Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi Everyone!
I was diagnosed in September this year, just before my 21st Birthday. I've always had a good relationship with food, I wasn't a picky child. I went through a period of having Anorexia when I was 14-16 but apart from that, I've always been a good eater.
Over the past 6months things have changed significantly. I've had safe foods - most commonly pitta bread pizzas or pizza of some variety. My favourite foods appear as hyperfixations, where I'll eat one thing for weeks and then never touch it at all.
Over the past month, I've had no safe foods and find myself terrified to eat anything new. I fear that it'll make me sick due to not being cooked correctly, or the texture itself makes me feel sick.
I'm working with a therapist currently and have been open about these difficulties, however I've only been recommended to try vegetables etc. I'm good at trying most foods, but I won't eat them more than that. Sometimes I'll like it once and can't stomach it ever again.
I'm eating less than one meal per day at this stage, weights dropping etc but not too concerningly. Over the past year, my hair's been falling out in chunks multiple times per day and the doctors advised a blood test - I'm Agoraphobic and cannot leave home so this wasn't possible. My health is deteriorating and I'm very unsure of what to do.
I suppose my question is does anyone have any advice? Is this ARFID? Is it something else? Has anyone experienced anything similar?
If I'm totally honest that also sounds similar to some forms of OCD too sounds like your anxiety is really high especially if you also have agoraphobia (I used to be agoraphobic, it's awful so I'm so sorry you are in that situations) , could it be both ARFID and OCD? Maybe.Can you get the doctor to do a housecall for the blood tests? I think they should have a special circumstances policy where they do make housecalls for non-elderly people if you tell them you are agoraphobic.
Thankyou for your reply!
I'll need to look into home visits, my GP isn't the best to be completely honest!
It could be linked to OCD as well, I do believe I have some traits/signs but it was hard enough to get diagnosed with Autism and Agoraphobia to begin with!
I'm so sorry you've had to deal with that too, I hope you're managing okayοΈ
Oh, thanks, yh I'm doing okay now, I feel like if I haven't been out in a while it creeps back in the "safe routine" of not going out and I find myself making excuses like "oh I can't go out because I don't have a good reason to" and that's kind of always on the sidelines, but if I do have to go out and do or get stuff I find I mostly can because I treated my anxiety and panic overall, it's only if I get a particularly bad attack of it that stops me going out now.
I hope to get to that point somedayοΈ