Latest / Dr. Marianne-Land: An Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast
When PDA Drives ARFID: Understanding Food Refusal, Control, & Safety
When ARFID is shaped by a PDA profile, eating challenges are not simply about sensory preferences, fear foods, or appetite. PDA, or a pervasive drive for autonomy, means the nervous system experiences demands as threats. Even gentle encouragement around eating can trigger shutdown, panic, or refusal. In this episode, Dr. Marianne Miller explains why PDA fundamentally changes how ARFID shows up and why traditional explanations often miss what is really happening beneath the surface.
Food Refusal Is a Nervous System Safety Response
Food refusal in PDA-driven ARFID is not defiance or…
The skinny
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