I Can’t Stop Weighing Myself: Why the Scales Feel So Addictive
➔ You step on the scale ‘just to check’… and suddenly your mood for the day is ruined.
Sound familiar?
For many people struggling with eating disorders or disordered eating, the bathroom scale becomes more than a number. It becomes a ritual, a measure of worth, a dopamine hit, and eventually, a prison.
I know this because I’ve been there.
compulsive weighing
The Day My Friend Took My Scales
I’ll never forget the day my friend walked into my flat without saying a word, went straight into my bathroom, picked up my scales… and walked out.
I was furious. Mortified. Defensive.
But deep down? I knew she was right.
I was in the tightest grip of my eating disorder. Weighing myself wasn’t a “morning check-in”, it was an obsession. I’d weigh myself multiple times a day, often in secret. Back then, I worked at Mothercare, and I discovered a blind spot on the CCTV, which allowed me to sneak onto the baby and toddler scales during my shift.
I cringe thinking about it now.
But the truth is, I understand that need for control. I know what it feels like to be ruled by a number.
And I now understand the neuroscience behind why it feels so addictive, especially for neurodivergent brains.
Finding Freedom from compulsive weighing
Why the Scales Feel So Addictive (Especially for ADHD or Autism)
Let’s talk about what’s happening in your brain.
Every time you step on the scale, your brain’s reward system lights up. You’re either:
➔ chasing the ‘good’ feeling of a lower number
➔ bracing yourself for the ‘bad’ hit of a higher one
This triggers a dopamine loop, the same kind of loop involved in other compulsive behaviours like social media scrolling, gambling, or even binge eating.
For people with ADHD, who often struggle with low baseline dopamine, the urgency and instant feedback from the scales can feel magnetic.
For those with autism, it can become a rigid ritual, a comfort in an otherwise chaotic world.
For people with high anxiety, the weighing becomes a false way to seek control and predictability.
It’s not just a habit. It’s a neurological feedback system. And that’s why it can be so hard to stop, even when we know it’s hurting us.
Empowering Affirmations
The Problem With “Just One More Weigh-In”
We tell ourselves it’s no big deal.
➔ “I just want to see.”
➔ “It keeps me on track.”
➔ “I’ll feel better once I know.”
But what happens?
➔ Your entire mood hinges on the number
➔ You eat or restrict based on what you see
➔ You check again, hoping the number’s changed
➔ You feel out of control when you don’t check
➔ You tie your self-worth to a fluctuating metric
And no matter what the number says, it’s never enough.
Because the goalposts always shift. And the anxiety never really goes away.
Supportive Messages
What Helped Me Quit the Scale Addiction
Letting go of the scales felt like withdrawal.
I panicked. I felt like I was losing control. I didn’t know how to measure my progress. But slowly, something began to shift.
Here’s what helped me, and what I now use with my clients:
1. Blind Weighing (Only If Necessary)
If someone is in medical recovery and weighing is essential, I recommend blind weighing, where only the clinician sees the weight. This can reduce obsessive thinking and help break the visual trigger.
2.
Focus on Behaviours, Not Numbers
It’s not the number that’s the problem; it’s the behaviours surrounding it. Are you skipping meals? Overexercising? Avoiding social events? These are the real red flags. The number is just the symptom.
3.
Track How You Feel — Not What You Weigh
Use a journal, a voice note, or even the Recovery Record app to log:
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How connected to your body are you
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Whether you honoured your hunger
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Moments you chose rest over restriction
This builds a new reward system based on wellbeing, not weight.
4.
Remove the Scale Physically
Out of sight, out of mind. Give your scale to a trusted friend. Lock it away. Or smash it ceremonially (yes, really — some clients find this hugely empowering).
5.
Affirmations That Help Rewire the Brain
Say these daily, even if they feel hard to believe at first:
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➔ I am more than a number.
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➔ My weight does not define my worth.
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➔ I deserve to feel free in my body.
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➔ Food is not a reward or a punishment, it’s fuel.
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➔ I can feel safe even when I don’t know the number.
What I Tell My Clients Now
If you’re stuck in a weighing cycle, you’re not weak.
You’re human.
You’re likely anxious.
You’re craving certainty in a world that feels too fast, too unpredictable, and too loud.
But it is possible to step off that scale and not look back.
When I finally let go of the number, not just the object but the belief system that came with it,- I felt something I hadn’t felt in years: peace.
You are allowed to trust your body.
You are allowed to focus on healing.
You are allowed to live a life that isn’t ruled by scales and shame.
Becky Stone
I’m Becky Stone, a qualified eating disorder therapist based in the UK. I work with both teens and adults, offering a calm and non-judgmental space to explore what recovery truly means, on your terms. My work is shaped by both professional training and lived experience. I specialise in supporting neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD and autism. At the heart of my approach is trust, not perfection, but rather safe, flexible, and compassionate care.
