Does Smoking Marijuana Make Binge Eating Worse?
Many marijuana users have a shared experience known as the “munchies” - an intense, insatiable craving for food, sometimes even when you’re not hungry, that can leave you feeling guilty, shameful, and embarrassed. The munchies have more in common with binge eating than you might think.
*Disclaimer: While our dietitians at Bravespace Nutrition believe there is nuance to the word "overeating", we have used this word in the following blog to describe the experience of “eating more than one would like to” and to help those in need find this blog.
What are “the munchies” from marijuana use?
Cannabis, or marijuana, contains what is known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). When you smoke marijuana or anything that contains THC, you often feel a compulsive or intense urge to eat - this is known as the munchies.
You get the munchies after smoking marijuana because THC is an appetite stimulant that can make foods smell, sound, and taste better. THC can make you feel like you’re hungry, even though you may not be physically hungry at all. You may even feel as if you’re extremely hungry, perhaps even starving. If you have the munchies, you might crave foods that you don’t eat normally or allow yourself to have regularly, like sweet and salty foods, snacky foods, carbohydrate-rich foods, etc.
What is binge eating?
Binge eating is when you find yourself in a compulsive state of eating and feel completely out of control of the eating episode. Binging often involves eating large amounts of food - much larger than most people would eat under similar circumstances - often past the point of fullness.
Signs and symptoms of binge eating:
Eating when you aren’t physically hungry
Feeling as if you have no control over what you’re eating or how much
Eating very quickly and ravenously
Eating foods that you may not allow yourself to eat regularly
Feeling a sense of shame, guilt, or embarrassment after the eating episode is over
Eating alone of out fear or embarrassment
There is a slight difference between a binge eating episode and what is known as a “perceived binge” that’s important to note. A perceived binge is when you feel like you have had a binging episode, but in reality, you haven’t eaten a large amount of food. If you have a history with dieting and restriction, it’s likely that you often feel like you overate when you’ve really just eaten more than you’re used to. It may not have been a large amount of food, but it’s a larger amount of food than you usually eat. A perceived binging experience is still real, and your feelings towards the binging episode are equally as valid.
The munchies and binge eating are similar experiences with commonalities, including:
Lack of control - In both the munchies and binge eating, there is an intense feeling that you have no control over what you’re eating, how much you’re eating, or how fast you’re eating. You feel like you’ve been taken out of the driver’s seat and can't seem to stop eating. You’re eating when you aren’t hungry, and it seems like there’s not a limit to how much you can eat. Both munchies and binge eating can leave you feeling bloated, physically uncomfortable, and sometimes even in pain.
Consumption of “unhealthy” foods - In cases of munchies and binge eating, the foods consumed are often foods that are vilified by diet culture. These are often foods that you may perceive as “unhealthy” or “bad” which tends to lead to you not allowing yourself to consume these foods regularly.
A sense of euphoria or emotional comfort - In the moment, both the munchies and binge eating can have a euphoric effect. Smoking marijuana enhances your senses, which can make food taste much better than usual, and increases the amount of dopamine your body releases. This means that when you have the munchies and eat foods that naturally increase dopamine levels (like desserts), the THC from the marijuana heightens dopamine levels even higher. Binge eating can also have a euphoric effect that leaves you feeling comforted and soothed by the food.
Intense feelings following the eating episode - Your feelings following the munchies and your feelings after a binge eating episode are more similar than you may think. In both situations, you might feel ashamed, embarrassed, and guilty. You may not understand how you ate so much even when you weren’t hungry, and you wish you could reverse time to never let it happen again.
How are “the munchies” and binge eating different?
While the munchies are an experience stimulated by voluntary use of a drug, binge eating is an involuntary physiological response caused by a combination of different influences. Binge eating can be caused by genetics, restriction of food, trauma, food insecurity, experience with dieting/eating disorders, and addiction. While the munchies are caused by a voluntary action, the overeating and/or binge eating episode itself is involuntary.
The munchies are arguably more socially acceptable than binge eating. Society teaches you that smoking a schedule 1 substance that elicits a binge is “cool and funny”, but binge eating because of a food insecurity/an eating disorder/emotional overwhelm is shameful and depressing. The messaging often is: If you overeat because you took drugs that’s totally understandable, but if you overeat because you have an eating disorder or are experiencing disordered eating, it’s gross. Considering that the munchies and binge eating are both very similar food experiences that have similar feelings with similar outcomes, why does this stigma exist about binge eating?
Binge eating is the most common type of disordered eating behavior and binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder to have, yet it’s the most misunderstood and stigmatized. There’s a lack of information and research about binge eating disorder, and it was only recently added to the DSM-V as binge eating disorder. Binge eating is also represented very differently than other well-known eating disorders (like anorexia and bulimia), which are glorified in the media.
Binge eating is also looked down upon because of weight stigma and fatphobia. There’s a misconception that only those who are fat can experience binge eating, and this is not true. Diet culture exposes fatphobia which states that people in larger bodies are
“lazy, immoral,and less intelligent.” This is seen in healthcare settings, work settings, family settings, etc. Fatphobia, weight stigma, and the misconceptions about binge eating all create a misunderstood behavior/experience in which people are afraid to speak out and seek help.
Such misinterpretations only further stigmatize binge eating. The munchies are seen as normal, whereas binge eating is seen as something to be shamed and guilted about.
Commonly asked questions about the munchies and binge eating:
Does smoking make binge eating go away?
There’s not a ton of research that points to this conclusion, so it’s difficult to tell. With that being said, there is significant research showing that smoking marijuana (or using any substances in general) can lead to or worsen eating disorders/eating disorder behaviors. The goal of binge eating treatment and recovery is to ultimately stop the binging episodes. Continuing to smoke while simultaneously trying to stop the binge eating can be incredibly difficult because you may still have the munchies and experience episodes of binging or perceived binging.
If you are struggling with binge eating disorder or overeating and then use marijuana, you will feel a compulsion to binge. Because you are under the influence, you are less likely to be able to avoid binge eating because marijuana takes away your ability to “white knuckle” an eating situation in that way that you sometimes can when you’re sober. This also happens when you drink alcohol. The substance causes you to lose the bit of your brain that says, “No, I am not going to binge eat today.”
Smoking marijuana often increases how often you binge eat and worsens the dieting-restricting patterns you try to avoid during binge eating disorder treatment.
Does binge eating make the munchies worse?
Binge eating can certainly make your munchies much worse, especially if you frequently find yourself restricting, then binging, then restricting again. Binge eating is caused by food restriction. While you may be able to withstand the intense pressures of dieting and restriction normally, smoking can change this. When you’re under the influence of marijuana (and other substances) you lose your ability to restrict food, you get hungry, and you’re no longer able to stick to the diet. If you frequently smoke and also engage in the restrict-binge behaviors of binge eating, it’s possible that your binge eating is exacerbating the munchies.
Can you smoke if you binge eat or have binge eating disorder to decrease depression?
Having the desire to cope emotionally or to feel better is normal and valid. As more and more states have legalized marijuana use, such as in the state of Washington, more people are using it to remedy anxiety, depression, stress, etc. While it’s true that binge eating often coexists with anxiety and depression, we don’t recommend continuing smoking as a way to resolve depression. Our recommendation as eating disorder dietitians is to reach out to your doctor or psychiatrist to explore your options for treating depression. And, if you are looking for an emotional outlet for the depression you may be experiencing from constantly binge eating, it may be worth it to try to find other ways to cope with binge eating. This can include free support groups, 1:1 work with an eating disorder dietitian, finding a hobby like painting, music, writing, etc., and/or confiding in a loved one for support.
What do I do if I can’t stop smoking weed but want to stop overeating during the munchies?
While we recommend that you consider taking a break from marijuana use while recovering from binge eating, it’s important to recognize that weed addictions are real. If you have a marijuana addiction or feel that you can’t stop smoking, consider seeking help from addiction specialists. Click here for more information on marijuana addiction. In addition to this, there is a lot of value in reaching out to a dietitian who specializes in overeating and binge eating to help you to figure out if there is something that may be missing from our diet that is causing the munchies.
What if I’m tired of dealing with the munchies, but I don’t want to give up the social aspect of smoking?
Many people smoke marijuana because it can be a social activity. For some, marijuana can facilitate connection, decrease social anxiety, and serve as a common interest for many people. It’s normal to want to smoke marijuana for the social connectivity it brings. If you’re struggling with overeating and binge eating following a smoke session, it might be time to consider other ways to socially connect with friends and loved ones.
Overall, it’s important to know that smoking marijuana can lead to the munchies, which can lead to overeating, which can then lead to binge eating. Binge eating for some can then lead to marijuana use because of the shame and regret, which can make the binge eating worse.
I had the munchies last night, and I feel awful. What should I do?
If you feel uncomfortable, anxious, or unsettled the day after you’ve had the munchies, we want you to feel supported in your experience. It’s normal to feel this way after an episode of overeating, and you don’t have to face this on your own.
Here are 5 things to do the day after you experience binge eating and the munchies:
Don’t skip meals or attempt to diet/restrict - If you overate during your munchies last night, you don’t need to compensate the next day by dieting or restricting how much you eat. Binge eating often begins with food restriction, and if you deprive yourself of food it’s likely that you will overeat again the next time you smoke. It’s important to eat consistently and eat enough.
Try to take a break from smoking marijuana - If you immediately continue to smoke again, you might develop a binging habit if you haven’t already. Binge eating is an intense experience that is emotionally exhausting and physically draining. Binging isn’t something that you want to subject your body to, and if you feel like smoking inhibits your ability to stop binge eating or overeating, it may be best to stop smoking marijuana altogether.
Wear comfortable clothes - The day after the munchies, you may feel physically uncomfortable. There’s no need to wear super tight clothes that make you feel even more uncomfortable. It’s ok to be kind to yourself, and wear clothes that make you feel at ease.
Be gentle with yourself - It’s overwhelming to feel like you’ve overeaten and binged, and it’s ok to feel emotionally drained. Be gentle with yourself, and show yourself the same compassion and kindness that you would treat a friend if they were in this situation. Remember, you are so much more than what you eat, and you deserve grace.
Spend time with a friend or loved one - If you feel shame, guilt, or depression the day after the munchies, consider spending time with others around you. It can be tempting to socially isolate yourself out of shame, but spending time with loved ones can help to prevent more shame from arising.
You’ll also love…
Do you feel like you binge eat often when you use marijuana? Do you have the munchies and feel out of control with food every time you use marijuana?
Whether you’re experiencing binge eating, the munchies, feel like you're overeating when you smoke, or all of the above, our registered dietitian nutritionists can help support you! At Bravespace Nutrition, we want to honor your experience with food and help you regain control of food. Our caring, nonjudgmental dietitians are trained to help you with your binge eating and mend your relationship with food. We’re here to help you find a life free from binge eating! To get started, schedule a free 15 minute discovery phone call today!