go away’ and it actually makes sense to me and I can be sad about that, tolerate the discomfort and do something else to help myself. Before vyvanse all that ‘mental therapy’ stuff would just make me angrier and want to eat more. Vyvanse lessened the craving So that I could concentrate and move forward. Hope you find a medical professional that will help you, a lot of doctors still don’t take this condition seriously! Binge Eating Disorder Association maybe?

[Mtron]

Oh yes. Alcoholic in recovery for 8 years here. Binge and overeating lifelong addictions. Runs in the fam.

[pammers]

I'm dealing with it right now. My weight has been a constant issue since childhood and I've even had Gastric Bypass. But it doesn't deal with the emotional aspect of eating, and since I was just diagnosed with ADD in 2020, I am just now piecing it all together. I have started meeting regularly with my counselor, who is helping me walk through my emotions/ADD/food issues. I would recommend doing that - find someone you trust who works with eating disorders and possibly ADD - mine is not trained in ADD but I trust her and she does understand eating disorders.

I am also trying Vyvanse soon, hoping to see some relief from my constant obsessive thoughts on food. My big struggle is night eating, which is also a disorder that has been the hardest to deal with since it can hit while I am asleep (I used to sleepwalk). I have even baked cookies in my sleep, then woke up to smoke and the cookies burning in the oven. I have woken up to find left over food/plates by my bed, and I don't remember eating it at all. Now it's more I stay up all night and just want to eat everything - but at least I am awake now!

There are always changes you can make, and they do help. I am 56 and have learned over the years to be kind to myself, and I know those changes or goals can cause massive guilt if I don't follow them. Then I want to eat, and it just goes round and round. Having my counselor has helped me figure out what works for me and to not put too much pressure on myself. Still a work in progress, but I'm trying to take it as that and not my constant desire to be 'perfect'.

I hope this helps. It does help just to know there are others out there who are also struggling - I hope you keep asking those questions and talk to those who understand. It really does make a difference!