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Do you have ARFID?

This is an online community for those struggling with ARFID, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. Maybe you’ve just been diagnosed, or maybe you’ve heard the term ARFID and think you might have it, or maybe you’re just an extremely picky eater and have no idea where to turn.

 

We're a mother/daughter team. My teen daughter is in recovery for ARFID and we know there are many of you out there seeking help from this troubling newly-named disorder. Aside from constant fear of eating anything unfamiliar to you, you might have experienced panic disorder, depression, extreme anxiety; you might feel socially withdrawn from family and friends, you might have self-harmed and you might have even considered suicide. Please know that you are not alone. While we will share our story and our continuous struggle here, we want to create a community for those with ARFID so that you can connect with others in a safe environment where you won’t feel so alone. We’d like to offer some tips for mindfulness, healing, and hopefully ideas for recovery so you can begin your journey to a better, happier lifestyle and relationship with food. We’re not doctors, we’re not experts, we’re just a mom and a daughter who have struggled, cried, fought, laughed and have gotten through together with the help of some amazing people and a lot of love and we want to share what we have learned with you and offer some hope to those of you who may need it. Welcome, we’re thankful that you’re here! 

Do you love someone with ARFID?

You have a loved one who has ARFID and you’re at a loss. Maybe you’ve spent a long time being supportive and trying to help your ARFID person eat, maybe you’ve convinced yourself that he or she is healthy enough because your loved one looks healthy. You’ve probably been through a rollercoaster of years, some good, some bad, and maybe you’ve been in denial for a while. Perhaps the doctor has even said that your loved one is perfectly fine and there’s nothing to worry about. Yet, there’s still anxiety, there’s still an underlying worry, there is palpable stress in your family’s life. You’re unable to go out to a normal family dinner; maybe you have only a select few restaurants you can choose from when you go out. You make special meals. Your loved one only eats a small variety of foods, and probably they are mostly white comfortable foods: breads, French fries, maybe pizza but without the cheese, chips, crackers, possibly peanut butter but not with jelly. Vegetables and fruits cannot be tolerated. You’ve tried to get your loved one to even just try a bite and there have been numerous fights. You don’t understand how difficult it is for a person to just place a tiny piece of food into his or her mouth and chew. But it’s real. It’s a real fear for your loved one and if he/she could make this fear disappear on his/her own, he/she would. But it's impossible. A person with ARFID needs the support and help from outside sources and it will take time, and therapy and understanding (so much understanding) and much love on your part. Are you ready to be supportive? Because your ARFID person cannot do this on his or her own. It’s very real. This is not in your loved one’s head.

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