I Am An Eating Disorder Warrior

The term eating disorders usually pulls up thoughts of anorexia and bulimia. Knowledge about eating disorders beyond anorexia and bulimia is starkly lacking. I’m here to let you know that there are other eating disorders that are different from the aforementioned two mainly known ones, that can be just as damaging, like mine.

What some categorize as being an extremely picky eater may actually be a lesser known eating disorder called Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID. This can show up like a persons refusal to eat certain textured foods or long eating times, disinterest in food.

I’ve been repeatedly made fun of and punished for my eating disorder throughout my life. I remember eating with a group and everyone at the table being made to stay there till I finished eating, as a means of punishing me because the adult thought I was eating slowly on purpose. Needless to say I never heard the end of it from those involved. In fact, I still hear about it to this day.