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I am raising money for ARFID Awareness UK as I have been suffering with this disorder my entire life. While most people see food as an enjoyment those with ARFID have great anxiety around it. 

What is ARFID? 

ARFID is an eating disorder Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. The people who suffer with this have their ‘safe’ foods this is normally a very limited selection. Sometimes excluding entire food categories due to the fear and anxiety around them. 

Symptoms can include;

• Avoidance of whole food groups or textures (e.g. fruit. meat, vegetables; slimy and mixed textures).

• Sensitivity to aspects of some foods e.g. temperature.

• Gagging or retching at the smell or sight of a particular food(s).

• Difficulty being in the presence of another person eating a non-preferred food.

• Having a diet that is limited to (usually less than 10) 'preferred foods' ('safe foods').

• Lack of interest in eating or missing meals completely (not feeling hungry).

• Attempting to avoid social events where food would be present.

• Struggling to stay and/or eat at a table during family mealtimes; eats only with distraction e.g. television.

• Needing to take supplements to meet their nutritional needs and where energy intake is impaired

What is it like to have ARFID? 

I’ve always seen my self as a fussy eater I didn’t switch to solid foods until quite late (5-6 years old). The majority of my life I have felt as if I’ve been the only person like this, it was incredibly lonely to feel as if everyone else is ‘normal’ and then theres you, I was very anxious and depressed due to this. I’ve made a habit of avoiding any situations that involve food, excluding myself out of a fear I still can’t quite explain. It wasn’t until 2016 that I eventually find out about ARFID while doing my own research online. Just knowing that I weren’t alone, that there were others like me, really helped. Over the years I have been able to add a few more foods to my list, and have found it much easier openly talking about it to anyone who is intrigued.   

Eating Disorders as a whole can be a very hard and sometime lonely journey as people don’t understand. This is why I’m raising money to spread Awareness for ARFID.

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