Autism and Eating to Stim

Today, I'd like to open up a conversation that doesn't get enough attention: autism and binge eating.

As I explain in my blog post 9 Autistic Types of Binge Eating, binge eating is very common in neurodivergent people for a variety of reasons.

In this post, I’m specifically going to focus on the sensory component of binge eating, which is a foundational component of the connection between food and stimming.

What is stimming?

Stimming, or self-stimulatory behavior, is a repetitive behavior used to regulate oneself. “Typical” examples of stimming in autism include rocking, hand flapping, jumping, and pacing.

When it comes to food, eating continuously may be a form of stimming that can, in many cases, be considered a form of binge eating.

From sensory-avoidant to sensory-seeking: my journey

When I had a restrictive eating disorder (diagnosed anorexia, but I believe this diagnosis was incorrect due to the fact that there was practically zero awareness about the neurodivergent eating experience), I was very sensory avoidant when it came to food. I ate very bland, tasteless items, which I now see was a way to reduce my overwhelmed nervous system.

When I went through extreme hunger, nutritionally rehabilitated, and rewired my brain towards abundance and love, I realized how much of a sensory seeker I am. To quote one of my clients: “I didn’t know how autistic I was until I recovered from my eating disorder!”

Nowadays, I often find myself in the kitchen combining and eating as many flavors, textures, and temperatures as I can. It’s like I need to eat the entire “rainbow” of items! 🌈

The high amount of diversity provides me with heightened sensory input, which I experience as an innate mechanism to feel grounded.

Especially with my history of restriction (which the nervous system stores as trauma), frequently getting up to eat highly palatable food helps me get consistent “safety hits.”

Furthermore, I think we can all agree that delicious food literally FEEDS those deprived dopamine centers in the brain!

Emotional eating or...?

While eating for stimulation or pleasure is often labeled “emotional eating,” the root cause of the behavior can be much more individual and nuanced for neurodivergent folx.

Healing your relationship with food involves taking a neurodiversity-affirming approach to your unique wants and needs, making it critical that you understand where your behaviors are coming from.

If you want help on your journey to becoming autistically ED-free, learn more about 1-1 coaching here!