Jade Youngman swears she’s not just a picky eater.
The 25-year-old has been officially diagnosed with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) — a fancy medical phrase that somehow justifies her phobia of produce.
Youngman, a recruiter from the UK, compares fruits and vegetables to “a plate of dog poo.”
“It will make me vomit if I eat it. It will make me wretch and gag to have it in front of me,” Youngman tells PA Real Life. “I know that it won’t kill me if I eat it and I know that it will probably taste nice, but I can’t get it in my mouth.”
Instead, she eats a diet made mostly of processed meats, simple carbs and dairy. She calls these her “safe foods,” adding that she won’t try anything new anymore.
“I have tried to push through it, but I can’t,” she says. “I’ve always just eaten chicken nuggets, pizza, plain pasta with cheese and chips — processed food, basically.”
At 3 years old, doctors told Youngman’s parents that she would grow out of her fussy eating habits. That was before ARFID was considered a legitimate diagnosis.
Her parents tell her they can’t recall any childhood trauma that would have triggered her fears, but Youngman thinks it might be the texture of produce that turns her off.
“It’s not so much flavor. For example, I like the flavoring of fajita seasoning, but I could never eat peppers or chili because of the texture,” she says. “Even if I think I might like the flavor my head won’t allow me to eat it.”
In 2013, a therapist told Youngman she likely suffered from ARFID — a catch-all diagnosis for people who detest certain foods or food groups. While most patients cite taste, texture and smell as their primary turnoffs, cases can also set in following a distressing experience, such as choking or vomiting.
Youngman says her condition is causing her depression and anxiety, and keeping her from enjoying a normal social life. “Judgmental” critics, she says, claim she’s bluffing.
“People do not believe you,” she says. “They just put stuff in front of you and say, ‘Why don’t you just try it? You will like it.’ But I know it will make me sick.”
She now fears the negative health impacts associated with poor diet, such as the case of a British teen who became legally blind due to malnutrition. His eating habits were similar to Youngman’s, consuming mostly French fries, white bread, sausage and potato chips.
“I have not lost my sight but [his] background is very similar to mine, so I do really worry about it,” she says. “I know it is impacting on my health.”
Youngman says she’s “constantly tired” and knows she has an iron deficiency, for which she takes supplements; however, she complains doctors aren’t taking her condition seriously.
“I’m not sure what the other health impacts are yet, because doctors don’t seem to recognize my problems as a medical condition, so are not testing me for anything,” she says. “They just say at some point I will need to change my diet.”
Now, she’s pleading for anyone who thinks they can “fix” her.
“I feel helpless, like I can’t do anything about it,” says Youngman. “I would do anything for someone to fix me. I just want to find someone that will help me.”
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