Autumn with ARFID

This blog is intended to explore ideas for living with ARFID in Autumn. When we think about autumn, first thoughts are colored leaves and crunching through piles of them, apple orchards and caramel apples, pumpkin patches and Halloween. The sun sets earlier, there’s a little chill in the air, sweaters and jackets come out, and the holidays are right around the corner. Along with these seemingly pleasant images of fall come the more anxiety provoking ones: fall foods, new and different smells, tastes and textures, challenging social situations, trick-or-treating, and traveling for fall break.

 

FALL FEARS and IDEAS for COPING

Triggering situations in the fall can include fall sports, fall break, travel, changes in menu based on fall foods, and sensory shifts with seasonal changes (temperature, smells, clothing) to name a few. When we run into multiple triggers at the same time, it becomes harder to cope, which is important for both individuals with ARFID and their family members to know and prepare for. If we can limit the amount of changes or new experiences in any given moment, it may be possible to limit the negative reactions and possibly have a positive experience.

So picture this: you take your loved one to a bonfire. The fire is big and intense, there are people milling around, and foods available include hot chocolate and s’mores. It’s chilly away from the fire so you’ve put on warm clothing, hats and warm socks in your boots. It’s warmer closer to the fire. It’s hard to find the balance, feeling a little too warm one moment and a little chilly the next. And you’re hungry.

Now let’s do this scenario again. You don’t go to the bonfire and you stay home and eat safe foods...

Okay, one more try. You check the timing of the event and where it fits in your day related to the food you will have eaten and when you are likely to need a meal and/or snack. You consider eating before, and not worrying about what food may or may not be there. You pack a bag with some safe foods so as not to be caught without options. You layer your clothing to be able to adjust as needed to the temperature. You ask the host what food might be there to help you decide whether there will be opportunities for food exposures, and to know what you may want to replace with your own safe foods. You discuss ahead of time what food you will and won’t have, and what exposures you may consider trying. Or you don’t worry about having any new food at all, and just go for the experience of the fire.

PLOTTING A COURSE

Notice the process we just engaged in. We explore the situation, consider what might be problematic, and then we make appropriate plans to the best of our ability to be able to anticipate and manage what could come up. Let’s see if it works for other fall situations:

Fall sports and related food:

Someone recently asked how they could learn to like burgers because the team moms were picking up food before games and they wanted to eat with their peers. Breaking that down, we need to recognize that learning to like new foods takes time, and we may not be able to accomplish this goal in the amount of time available. So first we may think about how to make sure that this individual is nourished for the activity that they are about to do, even if it is by using safe foods. Then we could think about whether there is a first step to managing the burgers without having to say no to them. For example, you could eat bread, so hamburger buns is a possibility. Is there a reasonable way to eat just the bun and the chips on the side until the burger is possible? Could you consider eating the bun even though a little taste of the burger remains after taking the hamburger off? If so, that’s awesome because you are getting one step closer to eating the burger by getting used to the taste of it.

Seasonal foods:

New food exposures can be helpful during their season. Strawberries in early summer, watermelon in the summer, sweet potatoes, apples and pumpkins in the fall. How about planning seasonal food experiments? Here again we plot a course. When we plan a food experiment, it could be a spontaneous thing, it could be when the food is available (like the hot chocolate and s’mores at the bonfire) or it could be a planned experiment at home with family or friends to make it feel safe and predictable. In the Bridge the Food Gap: An ARFID Recovery Workbook you’ll find a Science Fair Experiment worksheet to help plan steps for timing, frequency and what foods to try, along with what approach you want to use and ways to collect your data. Most often having an agreed upon plan, even if the plan is to be spontaneous, is helpful with following through.

Strategies for working through Autumn with ARFID

To tie this together, changes in the season can be challenging with new smells, tastes and situations. As we notice the seasons changing, we could use this awareness to think about and plan for what may be challenging and what we want to do to not only make things more manageable, but also how we want to make use of new situations as opportunities for growth and change. With an agreed upon plan, we may find that new foods, and coping with new situations, is possible!