Most foods don’t look edible to me. I only like ‘kid’ foods. I consume ridiculous amounts of chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and French fries. I don’t do this by choice, but because I have Selective Eating Disorder (SED). I cannot bring myself to eat the meals that most people consider ‘normal.’ Because of this disorder, I eat “an extremely limited range of foods,” and I “avoid unfamiliar foods” (Satter). Recently, I’ve discovered that I’m not alone; others have the same disorder. We share the same anxiety about food, and all eat “a four-year-old’s dream diet” (Krause). The truth is that Selective Eating Disorder has a devastating impact on those people who suffer from it and their families: it causes discomfort in social situations, creates tension among family members, and often leads to many health problems.

Selective Eating Disorder falls under the same category as Anorexia or Bulimia in that it is a psychological eating disorder. It is different, however, because individuals who have it are not concerned with body image. Rather, they have a phobia of certain foods and textures.

Going out to eat makes me incredibly nervous. Within my very limited range of foods, I only like certain brands. I can’t just order chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese at restaurants; I only like Tyson chicken nuggets and Kraft macaroni and cheese. Because I can’t find anything to eat at restaurants, I always eat beforehand. Arriving to the restaurant’s table after I’ve already eaten allows me to use the excuse, ‘I’m not hungry’ to avoid ordering food. Ordering nothing is preferable to trying something new. These odd eating habits often draw unwanted attention. My grandparents always ask me why I’m not eating and why I don’t just order something and try it. Then I am faced with trying to explain my embarrassing food issues. I often feel as though I’m impolite for not ordering food at a restaurant, however, I usually feel worse if I order something and I can’t bring myself to touch it. I was at the Spaghetti Factory with my boyfriend’s parents recently, and wanted to be polite, so I ordered plain pasta. When the waitress set the plate down in front of me, I knew instantly that I couldn’t eat it. The noodles had been cooked in oil instead of butter. I could only bring myself to gag down one greasy bite. My efforts to avoid being left at the end of the meal with a full plate failed.

Everyone with SED experiences these awkward meals, which causes them to avoid social events, or make up excuses to get out of eating at them. People with Selective Eating Disorder feel embarrassed about the way they eat, and often try to hide it. Bob Krause, an adult with Selective Eating Disorder, said, “If I could snap my fingers and change, I would.” His fear of dining out has even limited his career options. He’s had to quit several jobs because he can’t handle going out to business dinners or lunch meetings (Nixon). People without this disorder may not realize it, but food is a major part of nearly every social event.

 
Dara Vance, the parent of a child with Selective Eating Disorder, says that she worries that her daughter, “avoids certain social situations because she is embarrassed about her eating peculiarities.” Vance indicates that her daughter also dislikes traveling because it’s hard to find foods that her daughter will eat away from home. “You can’t really travel to a foreign country with frozen chicken nuggets and Eggo brand waffles.”

Selective Eating Disorder creates conflict between family members. In my family, I get nagged constantly about my nutrition. My parents always ask me if I’ve eaten a fruit or vegetable recently. Frequent comments about my poor nutrition cause me anxiety. When I was little, meals were challenging because I refused to eat anything that wasn’t in my food repertoire. My parents tried various things to get me to expand my range of foods. I was bribed, rewarded, and consequenced during mealtimes. Sometimes, I wasn’t allowed to leave the table until I sampled a new food, or at least allowed it to sit on my plate. Other times, I was put in a “time out.” I was stubborn and never gave in. This created a battle night after night between my parents and me. I feel guilty about this, but I literally could not bring myself to try new foods. As Amber Scott, an individual with SED, says, “telling someone to just try something is like telling an individual with Parkinson’s Disease that they could stop shaking if they just tried to hold themselves still” (Srochlic).

 
Families can be torn apart by Selective Eating Disorder. Bob Krause says that Selective Eating Disorder ruined two of his marriages (Nixon). Parents who have the disorder have a difficult time explaining it to their kids. They often feel like they are bad role models for their children. On the Facebook “Picky Eaters Association” page, one woman who faces this issue asked, “Does anyone tell their kids that they are allergic to vegetables so they don’t ask questions when mommy isn’t eating them?” Many individuals with Selective Eating Disorder are too embarrassed to even tell their children about their unusual eating habits. Parents of children with Selective Eating Disorder also face other difficult situations. Dara Vance’s family gradually stopped eating out. It was “too difficult to find a restaurant that was okay” for her daughter. She would complain and feel awkward if they went to a restaurant that didn’t offer one of her daughter’s acceptable foods. Vance and her husband grew tired of ordering and paying for foods that their daughter wouldn’t eat. Vance blamed herself for her daughter’s weird eating habits. Her friends would tell her to “step up and be parents with a backbone.” They told her that she shouldn’t “prepare something special just for her daughter.” Not only did Vance blame herself, but others were blaming her as well.

 
I am always worried about how my limited eating will affect my health. I don’t eat the ‘daily suggested number of servings’ in any food group. I feel accomplished if I eat even one fruit a day. My diet consists of foods that are major contributors to diabetes: macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, French fries, yogurt, white bread, plain pasta, and hot dogs. I eat mac and cheese at least six days a week. When I was around ten years old, I had a spell where I passed out four times in one month. It always occurred shortly after I woke up in the morning, and before I’d eaten breakfast. I visited my doctor and had an EKG done on my heart; the medical professionals determined that my fainting issue didn’t stem from a heart problem, but from my diet. 

The fact is, Selective Eating Disorder can lead to some serious health concerns. Lesa Thieroff, an adult with Selective Eating Disorder, was recently diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. Her doctors said that it was directly related to her diet. Having Selective Eating Disorder means eating a lifetime of greasy, fatty foods. These foods lack the nutrients that the body needs. People with SED often experience health complications like malnutrition, heart problems, or a diminished immune system (Srochlic).

Selective Eating Disorder is not yet treatable. Psychologists are trying exposure therapy as well as desensitization programs to try to help those with the disorder (Natenshon). Many sufferers have tried this therapy, but it only expanded their food repertoire by one or two foods. I take daily vitamin supplements in an attempt to get at least some of the nutrients I need, and I have been to multiple therapists about my eating. So far, I have had no success, but I do find comfort in the fact that here are others like me.

*Works Cited omitted for brevity.