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:

• Share this episode to help others struggling with food avoidance or fear

• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform

• Leave a review so more people can discover these neurodivergent-affirming insights

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 About on 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 @drmariannemiller
• Check out my virtual, self-paced ARFID and Selective Eating course
• Look 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 [e-mail]