My name is Cassie and I’m 21 years old. I’ve been suffering with AFRID for as long as I can remember. Growing up my safe foods were fruits, cheese pizza, mac n cheese, milk, chow menu, plain bread, chips, and candy. I would never eat any meat, fish, vegetables, or basically anything healthy since even my safe foods were not healthy for me. It was always hard for me to go to my friends houses and be there when they’d eat or offer me food because I wouldn’t want it since it was out of my safe foods.. Because of it I’ve always struggled gaining weight no matter how much of the unhealthy stuff I’d eat. It wasn’t until about a year ago when a I moved out and I wanted to make a change, not having the pressure of anyone watching me try new foods was so much easier. I still wouldn’t eat much since I never learned how to cook and I was honestly lazy.. But from trying take out I tried burgers and chicken wings and then I got into a relationship 6 months ago with a guy who’s into fitness and being healthy, and I was nervous to tell him about my previous eating habits and his diet is basic and nothing crazy but healthy still so I’d eat what he would eat (chicken, veggies, and pasta) and now I’m able to eat ground beef, chicken, green beans, spinach, broccoli, ham, lettuce, and protein shakes. He now knows about my eating habits, but sees my efforts and it hasn’t effected our relationship. I sometimes get concerned with my health because of the long 20 years not eating anything with nutritional value but trying my hardest to beat this battle and regain all the health I’ve missed all these years.