Navigating Life With ARFID: Stories, Struggles, and Support – Part 1

In Part 1 of Navigating Life With ARFID: Stories, Struggles, and Support, Lois is joined by Ian and Kay for a candid and deeply human conversation about food, sensory overwhelm, and the emotional weight many neurodivergent families carry during the holiday season.

What began as a simple season-opener became something more urgent: an honest look at what it means to navigate meals, expectations, and overstimulation in a time of year centered around food. From kids who cling to one safe food for comfort, to adults who cycle between sensory shutdown, decision paralysis, and long gaps without eating, this episode brings forward the stories behind the struggles — the unseen experiences many live with but rarely talk about.

Through personal memories, cultural reflections, and raw humor, Lois, Ian, and Kay unpack the complex relationship between food and neurodivergence: why choices feel overwhelming, why texture can override hunger, why “just eat what’s served” doesn’t work, and how shame and misunderstanding shape our earliest food memories.

Key themes include:

✨ Food as a form of control during overstimulation
✨ How stress, shutdown, and decision fatigue affect appetite
✨ Sensory sensitivities, texture aversions, and food “rules”
✨ Cultural influences on how we learn (or unlearn) eating habits
✨ Childhood food memories that shape adult eating behaviors
✨ Navigating family expectations and holiday pressures without shame

Part 1 opens the door to understanding the emotional and sensory realities behind ARFID and food-related challenges — tender, relatable, often funny, and deeply validating. Whether you’re a parent, an adult with sensory differences, or someone trying to support a neurodivergent loved one, this episode offers perspective, compassion, and a reminder: your relationship with food makes sense, even if others don’t see it.