Get help for loss-of-control eating
Not ratedgeneral health evidence
If you often eat a lot quickly and can't stop when full, see a GP. Binge eating is treatable.
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.
- 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 An editorial priority for the general list, weighted by certainty. It does not predict 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.