ADHD & Binge Eating: Why You Feel Like a Bottomless Pit (And Why Traditional CBT Often Fails)

Why do some people with ADHD feel like no amount of food is ever enough? Why can you finish a satisfying meal and still find yourself searching the pantry, thinking about dessert, or feeling like something is missing?

In this solo episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, I explore the often-overlooked connection between ADHD and binge eating disorder (BED). I explain why many ADHDers describe feeling like a "bottomless pit" around food, why satisfaction can remain elusive even when physical hunger has passed, and why traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) doesn't always address the executive functioning and nervous system challenges that drive binge eating.

Using the fictional case example of Zoe, we look beyond willpower and self-control to better understand how ADHD can shape reward processing, food thoughts, understimulation, sensory needs, and the search for regulation. If you've ever wondered why your relationship with food feels different from what most recovery advice describes, this episode offers a compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming perspective.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

You'll learn why ADHD and binge eating frequently occur together, how executive functioning differences can influence eating behavior, and why the feeling of "never being satisfied" isn't always about physical hunger. I also discuss why food often becomes a source of stimulation after mentally demanding days, how shame keeps many people stuck, and why ADHD-informed eating disorder treatment may look very different from traditional CBT.

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR

This episode is for adults with ADHD, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, chronic food thoughts, or food noise. It's also for anyone who has worked on emotional eating, stopped dieting, or completed eating disorder treatment but still feels confused by persistent urges to eat. Therapists, dietitians, and other eating disorder professionals who work with neurodivergent clients will also find this discussion helpful.

IN THIS EPISODE

We explore why binge eating isn't always driven by restriction, how ADHD changes the way many people experience reward and satisfaction, why executive functioning matters in eating disorder recovery, and what clinicians often miss when they focus only on changing thoughts or behaviors. I also explain how approaching binge eating with curiosity instead of self-criticism can open the door to more effective, sustainable healing.

RELATED EPISODES

ADHD & Bulimia: Dopamine, Impulsivity, & the Hidden Link to Binge Eating With Kirsten Book, PMHNP-BC on Apple and Spotify.

Why Eating Feels So Chaotic With ADHD: Binge Eating, Bulimia, & Executive Function Challenges on Apple and Spotify.

Eating Disorders & ADHD: Neurodivergent-Affirming Recovery With Taylor Ashley, RP @taylorashleytherapy on Apple and Spotify.

RESOURCES

If you're looking for additional support, check out my Binge Eating Recovery Membership, where you'll find practical tools, education, and guidance through a neurodivergent-affirming, weight-neutral lens.

You can also explore my ARFID & Selective Eating course, blog, podcast archive, and additional recovery resources at www.drmariannemiller.com.

WORK WITH DR. MARIANNE MILLER

I'm Dr. Marianne Miller, PhD, LMFT, an eating disorder therapist specializing in ADHD, binge eating disorder, ARFID, anorexia, bulimia, and neurodivergent-affirming care. I provide virtual therapy throughout California, TWashington, DC, as well as coaching worldwide.

If this episode helped you better understand your relationship with food, please follow Dr. Marianne-Land, leave a rating or review on Apple and Spotify Podcasts, and share this episode with someone who has spent years wondering why food never seems like enough.