We have recently published two studies looking at how autistic and ADHD adults with binge or purge type eating disorders understand the role their neurodivergence plays in their eating disorder.
We interviewed 26 adults with lived experience of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or similar difficulties. Many told us it wasn't always easy to untangle how their neurodivergence affected their eating disorder, but they still shared valuable insights into the connections they noticed:
- For participants with ADHD, traits like emotional overwhelm, boredom or understimulation, sensation seeking, and impulsivity often played into binge eating. Many also described avoiding certain textures or flavours, missing hunger or thirst cues when hyperfocused, and skipping meals as a result.
- For autistic participants, similar patterns emerged: avoiding certain textures or flavours, difficulty noticing hunger or fullness, and a tendency toward strict food rules and routines, all of which could contribute to restrictive or under eating. Some also described difficulty identifying or communicating emotions, which could lead to restrictive eating to numb feelings, bingeing for comfort, or both.
Across both groups, participants also spoke about how discrimination, a lack of acceptance, and missing accommodations, especially before diagnosis, affected their self esteem and sense of identity. For some, eating disorder behaviours became a way of coping, finding belonging, or building identity.
These studies add to our understanding of how autism and ADHD can shape the way eating disorders develop and present and contribute to the work of PEACE in improving eating disorder care for neurodivergent people.
