Latest / Dr. Marianne-Land: An Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast
ARFID, PDA, & Autonomy: Why Pressure Makes Eating Harder
Why does pressuring someone to eat often make things worse, especially when they are neurodivergent? In this solo episode, Dr. Marianne Miller explores the intersection of ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) and PDA, which can be understood as either Pathological Demand Avoidance or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy. She breaks down how demands around eating, even gentle ones, can increase distress and shut down the nervous system for people with this profile.
You will learn why pressure often intensifies food refusal and how honoring autonomy can become a foundation for safety…
The skinny
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