For years, Mara thought her eating habits were simply a matter of being picky. "I thought I was just stupid when it came to food," she admits. However, her struggles with eating certain foods—no oranges, almost no solid fruits or vegetables, no cold cooked meat—were not a choice but a condition known as Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). This realization came after she saw a child with similar eating behaviors on Instagram, labeled by the mother as ARFID. "Oh my God, that's me," Mara recalls thinking.

ARFID, recognized only in recent years, is more than just selective eating. It involves a severe aversion to certain foods based on their smell, taste, texture, or appearance, making eating a source of stress rather than pleasure. Mara, now in her mid-30s, finds relief in finally having a name for her condition. "It's crazy to live your whole life with something and then suddenly have a name for it," she says. Her experience highlights the distinction between disliking a food and being unable to eat it, akin to the challenges faced by contestants on reality shows when confronted with unfamiliar or unappealing foods.

The disorder affects both adults and children, with individuals often perceived as merely fussy eaters. Ricarda Schmidt from the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine explains that ARFID can lead to significant nutritional deficiencies and social anxiety, as sufferers like Mara dread situations like company Christmas dinners, which can induce panic attacks.

Now aware of her condition, Mara is considering her next steps, possibly seeking help from a psychotherapist or a speech therapist, the latter recommended for aversions to specific solid foods. Her story sheds light on ARFID, a disorder that remains underrecognized, emphasizing the importance of understanding and support for those affected.