Get help for loss-of-control eating
If you often eat a lot quickly and can't stop when full, see a GP. Binge eating is treatable.
Not ratedgeneral health evidence
Start with the time you have
1 minute
Ask yourself honestly: does eating often feel out of your control?
5 minutes
Note when binges happened this week and how you felt before and after.
15 minutes
Book a GP appointment and write down what you want to tell them.
A plan
Get from notice to support
- Keep a short note of binges and how you felt for a week or two.
- Take the notes to a GP appointment, with a friend if that helps.
- Ask about guided self-help or an eating disorder referral.
How sure the science is
Not rated, general health evidence
No pooled trials to rate. This rests on single studies, expert consensus or clinical practice. Measured in the general population; we say so because ADHD trials of this do not exist or are too small.
ADHD eating-disorder meta-analysis (12 studies, 4,013 people with ADHD) plus general NHS assessment and treatment guidance; the treatment evidence is not ADHD-specific and no GRADE rating is given.
The number, drawn
ADHD is linked with about four times the odds of binge eating disorder (odds ratio 4.13)
Why it matters
A meta-analysis of 12 studies found about four times the odds of binge eating disorder in people with ADHD compared with people without. The NHS calls binge eating disorder a serious mental health condition where people eat without feeling in control, and says most people recover with the right support. Treatment usually starts with guided self-help or talking therapy, and often includes planning regular meals and snacks.
How to do it
- Notice whether you regularly eat a lot in a short time and can't stop when you're full.
- Book a GP appointment and say how often it happens and how you feel afterwards.
- Ask about guided self-help, or a referral to an eating disorder service.
Binge eating disorder needs a clinical assessment. Don't start a strict diet on your own, because the NHS says dieting during treatment can make binge eating harder to stop.
Putting it into practice
In real life
- Tell the GP you often eat until uncomfortably full and feel ashamed afterwards.
- Call the Beat adult helpline to talk it through before booking an appointment.
Watch out for
- Common mistakeTreating binges as a willpower problem keeps the cycle going. Ask for proper support.
- Common mistakeSkipping meals to make up for a binge can set up the next one. Ask about regular eating instead.
Trusted guides
How we rated it
- Evidence grade
- B Trials in ADHD with low certainty, or strong general health evidence with a sourced reason it matters more with ADHD.
- The number
- ADHD is linked with about four times the odds of binge eating disorder (odds ratio 4.13) (International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2016)
- Benefit
- 58/100 The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.
- Effort
- Some effort
Sources
- Tier 2 studyThe risk of eating disorders comorbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysisInternational Journal of Eating Disorders, 2016
- Tier 1 guidelineOverview - Binge eating disorderNHS, 2023
- Tier 1 guidelineTreatment - Binge eating disorderNHS, 2023
General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.