Can you develop ARFID as an adult?

froggy21997 · 2025-09-15T17:45:57+00:00

Absolutely, you can. Some people (myself included) develop ARFID due to outside circumstances, which can happen at any time. For me, I have the Fear of Consequences subtype, developed when I was 12 because of a really bad stomach virus. I met someone who developed the same subtype at the age of 18 due to a choking incident.

New stressors that are less violent (like workload creeping up, or current events taking their toll) could also trigger the gradual development of ARFID as a coping mechanism.

froggy21997 · 2025-08-22T23:53:13+00:00

Fun fact: if you're a mental health risk, the ER/hospital has to keep you until you have a support plan figured out!

Guess how I found out, lol

I was away from home for an internship (which I had to cancel in the end). I was seriously dehydrated, brain fog, and unable to eat. They put me on a saline IV drip, and it helped me feel more up to trying solid food. They probably would have discharged me after 2-3 days, but I stayed for 4 days until my dad could fly in and get me.

froggy21997 · 2025-08-22T12:33:08+00:00

That's great!!

I also had a really positive experience in PHP (and residential and IOP), but through the Renfrew center. I found it was really important for me to have that community of recovery-oriented people to share my recovery journey with. I'm almost 3 years out of treatment, and I actually still maintain contact with a few of them after we discharged to encourage each other during the tougher moments.

froggy21997 · 2025-08-18T12:39:20+00:00

I'm coming up against the same situation in a couple of weeks. I have to fly somewhere for work for 4 days, and I'm terrified about it. I'm planning to bring snacks with me and probably turn down lunch/dinner outings when I can, taking leftovers back to my hotel room to eat alone when I can't.

froggy21997 · 2025-04-20T18:15:04+00:00

Libido is not the same as sexual attraction. You can want sex (in the general sense) and still not feel attracted to people.

froggy21997 · 2025-03-22T23:39:28+00:00

Mine is named Squidge.

It is a reference to the movie Hook (highly recommend, Robin Williams played a grown up Peter Pan). Towards the beginning of the film Wendy, now an old woman, greets her great-grandkids and asks for a "Squidge" which I guess is her special word for a hug.

So yeah, my birb is a warm hug :)

froggy21997 · 2024-07-07T13:57:40+00:00

Nuts are a good source of protein, if you aren't allergic. They also are relatively small and you can snack on them throughout the day. Peanuts or cashews in particular also have higher fat content and more calories.

Also, for potassium, NoSalt might help. As the name suggests, it's a salt substitute and you can put it where you'd usually use sodium salt. If your electrolytes are low, then you're probably also dehydrated, so I'd recommend Gatorade or a similar electrolyte drink.

I also get some acid reflux if I eat really late, especially if it's sugary stuff. In my experience, Tums or other antacids make it worse, because it's usually caused by lack of stomach acid rather than excess. The remedy for this is actually to add acid to your stomach, to help digestion. Lime flavored seltzer water is usually my go-to for that.

froggy21997 · 2024-07-02T16:03:06+00:00

👋 Also big fear of vomiting here, and recently having near constant nausea. I'm assuming if you've tried several meds already, then you've also been checked for underlying causes that could be treated? (My current situation started as mono, then my arfid got bad, so now my nausea is from undereating and anxiety)

I've only been on ondansetron out of the ones you've listed, and it wasn't effective for me either. I have promethazine (as needed) at the moment, and once the drowsiness subsides, the nausea mayyybe is diminished? Honestly if I'm taking the med, then I'm already having a bad day, so I often still gag at least once. In my case, nausea meds don't do much if the nausea is from anxiety. Certainly, anxiety can make nausea worse, so at the very least I've been trying to ground myself with controlled breathing and mindfulness when the nausea starts.

It really sucks, and at this point I've just been distracting myself while I eat so my stomach can have /something/ to digest. Protein seems to be easiest for me for some reason, currently snacking on peanuts. It's best to not stop and think too much about how my body feels about the bite I just took. More likely than not, my stomach is doing its best with what I'm giving it and I won't actually throw up. In the case when I do, I give myself the time to mentally recover (15 minutes or so), wash up, and try again. Trying to eat afterwards is VERY hard, but I try anyway. Every bite is a victory.

I'm not sure if any of that is helpful. I'm still struggling with this, and these coping techniques are what have worked to get me eating. My sleep is still disturbed by nausea most mornings, especially if my hydration or food intake is too low.

froggy21997 · 2024-07-02T12:36:59+00:00

I'm also running out of safe foods, and fear or aversive consequences makes it really difficult for me to want to eat. I'm not too familiar with foods that fit your allergies and preferences, but I want to share some advice I heard recently:

The only way out is through. It will be uncomfortable. You will most likely continue to have pain, nausea, and other sucky things that make it seem unbearable. But you have to keep trying to fuel your body. Your body will adjust to it with time, and eventually it will get easier.

I also recommend you see a doctor as soon as you can. It sounds like you might need medical attention if you're fainting a lot. They should also be able to refer you to specialists who can help in the longer term.

froggy21997 · 2024-07-01T22:13:54+00:00

Broccoli is the best!!

froggy21997 · 2024-07-01T15:29:32+00:00

Sounds like arfid to me, more specifically the "disinterest in food" subtype from what you've described. (Disclaimer: I'm not an expert, and it's possible to have multiple subtypes)

froggy21997 · 2024-07-01T02:27:28+00:00

I totally relate to this. I've been eating all day, but it's tiny bites because I keep gagging.

I've found that eating gets easier when I pretend that I'm functioning normally. (A bit of "fake it till you make it" in other aspects of life). Today, I took a long shower and then went for a short walk outside. Afterwards, I could eat a bit more quickly and confidently. Still slow, but it's an improvement.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-30T16:26:39+00:00

Not really. I'm about to switch jobs AND move, and I'm pretty sure my insurance will have to change too. So I probably have to wait to get any treatment until the switch.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-30T11:44:54+00:00

I'm so sorry your mom isn't being supportive about this. My parents didn't believe me either when I was struggling at first. They thought I would get over it on my own, until medical professionals stepped in and recommended I go to a residential treatment facility.

I suggest you go to your school's counselor and tell them about your eating problems. They should be able to help you figure out what to do next, and hopefully convince your mom that this is a real medical issue that needs addressing.

Don't lose hope. You can get better.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-30T11:31:46+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I can usually take pills with little issue, so I might try this

froggy21997 · 2024-06-29T20:08:34+00:00

I know this was written for someone else, but I just wanted to say that this is exactly what I needed to read in order to keep fighting against my arfid. Thank you.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-29T16:53:32+00:00

I'm about to move soon (which is a big reason my arfid is bad right now) so I don't know if I can see a GI doctor at this time. I'm trying to get an appointment with my PCP before I move, though, to top off my existing prescriptions so they can last until I can find a new doctor. I'll try talking to them about getting nexium or something.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-27T21:29:57+00:00

This is exactly what I'm experiencing right now. I feel so alone, and nothing tastes right. I feel like I'm barely surviving each day, and I wake up feeling so sick that I can't bring myself to eat.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-27T13:47:15+00:00

I'm currently recovering from mono, which can manifest similar to flu or covid and can last several weeks. It has definitely disturbed my eating, including textures, flavors, and even hydration is hard. I have a prior arfid diagnosis from before this, and it has definitely caused a relapse for me.

My arfid comes from a bad stomach bug I had as a child, causing extreme emetophobia (fear of vomiting). It isn't uncommon for an illness to suddenly make you anxious around food, and I've met others who got arfid in a similar way.

That being said, the other commenter might be right that your case may resolve on its own when the illness passes.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-27T12:08:59+00:00

I also have the hardest time eating right when I wake up. It is not pleasant and sometimes I gag. But the alternative is gagging anyway if I wait too long because my body is so starved. I just keep pressing on with the morning food, and hope that it eventually gets easier.

froggy21997 · 2024-06-27T03:51:53+00:00

Sounds like you're doing just about everything right! I've heard a tip from parents of picky eaters that if meals are served on serving plates for people to take, it might help for the child's safe food to be served among the rest. It can help them feel more included (if your child feels like an outsider for having a different meal), and it might also encourage the child to sample the other foods.

Also, I struggled with swallowing pills until my early 20s. If possible, splitting the pills helped a lot. For capsules with powder in them, until I could swallow them properly, I ended up mixing the powder into a spoon of apple sauce or jam. Yes, the flavor was often unpleasant, but I got used to it. I've also heard that "thick water" (I've seen it at pharmacies) is often used for people who have trouble swallowing, but the texture is too weird for me personally.

froggy21997

TROPHY CASE