"The smell of fried fish and peeled oranges was already drifting through the room, rising from the kitchen and spilling onto other students' plates. It turned her stomach. An hour earlier, she'd been hungry, but now her appetite vanished. Fish and oranges were among several smells that quietly shut down her desire to eat, transforming hunger into aversion. Emma also noticed that her friends didn't seem affected by the odors that overwhelmed her."
"Emma had been diagnosed with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) just a few months earlier. Her physician became concerned when she wasn't growing taller as expected for her age. When asked about Emma's eating habits, her mother explained that Emma couldn't tolerate foods containing bananas, oranges, apples, or most fruits-and the taste was even more unbearable than the smell. Emma avoided nearly all vegetables as well. When fish was cooking, the smell alone was enough to send her retreating to her room."
Emma experiences intense aversions to certain food smells and tastes, especially bananas, oranges, apples, many fruits, vegetables, and cooked fish. Smells like fried fish and peeled oranges can turn appetite into nausea and make entering a room nearly impossible. Friends do not share her reactions, increasing isolation and embarrassment. She brings carefully packed meals from home and makes excuses to avoid eating with peers. Medical evaluation led to a diagnosis of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) after concerns arose about her slowed physical growth and limited dietary variety.
Read at Psychology Today
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