In order to examine whether emotionality and/or insensitivity to internal state may be associated with bulimia, self‐rated moods and hunger in association with eating were compared in 19 bulimics, 12 recovered bulimics, and 21 normal controls spontaneously eating in their natural environments. Subjects reported in a diary everything they either ate or drank and their moods and hunger both before and after eating for seven consecutive days. No differences between groups were found for emotionality or hunger perception in association with meals. In contrast, when binging occurred, bulimic hunger and fullness ratings were relatively low and anxiety was relatively high. The binge resulted in reduced anxiety but increased depression and a normal reduction in hunger/fullness. Prebout anxiety was correlated with the reported amount eaten in the binge and was in turn significantly correlated with the reduction in anxiety following the binge. Correlations between prebout hunger and fullness ratings and the food energy consumed in bulimic meals and binges suggest that bulimics are aware of, and can respond appropriately and normally to, their internal state of hunger and fullness. Binging occurs when anxiety is relatively high, resulting in a lowering of anxiety but an increase in depression, suggesting that binging may serve as a way to relieve anxiety but result in an associated increase in guilt and depression.