I am a 24 year old who beat ARFID. Growing up I had a very poor diet that went beyond the typical picky eating of many children. My diet consisted of French fries, plain pizza, Mac and cheese, cereal without milk, popcorn, waffles and pancakes, scrambled eggs, plain pasta without sauce or butter, pretzels, mashed potatoes, plain chips, sugary yogurts, and candy. At one point I ate bananas and then later decided I didn’t like them anymore. I carried a lot of shame with me. I was always embarrassed at family gatherings when dinner would be served or generally at any occasion where food was involved. “Why aren’t you eating?” “I’m not hungry” meanwhile I was practically starving. This was my reality for a long time. Casual dinners with friends would give me pretty intense anxiety. When my mom would try to expose me to new foods I would literally gag and choke while trying things like plain unseasoned chicken, pasta with tomato sauce, anything outside of my comfort zone. My mom has taken me to specialists and there was no resolve for my issue. My mom started picking up ensures at the grocery store so that at least I had some sort of nutrition in my diet. So let’s get to the point where things changed. I was 20 years old and had gotten a fresh haircut. Buzzed on the sides and bit of length on the top. I noticed bald spots on the side of my head and thought the barber shaved too close to my head. A few weeks went by and the spots didn’t grow in. I googled and came across alopecia. Whether I’m correct or not, I attributed my alopecia to my poor diet. I became extremely worried for my health, I knew I needed to make a change. I was working in the mall at the time and one day while on break, I decided to order a small classic house salad from Panera. Lettuce, fresh onions, a couple cherry tomatoes, cucumber, with dressing on the side. I forced myself to eat this salad in my car by myself. I was choking gagging and tearing up. I hated it. But I knew that the way I was eating was going to lead to serious chronic health issues down the road. I finished most of the salad and threw the rest away. I probably went back to my typical eating habits but I made an effort to make a change. Gradually I tried more and more things. I essentially put myself through exposure therapy. Today I can eat cooked and raw fish, absolutely every single fruit and vegetable, all nuts/seeds, all types of grain, and most meats though I don’t prefer to eat meat. I am more daring than a lot of people without ARFID and I am so proud of this. I am still particular in my own ways and I still have a lot of love for Mac and cheese and French fries above everything else. But I can go to any restaurant and find something to order. My favorite health foods are cucumber, pistachios, almonds, spinach, celery, avocado, quinoa, broccoli, raspberries, and fish, especially sashimi. If I can do it, then you can too. Ps no more bald spots 🙂