Can adults have ARFID?

[MorningMoaner]

Can't go into details obviously but I am very worried about a friend's eating. She is reluctant to seek help as she says she knows she is too thin and not eating adequately, she doesn't think she is overweight, so she can't having an eating disorder but I don't think that's right. It all began after something traumatic happened to her and now she says eating many foods make her ill so she avoids them. Reading a few posts on here makes me think she may have ARFID but I've only heard of this in children and teenagers. Does anyone know if it happens in adults too? Any ideas how I can help her or where to look for good resources to persuade her to seek professional help? Thanks in advance for any advice,

Yes. I do and I’m 33

Encourage her to seek medical help and ask for weight gaining milkshakes on prescription such as fortisip or fresubin.

I get fresubin on prescription and I’m now a healthy weight for the first time in my life

Disordered eating is not always related to body issues, perception or mental health. It can genuinely be aversions to certain foods, how it makes you feel, or simply having a tiny appetite.
Anorexia literally translates as 'without appetite' from Greek.
It sounds like this is what your friend has.

Hi,
ARFID IS an eating disorder. But yes, there is no anorexia or bulimia type behaviours associated with it, although some people with ARFID can be increased risk of developing another eating disorder in addition such as anorexia.

People with ARFID, and that includes adults, can be underweight or overweight or they can maintain a normal weight. Weight is not a criteria for treatment, although it is used to assess physical health needs.

If your friend was eating normally before her traumatic event, and if she’s definitely telling the truth about not wanting to lose weight, then she could see her GP to find out what service provision there is in her area for Adult eating disorders. For children under 18, CAMHS and/or the dietetic team would run outpatient clinics although in England, although provision is sparse, often isn’t great and certainly not universally equal in support/knowledge of ARFID.

Our almost 18 yr old son has had ARFID since weaning but he is autistic and has sensory difficulties with taste, smell & the visual appearance of food. His rigid thinking means he finds it hard to try new foods or eat foods that aren’t always uniform in appearance.

If your friend’s ARFID is based purely on a past trauma, it might be that hypnotherapy or CBT could help her to realign her feelings towards food and it might be all that’s needed. Of course, if her health /weight is suffering, she would also benefit from seeing the GP for a health assessment and blood tests for nutrient deficiency.

Thanks all.
Yes, she ate completely normally and was a healthy weight until the event. She has lost quite a bit of weight but is still (just) in the range for BMI so although she has seen a number of doctors nobody seems bothered. She's convinced that there is something physical wrong with her bowels but she has had a scan, a colonoscopey and loads of blood tests etc and all is normal so she just gets sent away being told there is nothing wrong. She's not open to the idea that there is a psychological problem and has already cut off other friends who have suggested this, so it's hard to know what to do. She's a single Mum with very little family support so we don't want to alienate her but at the same time don't feel we can stand by and say nothing. It's all very worrying.

You could give her the link to the arfidawarenessuk.org website
and explain that sometimes a traumatic even can lead to refusing or limiting food. Then you’ve done as much as you can for now by signposting her to support. They also have a really good (private) Facebook group where she get helpful support and tips and info.
in the meantime, you could ask her if there’s anything you can do to help. Maybe babysit for an evening so she can go out with friends or take the kids for her so she can have a lie in etc.

Being kind to herself in other ways will help reduce her anxiety, which is always good for allowing the person with ARFID to perhaps be open to trying to eat.

I have it but I've had it since I was a child (and been misdiagnosed with anorexia whilst my autism went completely undetected, so that some fun..."treatment"). I can't say I've heard of an adult suddenly developing it but I guess anything's possible. I'm less rigid than I used to be and will take a wider range of food but it has to be planned. I don't eat spontaneously. By the way, pressuring people with ARFID to eat an unsafe food doesn't work. I'm hugely texture averse to 'sloppy' things. The dinner ladies at school thought if I wasn't allowed to go out to play I would eat the rice pudding eventually. The upshot was I didn't go out to play.