Food Allergies and Sensitivities: Individuals with ADHD may be more sensitive to stimuli, scents, textures, flavors, and foods. As a result, a person with ADHD may not as readily accept certain foods, and these behaviors can manifest as restricting, rejection, etc.
If you or a loved one has ADHD and is struggling to eat certain foods, it may be helpful to work with a specialist who can help determine if food allergies or sensitivities are present. Nutritionists can also help guide a person with a healthy diet that incorporates foods that are both acceptable and well tolerated. These characteristics associated with ADHD can make it difficult for an adult or child to maintain a healthy diet or eat adequately. But that would defeat what's sometimes seen as the purpose of these drugs: Vyvanse, for instance, was recently marketed as a way to combat binge-eating disorder precisely because of its appetite-suppressing qualities.
It's what they do with [the drug] that determines if and when it becomes a problem. But it also has plenty to do with our cultural reverence for thinness.
Ash said his Adderall always made him focus on whatever was "at the top of his brain," which for him meant focusing all of his attention and energy on his appearance. He started falling behind in his classes, but the medication was no longer helping him control anything but his weight. Having a doctor-prescribed tool to restrict her eating pushed Milbauer over the edge, and eventually she viewed the medication that once helped her focus as "completely a weight-loss drug.
It took me a while to put my mental health above my appearance. Being improperly diagnosed or not diagnosed at all , many girls turn to food to ease their symptoms. Eating disorders are a method of self-medicating. People who feel out of control, people who feel pain or confusion, people who feel chaotic — well, they want to feel better.
We can all sympathize with that at some point in our lives. Individuals with ADHD feel that way constantly. What if we have been looking at the question backward? What if ADD hyperactivity actually causes people to crave sweets? If the ADD brain is slower to absorb glucose, it would make sense the body would find a way to increase the supply of glucose to the brain as quickly as possible. I have worked with many ADD adults who are addicted to sugar, especially chocolate which also contains caffeine.
They find that eating sugar helps them stay alert, calm, and focused. Prior to ADD treatment many report drinking sugar sodas, several cups of coffee with sugar, and constantly nibbling on candy and sweets throughout the day. It is impossible to sort out what is pure sugar craving when it is mixed with the stimulating effects of caffeine on the ADD brain. Serotonin helps regulate sleep, sexual energy, mood, impulses and appetite. Low levels of serotonin can cause us to feel irritable, anxious, and depressed.
One way to temporarily increase our serotonin level is to eat foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates. Our attempts to change our neurochemistry are short lived, however, and we have to eat more and more to maintain feeling of well being. Medications such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft work to regulate serotonin. These medications are frequently helpful when used in combination with ADD and eating disorder treatment.
Proper levels of serotonin can also help improve impulse control giving the person time to think before they eat. We may eat for sheer enjoyment even if we're not hungry, or we may eat more than we intend at a dinner party or celebration. But for some, overeating becomes a compulsion they cannot stop.
Compulsive overeaters lose control of their ability to stop eating. They use food to alter their feelings rather than satisfy hunger. Compulsive overeaters tend to crave foods high in carbohydrates, sugars, and salt. Buying the food and finding the time and place to binge in secret creates a level of risk and excitement that the ADHD brain craves.
© Copyright 2017 Concerta and eating disorders. Contributed by: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC for Eating Disorder Hope Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition ..