To mark Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2024, we are sharing a short poem written by a young person who has accessed our eating disorder services, about their experiences living with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
ARFID is the theme of this year's Eating Disorders Awareness Week and it's a largely misunderstood eating disorder, which can have serious consequences for someone's health if left untreated.
To find out more about ARFID, visit the Beat Eating Disorders website: https://
'Christmas is Coming'
Christmas is coming and I can't eat,
I've tried fruit and veg and I don't like meat.
So many Christmas gatherings and buffet foods to pick,
I can't stand the smell and it makes me feel sick.
I'm not being spoilt and I don't want to try,
People keep pushing me and I just want to cry.
I don't like the crunch or I don't like the feel,
My food is often the same and eaten for every meal.
Sometimes I'm not hungry and I don't want to eat,
Sometimes it's hard to stay sat in my seat.
Our dinners are not traditional but we don't mind,
We ask you to understand and please just be kind.
People take for granted all sitting around a table,
But for some ARFID people, they're not just not able.
Food through a tube, food through my tummy,
Helping me grow, they're all just as yummy.
ARFID is the reason and it's so misunderstood,
However we get our nourishment, each way is just as good.
