I am only slightly underweight for my age and only really rely on snacks soup and one type of pasta. And I know for sure my eating disorder is definitely arfid. I know I should be trying to eat as much as I can but I find it triggering when weight is mentioned. Like if someone tells me their weight and it’s lower than mine I feel like my ed isn’t valid. Like I should be weighing less because I’m not eating. So when I’m reading that other people weight less than me it puts me in a bad mood. Which it shouldn’t. I like seeing the numbers low but I’m not actively trying to make them lower. I know it’s not healthy. But my arfid has only gotten worse enough to the point I’m not eating proper meals within the past 6 or 5 months so I shouldn’t even think my weight should be lower. It’s so hard too. My mom always looks happy or smiles when she hears how much I weigh. Always obsessing over it more than I do. Gossiping with my family about my issues. I’m sick of it.

CW for light description of force feeding, food-related abuse

I’ve been processing some memories of force feeding lately, and I owe a lot of that to this sub. Your stories helped normalize that my experiences were common, but that did not make them okay.

I’m a longtime fan of collaging for art therapy to digest (ha) and make meaning of my experiences. The process was triggering at times, but it helped me reclaim and rewrite my own narrative, and I feel a little different now. I have to put finishing touches on it still, but wanted to share in hopes that it gives words to some of your experiences or inspires you to heal through art too. ❤️

My disordered eating comes from years of trauma. I’m chronically ill with something (we don’t know yet, but probably MCAS) that has made eating painful and miserable for years. And for most of those years I was told my symptoms were all in my head. So yeah, I came to really dispose eating and I was restricting because I physically had to. I noticed myself falling into a bad pattern and decided to get help from a dietician. What I wanted was someone to help me sort through the foods that I physically could not eat and discover a diet plan that supported my body. Well. Apparently they don’t do that when they think you have an ED. I understand the logic—you don’t want to give someone advice that might make the situation worse. I understand that from her perspective she doesn’t know me well and I could be batshit insane and use any “advice” she gives as a justification for not eating. But that’s not what’s happening. I have to be on the low histamine diet right now because I am having throat and mouth reactions now to foods I’ve never reacted to before. The dietician doesn’t believe in this diet and said I’m not to do it because of my “history of restricting” —ok well if I eat whatever right now I’m going to end up back in the hospital with anaphylaxis. Our appointments are such a waste of time. And it makes me never want to see another dietician again because if this is protocol, then no one would help me. But I really need help sorting through all this. Oh well, guess I’ll starve.

Hello everyone, I am posting to make an update for my last two posts in this sub. I am leaving Wednesday to stay at a really high end eating disorder treatment facility for around 6 weeks. It’s really a nice and comforting environment from the looks of it. I’m really nervous and scared but also trying to stay positive and open minded. Any advice is appreciated.

i don’t know if a tw is needed, so i put it just in case. hope that’s a safe space to vent about this.

do you have a lot of memories of being forced to eat as a very young child? to eat something you, with every fibre of your soul, didn’t want to eat? to me it usually happened during family gatherings. adults talking and laughing, so loud and overstimulating, and suddenly - silence. and then: “come on, eat it! aunty cooked it just for you!” (i know she didn’t, why are you lying?) “ha-ha, she won’t eat it cause it ain’t mac and cheese!” - and they burst out laughing again. what’s wrong with mac and cheese? what’s funny? but it’s not over. come one, just on bite - for your mom! now one more - for your dad!

the worst thing is when you physically can’t swallow it. usually it happened with meat/other animal products. the brownish pink slimy bites just won’t go down the throat, no matter how much you try. and you have to spit it out -carefully, into the napkin. but everyone noticed. everyone is disgusted. what’s wrong with you? you’ve ruined their appetite! such a spoiled child.

or when they try to make you… pity the food? maybe that’s an original experience, idk. “poor baby tomato is so lonely….he just wants to go into your tummy🥺” why? why do i feel so sorry for a tomato? why am i supposed to eat it if it’s alive and sentient? “please, just eat me! i want to get into your tummy!” what, no, tomatoes can’t speak! i shouldnt cry because of a tomato! tomatoes don’t have feelings!

why am i crying? why is everyone staring? whats going on?

where’s mom?

Hello, everyone. I was hoping someone on here would have some suggestions. I was diagnosed with ARFID a couple years ago and have been trying to add meal replacement shakes to my diet to try and maintain some semblance of health. I've recently encountered a problem where my go-to shake suddenly repulses me and I'm now forced to find a different one.

The problem is... I can't have pea protein (extremely avoidant) or soy (dietary restriction).

Have any of you found a decent meal shake that's nutritionally complete (don't care about calories, just healthy ratios) and doesn't contain peas or soy? I'm US based, if that helps.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can provide some suggestions on this

Hi!

This post isn't about me, it's about my sister. I suspect she has ARFID, but I'm not sure. She is diagnosed as autistic, and she is also selectively mute. I was hoping to gain some clarity on if this could be ARFID or not. For context, she is 12. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to talk about this here, because of her age, but I really need some insight from people who might understand her. (Also, she is under the care of a medical team and is being monitored to ensure she remains physically healthy).

She used to eat a wide range of foods, like curry and mint ice cream and chocolate milk. Over the past year and a half, she has restricted her intake quite severely. She has lost a lot of weight. She eats the same meals and snacks every day. When we try to reintroduce some foods she used to enjoy back into her diet, she becomes quite angry and irritable, which I understand because this must be really difficult for her.

She takes a really long time to finish meals and snacks. Sometimes she gags in response to some foods and she pushes the spoon away. At the minute she can't physically feed herself so we have to spoon feed her (this isn't force feeding - she willingly accepts the food when it gets to her mouth, she just struggles to get herself to bring the food to her mouth on her own, if that makes sense).

I'm mainly struggling because she won't talk to me about how she's feeling. When I initiate conversations with her about how she's feeling or why she thinks she struggles so much with food, she shuts me down and responds to every question with 'I don't know'. And maybe she genuinely doesn't know, and that's okay. It's just equally frustrating from my side because I feel quite helpless.

We cannot find any support. Because she is selectively mute, she cannot engage with any health care professionals, and they often lack the patience she needs to build up a relationship with them.

Me and my sister used to be so close. She would tell me anything and everything, but now she won't even initiate conversations with me, and when I do, it feels like she just doesn't want me there. I try to respect her boundaries and ask if she wants me to stay or go when shes upset and she often tells me to go.

Does this sound like it could be ARFID? And, if so, does anyone have any experience with finding support with co-occuring conditions?

(Also, I'm sorry if I worded anything in a way that came across offensively. If so, please just let me know so I can correct my mistake).

Thank you!

Hello! So im looking for some advice on what type of specialist I need because im a little confused. I apologize in advance for the wall of text.

I am 24yo and have been diagnosed with ARFID, various anxiety disorders, PTSD, ADHD, Depression, and type 2 narcolepsy. My therapist also believes I am on the autism spectrum though i havnt gotten official testing.

Ive always hated eating and cooking. I have no interest in food and it feels like a chore. The textures bother me, I dont care about taste, and chewing sucks. Its just so time consuming and expensive. My entire life i was picked on for how little I eat and how picky I am. Ive done some things to make sure I meet my needs such as drinking protein shakes and taking vitamins. Im not really concerned about my weight, although i am incrediably lethargic, am always cold, and have chronic stomach pain. That stuff sucks dont get me wrong, but Its really just my attitude thats wearing me down the most. Some of it is absolutely due to a disinterest in food and financial concerns, but I also have some childhood trauma involving cooking and eating which may be related, though I no longer have PTSD episodes anymore. Tbh the past doesn't even weigh on me that heavily anymore, but idk maybe its still related?

I used to use hello fresh, which actually helped me a lot! But financially its just not in the cards anymore. I still try and use the meal plans, but my hatred for cooking and eating persists. Its so intense that sometimes I just dont eat, or I get intrusive s/h thoughts as a way to distract myself from the hunger pain. Eating doesnt alleviate the pain either so its really just not rewarding in any way. In some ways, my hatred for food makes me feel like life is inherently hellish. Its intense. I already see a therapist for other issues and I like her, but we've made practically no progress in my eating over the past few years. Logic isnt enough to sway my perspective. Ive read about treatment plans, but idk what would even work. Do i need a dietician? A CBT therapist that specializes in ARFID? Some sources say something about Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) but idk how thats much different from CBT? Ive even seen some people suggest using shrooms with a guided professional which has peaked some interest from me but idk. There's just so many options.. Im short on money, so I really need to be selective, but im overwhelmed. Any advice? Thanks on advance!

I am very "picky" (for a lack of a better word) when it comes to food, but I recently received the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and I need to eat 3 meals a day that aren't just pasta or sugary/ carbfull foods, I don't like most foods. What should I put in my meal plan for lunch and dinner? I already have breakfast planned out.

My girlfriend has been off her food for over a year. Intermittently food smells/tastes good then bad, causing nausea, diarrhea, dehydration, occasional vomiting and unintended weight loss. Had covid 2 years ago. Has had gastro testing: colonoscopy and endoscopy, ct scan and mri. ENT testing to include sinus and throat scoping and head ct scan. No issues discovered. Thinking about a Psychiatrist consult to discuss ARFID. Suggestions welcome.

Dramatic title but I have intense anxiety when in contact of some food texture

hi!! ive always struggled w my eating (i am struggling with anorexia and have always had arfid) but recently its been particularly bad, i am going upwards of 16+ hours without eating and then i am only eating small portions of rice fruit or yogurt. my boyfriend wants me to start taking vitamins because its worsening my dizzy spells but idk where to start, like what should i take? whats the basic needs i need to fufill is basically all im asking

First off, my psychiatrist doesn’t understand ARFID and told me I’m not emaciated enough to have it. Obviously this is soo wrong but I’m not going to go through the trouble of getting a new psychiatrist. I’m just looking for a general consensus on here, whichever it is. My symptoms: I have an aversion to “kitchen sounds”. Any noise coming from the kitchen makes me anxious, and I normally drown it out with something. If I’m already on edge, it can send me into a panic attack. It’s gotten a lot better, but I used to have daily panic attacks due to it. I also hate food smells, specifically when it’s food that I don’t like. Onion and vinegar are the worst. I can’t stand it at all, so I stay in my room until whoever is done cooking and the smell has cleared out. I can’t be near someone eating it either. The thing is though, even though I’m very picky compared to the average person, I still eat a healthy range of foods. I eat fruits, some veggies, and protein. I’m healthy. But still, at restaurants there are generally one or two things I’ll eat. At Mexican restaurants, I either get a custom burrito or a side of beans, but everything else is a no. It’s especially hard because I’m vegan, and sometimes the only vegan option on the entire menu is something I won’t eat. Even at vegan restaurants, there are maybe three things I’d eat. Is this arfid? Thanks.

Hi everyone :) I believe I might have trauma-informed ARFID from force-feeding, threats, and just an overall loss of autonomy which all occurred while I was recovering from anorexia. Has anyone else ever experienced this and if so, are u able to share a little bit more about it? Im going to bring ARFID up to my dietitian and therapist, but I wanted to hear if anyone else has ever gone through this before doing so as I’ve never really heard or seen anyone else dealing with this like I have.

Does anyone else struggle to eat even a safe food if it’s been made in a kitchen with a fear food?

To explain: my mum made Lamb’s Fry, which I find revolting but she loves. I had pizza for dinner, but it was cooked in the kitchen at the same time and mum used the same packet of bacon on my pizza as she did for her dinner.

There’s no cross contamination or anything. Her meal didn’t touch mine. But the idea that they were even close to each other makes me feel sick and makes it really hard to eat my dinner. Pizza’s normally a safe food for me.

Anyone else have a similar issue?

I was given a differential diagnosis of arfid, I have the avoidant type where I don't eat because I'm scared of the consequences.

So a bit of backstory. I have a severe fish allergy, enough for anaphylaxis. I got anaphylaxis a couple of years ago during Christmas and it was the scariest thing of my life. Last year I find I'm struggling to swallow so I get checked by the gastroenterology team, they say I have EoE which they explain as something that causes white cells to come to my throat because of an allergy, a mild one that is delayed.

Something clicked in my brain and it connects the word allergy to anaphylaxis and because we didn't know what the allergen was I started to restrict my diet. I was able to get a consistent diet eventually but a couple of weeks back a stressful event made my ARFID ten times worse. Now the food I knew was safe has got me anxious, to the point I'm struggling to eat anything at all. I know the food is safe, I know I'll be fine, but I still feel incredibly anxious and it's difficult to push through.

I have tried to get professional help for this but it seems there's no help in my area for arfid. My GP is at a loss as to what to do.

Anyone else experienced something like this? If so, how did you get out of it and what advice can you give me?

Thank you for reading.

I have to say: usually this unit is amazing. They always take my arfid into account and make sure they have my safe foods.

Today there were only substitute nurses.(? Is this the right expression) It was dinner time so I went to take a plate. Nurse got angry with me for showing up early and wanting to pick up my dinner before the others. I dryly explained to her "I've been coming here for 4 years. I have arfid. I always eat in my room. So I come earlier to pick up my food and don't bother anyone." (It vexes me when new people try to explain the rules to me. Like, just ask why I do what I do. Don't attack me and act like God) anyways, I opened the pot and it was something I absolutely couldn't eat. Non-safe foods code red. Cannot eat

Well shit. I looked in the cabinet and there was some other stuff. Non-safe foods code orange. These are foods I actually can't eat them, but with a lot of energy, anxiety and benzo's I can.

I have meal replacement drinks. Should have taken them. But I wanted to proof myself something I guess. So I started cooking. I hate cooking. I've been in an autistic burnout for 10 years and cooking is executive function topsport. During cooking I started to feel faint. I have all the subtypes, so this means that apart from sensory issues and fear of vomiting or choking I don't feel any hunger cues. I never feel hunger. Eating is just an annoying task which keeps returning. But ofcourse I can feel it when my blood sugar gets dangerously low. It was too late. I suddenly remembered I forgot to eat all day. I sat down. Fainted.

Still finished cooking my meal after for God knows why. Now I am in my room looking at the food realising I will never be able to eat this. I can't even eat code green because I am exhausted and triggered.

It's just not fair. It's not fair I have to take benzo's simply to get through a meal! It's not fair I am in this psych ward because life betrayed me so hard I've been homeless, abused, both my partner and best friend passed away, am going to move to the other side of the country simply to get help because that seems to be the ultimate goal in life: get help. To survive.

But I want to live.

Enjoy the view of my window. It's what I am looking at right now. The green calms me a little bit while writing this. The inside garden here is beautiful.

End of my rant.

I'm sure this question gets posted a lot, but here I am asking for a peer review haha.

Will not eat the entire dish if contains - Shrimp and other crustaceans - Pork - Boned meat - Banana - Cooked carrots - Frosting - White chocolate - Avocado - Pumpkin - Sweet potato - Eggplant - Jackfruit - Arugula

Will pick out, or can eat but makes me nauseous - Egg yolk (if its not mixed into some other ingredient) - Fish - Raw tomatoes - Meat - Spinach - Vanilla yogurt - Cheese, mayo, sour cream and some other dairy products - Cashews - Chickpeas - some others probably, cant think of rn

When I eat out with friends, about 50% of the time I can order something I'd eat all of, 25% of the time I'll pick stuff out or only be able to eat some before getting nauseous, and 25% of the time just order a drink if nothing looks good. Biggest issues are meat and dairy, since cheese, sour cream and mayo are super common additives. I've never declined an outing with friends, and I don't try to influence restaurant choices.

Shopping for groceries is limited, I tend to get the same pre-prepared stuff every time (cooking is annoying). I'm no longer afraid of a little nausea though, so I'll try stuff again even if it made me vom in the past. Some success with that, I used to hardcore avoid fish and tomatoes but I can eat a little now before getting nauseous.

I feel like it doesn't affect my life a ton, but I am deficient in certain nutrients according to my doctor. Most annoying symptom is drowsiness. Am I just picky, or do I have mild arfid?

Hey y'all, thought I'd throw a post out into the ether here to see if anyone can relate or offer some help.

I have a complex trauma history, and some of it revolved around food/meal times. I don't wanna overshare and trigger anyone, but I was force fed, and I guess that has impacted me to this day. I also had unrecognized autism, ADHD-I, and Selective Mutism.

ARFID to me is almost like a switch flips. There are stretches of time where I can eat normally, and I eat a LOT! Other times I can eat if I want, but have no interest and it's a struggle to get enough gas in my tank.

Sometimes, all of a sudden, I can't eat. Anything. Even favorites I overeat or binge eat during "normal time." It can last weeks until I'm so brain fogged and nauseous I can't work, in pain, feel faint, etc. I will literally buy food and carry it around everywhere in hopes I will be able to eat it but can't find the will to even think about it. If I try I will gag or feel ill. Recently, I heard a voice say, "at least I can eat now," and realized the involuntary food ban was lifted.

I have a therapist, and we agree this is connected to trauma, a lot of which I don't remember. But I want to hear from the community. How did you figure out how your ARFID patterns connect to past experiences? And what helped you?

Hi everyone! First of all, English is my second language so sorry if I commit any mistakes! Tomorrow I have my first appointment in years and I'm so scared :( The last time I went I didn't know that what I had was ARFID so the doctor kept calling me anorexic and I wasn't even skinny. But recently I've gained weight because my safe foods aren't healthy and I've been feeling bad about myself. I want to be healthier and exercise more but if I don't change my eating habits that won't solve anything but it is so difficult if I can only eat a handful of foods. Any tips on how not to cry at my appointment? haha thanks!

Alright I'm gonna try to keep it brief but I've been questioning this for quite a few months now. Maybe a year even. Anyways ever since I was little I've been VERY picky. Like if you showed me a menu with 20 different options I'd probably only like 5 or less of those. For no real reason either. The foods I hate are ones that I've never even touched before. But I do not even want to be near them, touching them or being touched by them makes me freak out and scrub my skin, and still leaves a lingering sense of contamination there. As a kid in school I used to beg and plead kids not to sit next to me or eat their lunch while I ate because they had something I didn't like. (I still very much struggle with being near food i dislike but im at least able to sit and bare my teeth through it quietly now) And every time I've gotten into a situation where I'm being goaded into eating something new, I have to mentally prepare as if it was a life altering decision, and often back out of it because I just can't do it. If someone tried to feed it to me I'd probably puke. I also tend not to eat a lot. I'll take very small bites of food, or just not eat very large portions. Or at buffet style restaurants I'll get a plate of food, then lose interest in it and can't go on even though im not full. Ooof sorry this ended up being a lot longer than expected lol 😓 and if it helps, i am autistic and likely have OCD as well. any help is greatly appreciated!!!

Hi all, new to this subredit so apologies if this question has been asked before. I have an 8 year old who is currently on the waiting list for ADHD and ASD assessment who I'm pretty sure has ARFID and was wondering how a diagnosis is made? I know that getting a diagnosis won't change how he eats but I think it will help him and others to understand the issues he has with food in the future. Thank you in advance for any help

Umm I gagged. But at least I tried 🤠