Living with restrictive eating and ADHD struggles

For as long as I can recall, I’ve had a strong aversion to certain foods, which my family and I attributed to simply disliking certain foods. However, it went beyond that – I hated the consistency of tomatoes, the texture and smell of bananas, and the smoothness of yogurt.

I would insist on making my sandwiches without butter because I didn’t like the coating it left on my tongue, and I loathed touching raw meat, particularly chicken, due to its smell and slimy texture.

Jelly, processed meats, and foods with multiple components, like trifle, made my skin crawl, causing sensory overload and making it difficult for me to process.

Sometimes, I’d get frustrated with myself because I’d suddenly be overwhelmed by foods I normally enjoyed, like avocado, eggs, or cheese.

The sense of overwhelm was so severe that I’d unconsciously avoid eating after experiencing a reaction to a particular food, which led to a significant impact on my daily life.

I was diagnosed with ADHD in my mid-20s, and it was a relief to finally have an answer for many of the difficulties I’d experienced, including struggles at school, being too talkative, and overthinking.

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My therapist and I discussed my issues with sensory overload, which manifested in multiple ways, including sensitivity to lights, loud sounds, crowded spaces, and even textures of my clothes and blankets.

It dawned on me that my issues with textures, smells, and consistencies in relation to food could be due to ADHD, and I decided to research avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), an eating disorder associated with those with ADHD and autism.

According to the research, ARFID is similar to anorexia but with a key difference – people with ARFID have no interest in body weight, size, shape, or body image.

I had no idea that ADHD could play a role in my food issues, and I struggled to find resources about the connection between ADHD and disordered eating.

Some research indicates that sensory issues could be an important factor in ARFID, which aligns with my experiences – I have no desire to lose weight, nor do I have any interest in my body image, but I tend to restrict my eating and lose weight anyway due to severe reactions to food that cause major anxiety.

I worry and become anxious a long time before meals, when I go to new restaurants, or visit someone else’s home for a meal, and I worry that the texture, scent, consistency, or appearance of a dish may unsettle me to the point of not eating for hours on end.

My therapist recommended working with an occupational therapist to deal with the sensitivity, which has been helpful, and I’ve been able to manage my situation by prepping meals beforehand and avoiding feeling overwhelmed.

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ARFID is exceptionally difficult to deal with, as it completely shifts your life and makes it difficult to socialize without being hyperfocused on the gaze of others.

Generally speaking, people have no idea about ARFID, so it can seem like someone is just being difficult or a picky eater, which is not the reality.

I wish I could just complete a meal without quitting because the smell was overwhelming – it’s just not that simple to navigate, and it’s a part of ADHD that is incredibly hard to navigate and explain to people.

It’s rare to hear about ARFID, and the general public seems puzzled when I attempt to explain my eating habits and their link to ADHD.

After a significant battle with attempting to force myself to eat and ending up overwhelmed and physically unwell, I decided to reach out to experts to discuss my experience.

My issues with eating and sensitivity around particular things seemed to be heightened when I was overwhelmed, in general, and it seemed to exacerbate the symptoms.

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Consulting experts, prepping meals beforehand, and working with an occupational therapist have been some of the ways I’ve been able to manage my situation.

Neurodivergence is a complicated issue, and our experiences would likely be easier, and our symptoms managed sooner, if regarded holistically and not just as focus- and hyperactivity-related issues.

Assessing what situations I’m fairly comfortable with and the things that distress me has allowed me to open up in a safe environment and slowly work on exposure therapy.

We need to have conversations about ADHD that are wide and varied, and viewing it holistically could help many people manage their symptoms and comorbidities like ARFID.

Having conversations about ADHD and comorbidities like ARFID could be life-saving to some, providing answers and encouraging others to seek professional help for their disordered eating before it causes long-term effects on the body.

In my view, we have a long way to go in having open conversations without the stigma about these kinds of symptoms that everyone shies away from.