What is ARFID?
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) often develops in infancy and early childhood, and can persist into adulthood. It involves an eating disturbance leading to insufficient nutrition or energy intake. Symptoms include significant weight loss, nutritional deficiency, dependence on enteral feeding or supplements, and interference with psychosocial functioning. ARFID is not related to cultural practices, medical conditions, or other mental health disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Food restriction in ARFID is often due to sensory aspects and may have less impact on adults, who have developed coping skills. There’s no proven link between ARFID in early life and later eating disorders.
What Causes ARFID?
ARFID’s cause is not fully understood but may involve a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. Potential contributors include genetic predisposition, temperament, early feeding difficulties, traumatic experiences related to food, anxiety, stress, autism spectrum disorder, and learned behavior.
It is essential to note that these factors do not guarantee the development of ARFID but may increase the likelihood of its occurrence. Further research is needed to better understand the complex interplay of factors leading to ARFID.
How We Treat
Resilience DBT & Eating Recovery is a team of Outpatient Eating Disorder Therapists in New Jersey, Florida, and Maryland. Our therapists are ready and equipped with clinical services to provide healing.
At our treatment facility, we have licensed and trained professionals who have worked with patients of all ages, with a variety of eating and feeding concerns. This includes individuals struggling with ARFID, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, anxiety, depression, OCD, and trauma. We will work with the entire family to make sure everyone is educated about what can be done to help the individual struggling with ARFID. This ensures that the child is receiving the best care while in treatment as well as in their home environment.
We use a combination of individual therapy and family therapy for our ARFID treatment. Our therapists can pull from a variety of therapeutic approaches that work to address emotional dysregulation and other mental health concerns. This can include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Enhanced Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and Family-Based Treatment.
Struggling with any mental health concern can make your day-to-day life challenging. If you are a parent of a child who is struggling, you may feel overwhelmed daily. When it comes to ARFID treatment, there are trained professionals at Resilience DBT & Eating Recovery who can support you, and help you navigate the future.
Health Risks Associated With ARFID
We use a combination of individual therapy and family therapy for our ARFID treatment
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) carries several risks and potential complications, which may include:
- Malnutrition: Due to limited food intake or avoidance of certain food groups, individuals with ARFID may suffer from malnutrition, leading to deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals.
- Growth and development problems: Inadequate nutrition can result in stunted growth, developmental delays, and failure to thrive in children.
- Weight loss or low body weight: Insufficient calorie intake can lead to significant weight loss or difficulties maintaining a healthy body weight.
- Medical complications: ARFID can cause various medical complications, such as anemia, bone density loss, electrolyte imbalances, and weakened immune function.
- Psychological issues: Individuals with ARFID may experience heightened anxiety, depression, or social isolation due to their eating behaviors.
- Impaired social functioning: ARFID can interfere with everyday activities and social situations involving food, leading to isolation and difficulties forming relationships.
- Dependence on nutritional supplements: Some individuals with ARFID may become reliant on enteral feeding or oral nutritional supplements to meet their nutritional needs.
- Lower quality of life: The challenges associated with ARFID can negatively impact an individual’s overall quality of life and well-being.
It is essential to recognize and address ARFID as early as possible to minimize these risks and provide appropriate support for recovery.
Your Eating Disorder Treatment Plan Is Based On Your Unique Needs
We offer evidenced-based therapies, parent training, and family support that meet your needs, fostering your path to recovery. Our Health at Every Size (HAES) approach will help you accept your body and yourself!
FAMILY BASED TREATMENT (FBT)
Family-Based Treatment (FBT) stands as the gold standard for addressing eating disorders in children and adolescents, particularly for early-onset cases of anorexia, bulimia, and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
This well-researched approach places parents at the forefront of their child’s re-nourishment and weight restoration process. Eating disorder recovery can be achieved through this early intervention.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Enhanced (CBT) is an ideal approach for older adolescents and adults struggling with eating disorders.
This evidenced-based approach is a powerful and effective treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED). CBT-E treatment sessions are time-limited, structured, and goal-oriented.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Eating Disorders (DBT-ED)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Eating Disorders is the method of choice for individuals who struggle with co-occurring mental health issues in addition to the eating disorder; such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, or PTSD.
This comprehensive treatment method addresses the complexity of these mental health issues, in concert, prioritizing the most dangerous symptoms first.
Full Recovery is Possible
Our comprehensive services include Expressive Arts Therapy, Eating Disorder Recovery Groups, and Meal Support.
At Resilience Therapy, we have been practicing for over 25 years and know that full recovery is possible. When you are finally healed from your eating disorder, you’ll find that a whole world of possibilities will open up to you. Your healing will help free you to be successful, make a difference in the world, and live the life you dream of.
We are here to support and guide you, to help keep your household Body Positive, and to help you or your child reach their full growth potential and blossom the way they should—in mind, body, and soul.
How We Treat
Explore the benefits of an evidence-based approach to therapy
Family Based Treatment (FBT)
FBT, or the Maudsley approach, is a Gold Standard treatment. FBT is a culturally-sensitive method that keeps a child in their family environment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E)
We specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Enhanced (CBT-E) to support children, teens, and adolescents struggling with eating disorders
Comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Our compassionate and highly skilled therapists are dedicated to helping your loved ones develop emotional resilience, improve their self-esteem, and overcome challenges associated with various eating disorders.
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