Selective eating disorder (SED)

Selective eating disorder (SED) is a strong aversion around certain foods, even if a person desperately wanted to try some appetising looking food, they would be unable to do so, or unable to swallow it. It is common for people with this eating disorder to avoid being near the food or touching the food that makes them uncomfortable. People also report gagging at the taste or smell of certain foods.

One girl, named Hannah Little, had selective eating disorder so severe that she would only eat toast, plain biscuits and chips and eggs. Due to this diet, she was majorly lacking in several vitamins needed for a healthy way of living. She reported that her periods were incredibly irregular and painful due to her diet and weight, leading her to taking iron tablets to keep her energy up. Hannah shares that “when I fainted at work and lost my job… I realised I needed to change.” For people like Hannah, the start of the recovery journey is often the biggest challenge they face, but her motivation to get better led her to reaching out for help. She also claimed she “felt strangely relieved when I was diagnosed, there was a justification to my behaviour and relationship with food.”

Link to Hannah’s story Selective Eating Disorder - what is selective eating disorder? (cosmopolitan.com)

If you or someone you know is struggling with selective eating disorder, reach out for help and tell someone you trust.