Eating disorders come in various forms, affecting individuals physically, emotionally, and mentally. One lesser-known yet significant eating disorder is Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). ARFID can have a profound impact on one’s life, leading to nutritional deficiencies, social isolation, and significant distress.
ARFID is a complex eating disorder. It involves a very strong refusal to eat certain foods or avoid food altogether. This can result in a variety of detrimental things like social isolation, poor nutrition and weight loss. Unlike other eating disorders, individuals with ARFID do not have body image issues or concerns about their weight. Instead, their issue lies more with sensory sensitivities, fear of choking or vomiting, or a lack of interest in eating.
Symptoms of ARFID
- Avoidance or refusal to eat certain types of food.
- Sensory sensitivities to certain textures, tastes, colors, or smells of food.
- Anxiety or distress when faced with unfamiliar or challenging foods.
- Weight loss or failure to meet nutritional requirements for growth and development.
- Social isolation or difficulties participating in social gatherings involving food.
Causes of ARFID
ARFID often begins during childhood or adolescence. Just like with other eating disorders, the exact causes of ARFID are not fully known. There are, though, a few factors that may contribute to its development.
Some individuals may have heightened sensory responses to certain food textures, tastes, or smells. This could look like a very strong visceral reaction to a smell that may cause someone to become queasy. Others may have a negative experience related to a certain food. For example, they might have choked on a food and now fear eating it again. ARFID has also been found to co-occur with anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Treatment Options
- Nutritional counseling: Working with a registered dietitian to expand food choices, improve mealtime behaviors, and ensure adequate nutrition.
- Exposure therapy: Gradual exposure to feared foods in a supportive environment to desensitize sensory aversions and reduce anxiety.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Therapeutic interventions to address distorted thoughts and beliefs about food, modify eating behaviors, and develop coping skills.
- Family-based therapy: Involving family members in the treatment process to create a supportive and structured meal environment, address familial dynamics, and promote healthy eating habits.
- Medication: In some cases, medication may be prescribed to manage co-occurring anxiety or OCD symptoms that contribute to ARFID.
One of Evolve’s dietitians, Anny Ha, recently shared about her work with a young adult, male client. He started out only consuming a limited selection of 4–5 foods. Now he embraces a diversity of different foods. He also has a newfound confidence in social dining situations with friends, his girlfriend, and his family. As they approach their final session, she sees a soon-to-be college graduate who is prepared to venture forth independently, equipped with the skills he has acquired and ready to build on them. She hopes that the tools he has developed in their time together will serve him for a lifetime.
If you, or someone you care about is strugging with ARFID, we welcome you to reach out to us today.
We will be happy to discuss with you all options for support.
