Podcast Summary: I Have ADHD Podcast

Episode 380 – What If It’s Not Just Picky Eating?

ARFID in ADHD & Autism Explained

Host: Kristen Carder
Release Date: February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, host Kristen Carder delves into Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) within the context of ADHD and autism. Drawing from personal experience and recent events in her life, Kristen explores the misconceptions about picky eating, the lived experience of ARFID, its ties to neurodivergence, and modern approaches to treatment. The episode aims to broaden understanding and compassion for those—including children and adults—who struggle with food beyond what’s commonly labeled as “picky eating.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Transparency and Context

• Kristen opens up about being unprepared for the episode due to the demands of revising her book, but stresses the importance of “showing up” and doing the work even when overwhelmed (04:00).
• She introduces the topic as deeply personal, sharing that ARFID was recently diagnosed in someone close to her, which catalyzed her research and this episode.

2. Understanding ARFID: Beyond Body Image

• Definition:

  • “People with ARFID eat a very limited variety or amount of food and it causes problems in their lives. These problems may be health related, like losing too much weight or not getting enough nutrients. And these problems also may be social, like not being able to eat meals with others.” (18:55)
  • ARFID is different from anorexia or bulimia, as it's typically not body-image driven. Instead, it centers around strong food aversions, sensory sensitivities, or lack of hunger/appetite.

• Manifestations:

  • Foods may be avoided due to sensory features (texture, taste, smell) or after negative experiences (choking, vomiting, allergic reactions).
  • Some people simply do not feel hunger often or find eating to be a chore.

3. The Loop of Restriction and Sensory Issues

• Eating a limited diet keeps ARFID going: the more limited the safe foods, the harder it becomes to try new ones.

• Genetic predispositions (e.g., being a “supertaster”) can fuel sensory aversions.

• Social and health consequences range from nutrition deficits to social anxiety about meals outside the home.

  “Flavor preferences are partially genetic. People with ARFID are often supertasters...maybe that’s why I can’t eat a vegetable.” – Kristen (24:19)

4. Misconceptions and Invalidation by Professionals

• Traditional “just eat more” advice often exacerbates the problem. Many clinicians and doctors are unfamiliar with ARFID and may mislabel struggles as simple pickiness or stubbornness.

  “A lot of clinicians don't know about ARFID...they will label people or children as being picky or being stubborn or needing boundaries. And that's not at all what it is.” (22:45)

5. The Neurodiversity Connection

• Kristen highlights research suggesting 25% of people diagnosed with ARFID also have ADHD, and about 33% have autism (50:03).
• Patterns of avoidance or sensory sensitivity can look like (or be dismissed as) typical “neurodivergent quirks,” compounding stigma and lack of support.

6. Practical, Relatable Stories

• Kristen shares anecdotes:
  • Her own childhood/nervousness around new foods (“You eat like a bird.”), current adult struggles, and how her family dynamics played a role.
  • A child’s social anxiety about being unable to eat unfamiliar foods at a partner’s family dinner.
  • A wedding story where the groom required therapy to eat the wedding meal (29:55).
• These stories illustrate the functional and emotional impact of ARFID.

7. ARFID Treatment: Hope and Validation

• ARFID is treatable—primarily with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy specifically tailored for ARFID (CBT-AR).
  • Goals: achieve healthy weight, correct deficiencies, increase variety, and reduce social anxiety around eating.
• Equip Health is named as a supportive resource for neurodivergent individuals, offering integrated care (41:00).
• “Learning about this disorder has changed a lot for the person that I love...just having the validation of I’m not weird. There’s nothing wrong with me. This is actually a thing. It has a name. It has a treatment. Just that alone has been so validating and helpful.” (44:25)

8. The Cycles of Avoidance

• Chronic restricting shrinks stomach capacity and dulls hunger cues. Irregular eating rhythm disrupts hunger signals ("hunger rhythm").
• The more foods eliminated, the more risky (even old “safe” foods can become aversive after a bad experience).

9. Recap and Call for Empathy

• ARFID can cause both health and social issues.

• It is not about being difficult or stubborn.

• Diagnosis and validation—rather than judgment—can support healing.

  “I hope that what it does for you—what it did for me—is just deepen your understanding, deepen your empathy, deepen your ability to love and serve people who on the outside maybe look picky or annoying or stubborn, but on the inside are struggling with high anxiety, with sensory issues, with something that goes much, much deeper than just being a picky eater.” (53:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why standard advice fails:
  “None of the traditional advice for this person was helpful. As a matter of fact, it was activating, it was frustrating, it was triggering. And that makes things really complicated.” (11:42)

• On the difference from traditional eating disorders:
  “I grew up in the 90’s…my perception of what an eating disorder looks like is anorexia or bulimia… but that’s not at all what this person was struggling with.” (14:12)

• On the lived reality of ARFID:
  “When I do think about eating, it’s such a chore. And so I will lay on the couch and be—not now. But there have been times where I’ve just been kind of stuck… I should eat, but I don’t want to eat. I should eat, but eating feels hard.” (52:20)

• On the relief of diagnosis:
  “Just having the validation of, I’m not weird. There’s nothing wrong with me. This is actually a thing. It has a name, it has a treatment. Just that alone has been so validating and helpful.” (44:25)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:34 — Introduction to the topic and ARFID’s relevance
• 14:12 — Misconceptions about eating disorders
• 18:55 — What ARFID is (definition and how it differs from anorexia/bulimia)
• 22:45 — Lack of knowledge in clinicians/parenting implications
• 24:19 — Genetics, supertasters, and sensory issues
• 29:55 — Real-life stories: Social/family impact of ARFID
• 31:36 — Hunger cues, volume, and ADHD interplay
• 41:00 — ARFID treatment and Equip Health as a resource
• 44:25 — The emotional relief of understanding and diagnosis
• 50:03 — Research on ARFID prevalence in ADHD and autism
• 53:30 — Episode recap and call for empathy

Takeaways

• ARFID is a distinct, often misunderstood eating disorder strongly represented in ADHD and autistic populations.
• Judging oneself or others as “picky” or “stubborn” around food can be damaging—there’s often a deeper neurobiological and psychological basis.
• Relief, empowerment, and improvement are possible through accurate diagnosis and specialized therapy (CBT-AR).
• Increased awareness among families, clinicians, and the ADHD/autistic community can change lives.

Host’s closing encouragement:

“I really hope it was helpful to you. I hope that what it does for you—what it did for me—is just deepen your understanding, deepen your empathy, deepen your ability to love and serve people who on the outside maybe look picky or annoying or stubborn, but on the inside are struggling with high anxiety, with sensory issues, with something that goes much, much deeper than just being a picky eater.” (53:35)

For further information, Kristen recommends checking the show notes for links and resources on ARFID, CBT-AR therapy, Equip Health, and her own ADHD resource guide.