How to recover from eating disorders: 5 expert-backed tips for bingeing, starving, restricting and more

Eating disorder aren't about food alone—they're about deep struggles with emotions, self-worth and control. (Image: Canva)

Have you wondered why some people feel proud after skipping a meal, while others end up overeating and feeling worse than before? A new study suggests that the brain’s reward system plays a big role. It shows that behaviours like bingeing or starving can create a cycle that keeps eating disorders going.

According to research supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, eating disorder change how the brain reacts to hunger, surprise and reward. Scientists studies around 200 women with conditions such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. They discovered that the brain’s dopamine-related response to surprise was different in women with eating disorders compared to those without. This change in brain activity affected how hunger and reward were processed, reinforcing behaviours that trapped them in cycles of restriction or overconsumption.

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• Why starving can feel easier than eating

For women with anorexia, starving felt easier than eating. The brain’s response to surprise was unusually strong, so each skipped meal gave them a sense of control. It was as if their brain rewarded them for resisting hunger instead of eating

• Why bingeing brings no relief

For women with binge-eating disorder, overeating didn't bring relief. Their brain’s response to surprise was weaker, so eating too much gave them neither joy nor satisfaction, it left them feeling out of control and more likely to binge again.

• How the brain rewires itself

The study revealed that hunger and reward circuits were working in reverse. Instead of hunger driving behaviour, the behaviour itself reshaped hunger. This reversal explains why recovery can feel like such an uphill battle.

• Habits and biology

Restricting, overeating, or purging aren’t just choices, they physically change the brain over time. Once that change sets in, it makes the behaviours even harder to break.

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• Hope, not despair

Though sobering, these findings give researchers a blueprint. By mapping how habits and biology interact, science may one day design treatments that interrupt the loop, helping people move from illness to lasting recovery.

• Get help early: Spotting patterns sooner makes them easier to reverse.

• Try therapy: Counselling and support from friends and family are proven to help

• Eat regularly: A balanced diet helps. Regular meals can stabalize hunger, mood and energy levels.

• Lean on support: Confide in trusted friends or support groups to reduce secrecy and shame.

• Ease the mind: Practices like yoga, journaling, or meditation can ease anxiety.