If you're still wondering who else could be a part of your ARFID team, you have come to the right place!
In this blog, we'll explain and discuss additional team members that you can add to your team or core group (parent/partner, therapist, dietitian, medical). These added members will help support you through your ARFID recovery process if you are feeling stuck.
Adding to Your Team
It is important to note that teams may need to grow in order to help you and the whole family system have as much support as needed. It is not uncommon to find individuals with ARFID who have anxiety, OCD (Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder), Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), as well as physiological conditions impacting swallowing or digesting food. It is not uncommon to find families who feel isolated and lack resources and an extended support system.
Thinking About Additional Resources for ARFID Recovery
First, it is helpful to think about the environment you live in, where you spend your days, and who is in these environments that may be helpful for support. Think about what is working well and what isn’t working so well in recovery. Consider the roadblocks to recovery to better identify who will be able to help overcome them.
In exploring who can be added to your team, and what additional services may be needed, let's search for additional team members by asking two questions:
What professionals can address co-occurring concerns for ourselves and our family members?
What environments do I already exist within that could supply support if I ask for it?
Let's talk about what specialty areas might be helpful additions to our ARFID teams depending on what is going on. Here are some ideas . . .
Psychiatry- some individuals with ARFID have co-occurring anxiety and could benefit from medication. Even without another diagnosis, patients with ARFID often benefit from medication to help increase appetite, regulate mood and anxiety, and help increase flexibility in having new experiences. Medications can often be offered by the medical team, but in complex situations, a psychiatrist can add additional support.
GI (Gastroenterologist)- sometimes there are physiological concerns to be addressed in which GI can identify and treat. Meeting with GI can often times help with clients, parents, and family members by confirming or ruling out any potential GI issues. Check out this article on common GI issues affiliated with eating disorders. Common and Emergent Oral and Gastrointestinal Manifestations of Eating Disorders - PMC
OT (Occupational Therapy)- Individuals with ARFID often have sensory sensitivities with food textures, smells, tastes, and even the environment surrounding mealtimes. OT's use sensory integration techniques to help their clients get used to different food textures and smells by incorporating desensitization strategies.
Community Mental Health/ Wrap-Around Services- Some families have multiple members who are struggling and could benefit from mental health services; Clinics, private practices, and community mental health offer individual and family therapy and group therapy. Additionally, community mental health typically offers behavior coaches for patients and parents both in a clinical setting and at home.
Environments In Which We Might Find Supportive People
Sometimes it is hard to ask for help, both because we might believe that either we can or “should” take care of things within our immediate family, or because of fear of judgment if we open up about our struggles. And yet, we may be missing out on opportunities for more support if we don’t at least ask. Consider asking for help from individuals in these environments:
School:
Schools can offer IEPs or 504 plans for special services like eating in the nurse’s office or with the counselor, having extra time for meals, having opportunities for necessary snacks during the school day, and leaving periodically for medical, dietitian, and therapy appointments.
Work:
Having support to stop working at set times to eat meals, having coworkers that know what’s going on and can offer to sit together at meals or offer support by way of encouragement or distraction. Knowing what would feel helpful and being able to ask for it can be hard, but your therapist will be able to help sort that out.
Extended family members, Family friends, and Religious community:
People who care about us can be very helpful if we are willing to ask, or willing to accept a helping hand. Recovery takes time and effort, and often we can be pulled in a lot of different directions. Asking for a ride, a home-cooked meal, or some financial support could all be necessary to get through tough times.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, there are a lot of things to think about with ARFID recovery. These include, who we can add to our team to help with treatment, as well as all of the things that go along with making it through day-to-day while we struggle as individuals and families with a tough recovery. Knowing who you can reach out to, and working on ways of knowing what you need and what to ask for can help you during challenging times.
Check out our references and resources page to find support in your area. As always, please feel free to reach out!
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