Do You Have ARFID?

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), previously referred to as ‘Selective Eating Disorder,’ is a relatively new entry to the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the US).

However, ARFID behavior is not new - individuals have suffered from this eating disorder for a long time.

ARFID is similar to anorexia nervosa in that both disorders involve limiting the amount and/or type of food eaten. However, ARFID typically does not involve any distress or fears about body shape or size.

Children are known to often go through phases of ‘picky eating’; however an ARFID sufferer is different. In children, the disorder results in not consuming enough calories to grow and develop physically; in adults, the restriction in calories results in a struggle to maintain basic body function. 

If you’ve been diagnosed with ARFID, what can you do? Do you feel trapped by how your eating disorder affects, your daily life, your relationships, your job? Is there any hope for improvement?

Thankfully, yes - help is absolutely available and there IS hope that things can improve for you.

Although mental health therapists are trained in a general understanding of disordered thinking and the behaviors that can result from that (eg. an eating disorder), an experienced therapist who specializes in eating disorders will have access to the latest science, training, and therapy modalities relating to eating disorders, including ARFID.

Your specialist therapist can guide you through the process of reframing your thoughts and addressing any underlying issues or past trauma that may have contributed to you developing ARFID.

Help IS available and you CAN get better. At Inside Wellness, our therapists are highly-trained and experienced in helping individuals just like you to take control and regain their inner peace.

Take the first step today by scheduling a call with our caring intake coordinator. 

Can I Have An Eating Disorder If I Am In a Larger Body?

You may have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, or maybe you suspect you may have one, and yet you feel like your body size is not “small enough” or that you are “too big” to have an eating disorder.

Western culture has a very unhealthy and unbalanced perception of weight and health in general. Put those two together and our society loses the plot altogether. 

It’s a sad & erroneous belief that most people don’t equate being in a larger body or anything short of an “extremely thin” body with also having an eating disorder. Yet, these misconceptions get in the way of people getting help.

In their book ‘Radical Belonging: How To Survive & Thrive In An Unjust World (While Transforming It For The Better)’, Lando Bacon, Ph.D., says: “It’s important to acknowledge that the ability to make personal behavior changes is a class privilege. …No matter how you change your eating or activity habits, the factors that make up your lifeworld—challenges like discrimination, stigma, job insecurity, poverty, and caregiver responsibilities—will remain unchanged.”

Many factors, such as genetics, chronic stress, illness, and available food options, can affect your weight, shape, and size

The factors that can lead to simultaneously having an eating disorder involve your deep psychological reactions to these and other factors, such as the crushing pressure of society’s judgmental views.

Shame, loneliness, guilt, fear, and anxiety only make things worse. And suffering from an eating disorder while also feeling stigmatized for your appearance can drive you into a deep depression and feelings of hopelessness. 

It can feel like the odds are stacked against you and it can be hard to know where to turn for meaningful help, and what that help is even for. Do you constantly feel like you need to lose weight? Do you feel that if your body was a different shape or size your life would be dramatically better? Do you find yourself thinking that if you just exercise more or lose “x” amount of weight you’ll then be able to get your life back? Or do you know that this hasn't worked before, but you are scared you’ll be dismissed or judged for having an eating disorder because of your body shape or size?

Questions like these only add to a sense of despair and loneliness. But you are not alone in feeling this way!

Many others have felt the same as you but have found help and relief. At Inside Wellness, every one of our caring, compassionate counselors believes strongly in the Health At Every Size principles. We know that eating disorders occur in bodies of all shapes & sizes. We believe that all bodies and all people are deserving of help and respect! We will work with you to help you identify and challenge the thoughts and beliefs that are hurting you, and help you set and reach behaviors that support your body & mind moving the focus away from your current negative beliefs & eating disorder behaviors into a way of coping that will bring hope & balance to your life again. This is where you’ll find the support and guidance you need.

Begin Eating Disorder Treatment in Provo, UT

Our team of caring therapists would be honored to support you in navigating the stressors of eating disorder treatment you may face. We are happy to offer support from our Provo, UT-based practice and across the state. You can start your therapy journey by following these simple steps:

1. Schedule your free, private consultation by clicking this link.

2. Get to know a caring therapist

3. Start receiving the help and respect you deserve!

Other Services Offering with Inside Wellness

Our team understands you may experience a number of mental health concerns in addition to eating disorder treatment. This is why we are happy to offer support with a variety of mental health services. Other services offered include body image counseling, anxiety treatment, and online Therapy in Utah. Feel free to visit our blog for more helpful information today!