What do we think about what the ARFID therapist said to me?
So this happened many months ago and I haven't gone back yet due to scheduling issues, but I started an ARFID therapy at what is known as one of the best ARFID programs in my state (which usually has amazing health care). Anyways, I had one session where they just got background info, and on the second one, they kept on saying that I needed to try spaghetti (I did not mention any interest in it, they just brought it up. and when I tried to explain how ARFID works (which I would think they know), and how I physically cannot try it, they started really pushing for me to try it and saying, "the only one rule we have at our clinic is that you don't know if you like it until you try it." This is just so bizarre to me. One of the best analogies for how ARFID (sensory sensitivity) works is that it is like trying to get a normal person to eat a bunch of (TW gross stuff) >!roaches, fecal matter, etc!< (TW gross stuff). That's how it feels for me and makes sense in a scientific way too. The same circuits and areas (the insula) that are responsible for not eating those things are the same ones that are atypical in ARFID. Like I feel like they have no clue what they are talking about. Do you want me to vomit and gag because "you don't know if you like it until you try it"??? Am I overreacting here?
Posted Dec 29, 2025, 7:51 PM UTC