Is It OCD, ARFID, or Both? A Guide to Understanding & Supporting Complex Food Avoidance

Struggling to tell the difference between OCD and ARFID—or wondering if you or your client might be dealing with both? You’re not alone. In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, Dr. Marianne explores the nuanced relationship between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)—two conditions that often overlap and require very different support.

Learn how to differentiate between OCD rituals and ARFID food avoidance, what misdiagnosis of OCD in ARFID can look like (especially in neurodivergent individuals), and how these conditions show up differently in children versus adults. You'll also hear how nervous system regulation and sensory attunement play a central role in supporting sustainable recovery.

Whether you’re a therapist, caregiver, or neurodivergent person navigating food fears, this episode offers a validating, trauma-informed, and practical perspective on complex eating presentations.

🎧 LISTEN NOW AND EXPLORE:

What makes ARFID and OCD different—and where they overlap

Why OCD is often misdiagnosed in people with ARFID

How to identify OCD–ARFID presentations in adults vs. children

What sensory regulation and autonomy-based care really look like in treatment

👍 IF YOU FOUND THIS EPISODE HELPFUL:

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Thank you for listening—and remember, your sensory experience around food makes sense, and healing looks different for everyone.

🔗 LOOKING FOR SUPPORT WITH ARFID?Check out Dr. Marianne’s ARFID and Selective Eating Course—a self-paced, neurodivergent-affirming program designed for therapists, parents, and individuals who want practical tools to support eating without shame or pressure.

RELATED EPISODES ON ARFID:Want to learn more about ARFID and sensory-based eating challenges? Here are four related Dr. Marianne-Land episodes to check out:

Living with Adult ARFID: Relationship Challenges No One Talks Abouton Apple & Spotify.

Complexities of Treating ARFID: How a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned Approach Works on Apple & Spotify.

Stuck on Empty: Autistic Inertia, ARFID & the Struggle to Eat on Apple & Spotify.

ARFID in Adults vs ARFID in Children on Apple & Spotify.

INTERESTED IN HANGING OUT MORE IN DR. MARIANNE-LAND?

Follow me on Instagram @drmariannemillerCheck out my virtual, self-paced ARFID and Selective Eating courseLook into my self-paced, virtual, anti-diet, subscription-based curriculum. It is called Dr. Marianne-Land's Binge Eating Recovery Membership.Live in California, Texas, or Washington D.C. and interested in eating disorder therapy with me? Sign up for a free, 15-minute phone consultation HERE or via my website, and I'll get you to where you need to be!Check out my blog.Want more information? Email me at hello@mariannemiller.com

Welcome to this mental health and eating disorder podcast by Dr. Marianne Miller, who is an eating disorder therapist and binge eating and ARFID course creator. In this podcast, Dr. Marianne explores the ins and outs of eating disorder recovery. It’s a top podcast for people struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder), and any sort of distressed eating. We discuss topics like neurodiversity and eating disorders, self-compassion in eating disorder recovery, lived experience of eating disorders, LGBTQ+ and eating disorders, as well as anti-fat bias, weight-neutral fitness, muscularity-oriented issues, and body image. Dr. Marianne has been an eating disorder therapist for 13 years and has created a course on ARFID and selective eating, as well as a membership to help you recover from binge eating disorder and bulimia. Dr. Marianne has been in mental health for 28 years. Dr. Marianne is neurodivergent and works with a lot of neurodivergent folks. She has fully recovered from an eating disorder that lasted 25 years, and she wants to share her experience, knowledge, and recovery joy with you! Her interview episodes with top eating disorder professionals drop on Tuesdays. You can also tune in on Fridays when Dr. Marianne’s SOLO episodes that come out. You’ll hear personal stories, tips, and strategies to help you in your eating disorder recovery journey. If you’re struggling with food, eating, body image, and mental health, this podcast is for you!

• No. of episodes: 182
• Latest episode: 2025-07-18
• Health & Fitness Mental Health

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