Comorbidities
Eating disorders are recognized as a true comorbidity of ADHD (El Archi et al., 2020). Researchers believe that the impulsivity of ADHD can contribute to the severity of eating disorder behavior (El Archi et al., 2020). Adolescent females with ADHD are at a higher risk of acquiring an eating disorder (Ptacek et al., 2016).
Studies have shown a high frequency of ADHD symptoms in patients with eating disorders, which makes sense since people with ADHD tend to suffer from mood disorders, including depression and anxiety. In addition, some studies suggest ADHD medication can suppress appetite (Reinblatt, 2015). However, these ADHD symptoms are often overlooked or not considered contributory to the eating disorder and are therefore not always considered in the treatment approach (Nation Library of Medicine, 2022).
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Since one emblem of ADHD is low levels of dopamine, people with ADHD are chemically wired to seek more of this pleasure-producing neurotransmitter, making people with ADHD susceptible to eating disorders. This is exemplified by a study that demonstrates an increased dopamine release in binge-eaters in comparison to non-binge eaters when presented with food stimuli (Reinblatt, 2015).
Additionally, individuals with eating disorders are up to five times likelier to abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, and those who abuse alcohol or illicit drugs are up to 11 times likelier to have eating disorders (The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2003).
ADHD + Anorexia Nervosa (AN)
Studies have shown mixed results with respect to the correlation between ADHD and Anorexia Nervosa (Giel et al., 2011). However there is a noted common obsession with nutrition labels and calorie intake among people with ADHD, leading some to limit food intake (Reinblatt, 2015). These results highlight the possibility that symptoms of hyperfocus that are present in ADHD manifest as restrictive eating behaviors. Taken together, these studies stress the need for additional research.
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Russell Brand
Note: Russell Brand has recently been accused by several women of rape, sexual assault, emotional abuse and innappropriate workplace behavior. Brand has denied these allegations and claims all his relationships have been consensual. (NBC News, 2023)
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Russell Brand is an English comedian and actor. Brand is infamous for his flamboyant style and manner and has won three British Comedy Awards. As an actor, Brand is best known for his role as Aldous Snow in the comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008).
In his early childhood, Russel Brand was diagnosed with ADHD and also struggled with a binge eating disorder. By the age of 14, his eating disorder had developed into Bulimia Nervosa. (The Guardian, 2017) Brand’s story is rare in that eating disorders tend to be associated with girls and women.
In a 2022 YouTube video, Russell also shares the hopelessness that comes with drug addiction. A possible parallel can be drawn between drug abuse and the star’s eating disorder.
ADHD + Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Since ARFID has only recently been introduced to the DSM-V, there is little research surrounding the disorder's long-term outcomes and possible link to ADHD. However, a connection has been drawn between anxiety and ARFID, which is fueled by a fear surrounding certain foods (Pennell, A., Couturier, J., Grant, C. & Johnson, N., 2016). Both ADHD and ARFID are viewed as neurodevelopmental disorders with similar underlying symptoms (Kennedy et al., 2002). In addition, one of the characteristics of ADHD, inattentiveness, can lead to the skipping of meals, and lack of impulse control can cause a person to eat too quickly and possibly choke (Kennedy et al., 2002).
ADHD + Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
The comorbidity of ADHD and BED is common. An estimated 2.8 million people in the United States suffer from Binge Eating Disorder, and studies have shown that the comorbidity of ADHD and BED affect 9.3% to 11.4% of them (Cortese, S., Bernardina, B. D., & Mouren, M. C., 2007). Although impulsivity is present in both ADHD and Binge Eating Disorders, only two DSM-IV criteria for BED mention this lack of inhibition (National Institutes of Health, 2023), resulting in the comorbidity often going unnoticed or untreated. Reviewed studies assessing this relationship have led to varied hypotheses (Samuele Cortese, Bernardo Dalla Bernardina, Marie-Christine Mouren et al., 2007).
One theory is that ADHD advances binge eating disorder; however, it is also possible that BED fosters ADHD symptoms (Cortese et al, 2007). The precise connection between these two mental health conditions is not presently known; however, imaging studies have discovered functional and structural changes in the frontal and striatal regions of the brain, specifically altered brain circuits relating to dopamine, in both ADHD and eating disorders (Bush et al., 2005; Frank, 2013). For this reason, some professionals believe ADHD and BED could implicate overlapping neurobehavioral circuits involving problems with response inhibition, emotional regulation, and reward processing (Reinblatt, 2015).
Both ADHD and binge eating are linked to dopamine dysregulation. This makes sense, and it seems intuitive that emotional eating can lead to binge eating (Heshmati et al., 2020) And it is interesting to note that people with ADHD often compare binging to substance abuse. (Davis et al., 2015).
ADHD+ Bulimia Nervosa (BN)
ADHD and Bulimia Nervosa are common comorbidities (Reinblatt, 2015). Additionally, 40% of individuals with this comorbidity struggle with impulsivity in areas other than eating, such as difficulties with managing negative emotions and impulse control (Reinblatt, 2015). Among this population, negative emotional intensity and sensation seeking are frequent (Reinblatt, 2015). Early case studies have noted that a regular consumption of stimulants (ADHD medication) relates to fewer binge eating episodes and weight normalization in these individuals (Reinblatt, 2015).