The Picky Eater's Recovery Book: Overcoming Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

Surprised at this book. Within first few pages it even mentioned Ehlers Danilo’s syndrome. Very insightful and easy to read and relate to. The pages are thick and it’s high quality.

I definitely recommend this book. There is hope. I have been fussy all my life, a few years ago I had gastritis and undiagnosed lactose intolerance so to eat and keep food down was painful, constantly at the hospital via gastroenterology. Skip forward a few years and I moved house. The state of the house upon moving was such that I became even more fussy of fear of contamination. Then after covid that included not being able to eat outside the house and certain "butty shops" incase the food was contaminated during preparation. I stick to the same safe foods now and some how this new fussy eating became life. I researched loads but nothing resonated with me and I started to feel guilty looking at other disorders because they didn't relate and i felt bad. Then I found this book and thought why not. I bought both paperback and audio to reinforce what I'm learning and dived straight in. In the early chapters one of the worksheets asks about food related trauma and it was only then I remembered all the hospital visits, my weight at the time dropped to 35kg and I was really poorly. I couldn't keep anything down. That's when I started avoiding more foods to avoid the symptoms and eating smaller portions. Which I definitely wouldn't have realised having not read this book. It does get better but it gets worse. Reading more into the book, worksheets asking what food I'd try my anxiety kicked in an I almost had panic attacks at the thought of a glass of milk for example, or the mention of proteins (i eat meat but very very little). However through every chapter there are small steps and advice that guide us through so I'm willing to try a glass of lactose free milk or oat milk, im willing to try and eat a abit more meat as scary as it sounds.. I haven't tried milk yet but I would consider, because eating aside I would like to be more normal in weight, and actually have the energy to work out (exercise). I have previously discussed with professionals however they would refer to disorders that don't resonate with me. I now feel I have the tools to seek the right help should I need further assistance however I am confident with determination, persistence and focus I have a good chance at making small changes to my eating habits that could potentially change my life for example being able to enjoy lidl pastries, or grab a sandwich from greggs. Sounds silly but small steps would help me gain weight and give me confidence that i previously lacked. Change nothing, nothing changes, Change your mind you can change your life.. and all one can do is try.. so yehh I recommend this book, it's reasonably priced yet the significant change it can help us make is priceless. I have included a few random pages, literally selected at random. Also the book includes 3 case studies of 3 people presenting the 3 main presentations of Arfid so it's easy to recognise who you identify with, and later goes into depth with tools and mechanisms to help overcome each chapter. Good luck on your journey guys ★

The book I suggest to the parents of my ARFID clients

Mejor de lo que pensé. Libro profesional y bonito

If there's one book to read on avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (or ARFID), this is it. In it, you'll learn about what the disorder is (and isn't), take screening tests to evaluate your symptoms and monitor your progress, meet patients who fall under the three main archetypes, and treat yourself through the authors' own adaptation of cognitive-behavioral therapy for ARFID. Normally, I'd be quite hesitant to read, let alone use or recommend, anything that came within a mile of a self-help book, but the authors here are quite clear when self-implementation is and is not warranted. Moreover, as an 11-year-old diagnosis that's rather rare, there are precious few practitioners with the experience to treat ARFID. For medically stable people who are not undergoing life-threatening eating disorder pathology, this book may be the best treatment option, in concert with medical supervision for signs of nutritional deficiencies and underweight if necessary.