ARFID: What It Is, How To Spot It, and Gentle First Steps To Get Support
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder, but not in the way most people imagine eating disorders.
With ARFID, a person eats a very limited range or limited amount of food. This might be because of sensory issues (texture, taste, smell), a fear of choking or vomiting, low appetite, or simply not feeling hunger cues in the same way as other people. Crucially, ARFID is not driven by fear of weight gain or body image concerns.
ARFID can affect:
Children and young people
Adults of any age
People of any body size
Neurodivergent people, especially autistic and ADHD adults
In this guide I will walk through:
What ARFID is (and how it differs from “picky eating”)
Common ARFID symptoms in adults and young people
How to spot ARFID in yourself
Gentle self help ideas and first steps
How to support someone you care about who might have ARFID
When to seek professional or urgent help
At the end, you will also find a clear next step if you would like tailored, neurodiversity affirming support.
What is ARFID? (What It Is And What It Is Not)
ARFID stands for Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. It is a recognised feeding and eating disorder where someone avoids or restricts food in a way that causes problems with health, growth or day to day life.
People with ARFID may:
Eat a very small range of “safe foods”
Avoid entire categories or textures (for example all soft foods, all wet foods, all mixed foods)
Feel intense fear or disgust around certain foods
Have very low interest in food or forget to eat
To be considered ARFID rather than just “fussy eating”, the pattern generally leads to one or more of:
Weight loss or faltering growth
Reliance on supplements or liquid feeds
Significant impact on daily life, relationships, work or school
ARFID vs other eating disorders
The key difference is motivation:
In ARFID, restriction is not about weight, dieting or body image
In anorexia, bulimia and some other eating disorders, behaviour is strongly tied to worries about weight, shape or control
Because of this, people with ARFID can be any size. A “healthy” or higher BMI does not rule ARFID out.
ARFID and neurodivergence (autism, ADHD and more)
Many people searching for “ARFID and autism” or “ARFID in adults with ADHD” recognise a big overlap.
Common themes include:
Sensory sensitivities, such as overwhelming textures, tastes, smells, temperatures or colours
Differences in interoception, for example difficulty noticing hunger and fullness or feeling them as pain or nausea instead
Anxiety and trauma around food, such as choking, vomiting, being forced to eat, school dinners or hospital stays
Executive functioning challenges, such as planning, shopping, cooking and making decisions around food
If you are autistic, ADHD, AuDHD or living with chronic illness, it is very common to have had your experience dismissed as “picky” or “dramatic”, when in fact your nervous system is signalling that something does not feel safe.
ARFID symptoms: how to spot possible signs in yourself
You cannot diagnose yourself with ARFID. Diagnosis needs a qualified professional. You can, however, notice patterns and gather information.
Eating patterns and food behaviours
You may recognise:
A very restricted list of “safe foods” that you cycle through
Intense distress at trying new foods or brands
Avoidance of entire textures, for example anything lumpy, crunchy, stringy, mixed together, or with “bits”
Fear of choking, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea or allergic reactions
Feeling like you cannot get started eating, even when you know you should
Forgetting to eat until you feel shaky, sick or spaced out
Taking a very long time to finish meals, or abandoning them half way
Physical signs and impact on health
Because of restricted intake, some people notice:
Low energy, dizziness or frequent light headedness
Feeling cold much of the time
Poor concentration or “brain fog”
Low mood, anxiety or irritability
Irregular periods or hormonal changes
Frequent infections or slow wound healing
These symptoms are not unique to ARFID. If they sit alongside a restricted diet, they are worth paying attention to.
Impact on daily life, work and relationships
ARFID often shapes day to day life in powerful ways:
Avoiding social events that involve food
Anxiety about travel, holidays or eating away from home
Strategically planning workdays around when and where you can access safe foods
Feeling shame, embarrassment or fear of judgement
Hiding how you eat, eating alone or masking your distress
If you are reading this and thinking “that is me”, you deserve to be taken seriously.
First steps if you think you might have ARFID
1. Name it
Even quietly saying, “I think I might have ARFID” can be a big shift. It moves the narrative from:
“I am just fussy, childish or broken”
to:
“I might be living with a recognised eating disorder, and I am allowed to get support.”
You might want to write this in a journal, in your phone notes, or share it with one safe person.
2. Keep a compassionate log (one to two weeks)
Instead of counting calories, focus on patterns, triggers and impact.
You could track:
What you ate and where you ate it (home, work, café, someone else’s house)
Which foods felt safe or unsafe
Sensory reactions such as texture, smell, visual appearance and temperature
Emotions before, during and after eating, for example anxiety, disgust, relief or numbness
Physical sensations such as nausea, pain, dizziness or panic
Any situations you avoided or masked your eating in
This is not about judging yourself. It is about gathering information you can use later with clinicians or in coaching or therapy.
3. Speak to your GP or main clinician
When you feel ready, book a GP appointment and:
Bring your log and a short list of bullet point concerns
Use the term “Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)”
Be clear about the impact on work, school, relationships, energy and mental health
You can ask about:
Blood tests to check for nutritional issues
Referral to an eating disorder service or specialist
Signposting to registered dietitians or therapists with ARFID experience
If you are neurodivergent, it can help to say, “I am autistic or ADHD and I am wondering if my eating difficulties might be ARFID.”
ARFID self help ideas (alongside professional support)
These ideas are not a replacement for medical or therapeutic care. They can sit alongside it.
Build a foundation of safety
Make a written list of your current safe foods, however limited
Keep safe foods stocked at home, work and in your bag if possible
Have a back up option for days when everything feels too much, for example a shake, soup, crisps or plain toast
When your nervous system knows there is something you can eat, it can slightly reduce the background panic.
Think in micro steps, not huge leaps
Instead of jumping from “no vegetables” to a huge salad, break things down into tiny exposures, for example:
Looking at a new food on someone else’s plate
Having it on your plate but not eating it
Touching it with cutlery or fingers
Smelling it and then putting it down again
Taking a pea sized bite and spitting it out if needed
Swallowing a tiny amount with lots of support and something safe to follow it
Your pace is valid. Going too fast often reinforces fear.
Tweak the sensory experience
If sensory issues are at the core of your ARFID symptoms, experiment gently with:
Cooking methods such as roasting, boiling or air frying
Texture, for example smooth foods, crunchy foods, softer foods, more sauce or drier foods
Temperature, such as hot, warm, room temperature or chilled
Visual presentation, such as separating foods rather than mixing them and using less “busy” plates
Choosing Buddha bowls or similar ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ type foods, but trying them in separate dishes, rather than all in one bowl.
One small tweak can sometimes turn a previously “impossible” food into something tolerable.
Support your nervous system around eating
ARFID, anxiety, trauma and neurodivergence often coexist, so it is worth thinking about regulation:
Gentle movement or stretching before meals
Transition rituals such as lighting a candle, changing rooms or washing hands slowly and mindfully
Breathing practices, grounding or co-regulation with a trusted person
Eating in calmer, lower stimulation environments when you can
Often, this is not only about food. It is about a chronically overloaded nervous system trying to protect you.
Prepare for social situations in advance
Social meals can be a huge source of stress. It is completely valid to:
Eat beforehand and have a drink or small safe snack with others
Bring your own food if appropriate
Agree in advance what is on the menu
Use simple scripts such as:
“My digestion is a bit tricky, so I am sticking to safe foods at the moment.”
“I have already eaten, but I would love to join you while you eat.”
Planning ahead reduces masking, shame and last minute panic.
Supporting someone with ARFID (partner, child, friend or client)
If you are reading this because someone you care about might have ARFID, your response really matters.
Helpful approaches
Believe them. Assume their experience is real, even if it does not make sense to you
Stay curious. Ask, “What would make this five per cent easier?” rather than “Why can you not just eat it?”
Respect safe foods. Keeping safe foods available is a form of care, not “giving in”
Offer choices. A small menu of options feels safer than a single demand
Collaborate. If they want to try new foods, let them lead the pace and amount
Things to avoid
Forcing “just one bite”
Shaming comments such as “you are being silly” or “you are too old for this”
Using rewards or punishments around eating
Commenting on weight or body as “evidence” that they are fine
These responses can deepen anxiety and trauma and make ARFID worse, not better.
When ARFID needs urgent help
ARFID can be serious and, in some cases, life threatening. Seek urgent medical advice (NHS 111, an urgent GP appointment or A&E) if you notice:
Rapid or significant weight loss
Fainting, chest pain or heart palpitations
Extreme exhaustion or breathlessness
Very dark urine, not passing urine, or other signs of severe dehydration
Persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain or blood in vomit or stool
Thoughts of self harm or suicide
If you are unsure, it is always better to get checked.
You are not “fussy” – you are allowed support
ARFID is not a character flaw or a failure. It is a recognised eating disorder that often overlaps with autism, ADHD, anxiety and chronic illness.
With the right combination of:
Medical care
Therapeutic support
Practical scaffolding
Nervous system friendly strategies
People around you who actually understand your experience
it is possible to move towards more safety, more energy, and a relationship with food that feels less frightening and more manageable.
Want support that understands ARFID, neurodivergence and chronic illness?
If you recognise yourself in this article and you would like support that does not shame you, pressure you or ignore your sensory needs, I offer coaching for neurodivergent and chronically ill adults who are navigating issues like ARFID, burnout and everyday life with a sensitive nervous system.
Together we can:
Map your current ARFID patterns with compassion
Explore nervous system regulation and pacing around food and daily life
Build practical scaffolding such as routines, scripts and planning that fits your energy and access needs
Support you to advocate for yourself with healthcare, work and family
If you would like to explore whether working together is right for you, you can book a discovery session with me. We will talk through what is going on for you, what you are hoping for, and whether my approach feels like a good fit, with no pressure to commit.
Please Note:
This website is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition before making changes. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
