AFRID, is a mental health condition characterised by a limited diet due to aversion, anxiety and low appetite. How might hypnotherapy be used for ARFID?
Treating ARFID with hypnotherapy.
I cannot speak for all hypnotherapist, as hypnotherapy contains a broad variety of skills, techniques, philosophies and approaches but here are some of the more common approaches used when conducting hypnotherapy for ARFID.
Hypnotherapy when ARFID presents as anxiety
Most hypnotherapist have a set of techniques for dealing directly with anxiety triggers. Generally this involves invoking the known trigger mentally and then applying the technique to introduce a new way of being. These techniques include;
- Systematic desensitization.
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
- Various Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) approaches such as Anchoring, and the Swish technique.
Using these techniques it is common for a person to be able to bring an increasing range of previously challenging foods into their dietary repertoire. It is not uncommon for people to actually discover that some of the foods they reintroduce are actually pleasant. This usually occurs because the nature of their pallet and sensory experience has changed since the problem started.
Hypnotherapy when AFRID is developed as a result of trauma
Sometimes a trauma will be obviously a part of the development of the problem. When this is the case, it is likely that the hypnotherapist will look to process this in some way. Common tools for this include;
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
- Regression to the trauma so that it can be processed by a mind which knows that it survived.
- Metaphorical releases of the pent up energies created by the trauma through visualisation.
Altering sensory experience of food
Hypnotherapy has the capacity to nudge sensory awareness so that some elements come forward in perception. By shifting awarenesses challenging foods can become inoffensive or even enjoyable. This can be done through techniques;
- Direct suggestion for forgetting disliked elements and noticing preferred elements (sweetness, smoothness, elements of aroma).
- Visualisation of ideal forms of the food
- Accessing memories of more pleasant foods whilst eating the food
When AFRID is the result of Low hunger levels.
When a person with AFRID does not feel hunger a common cause is poor interoception. Interoception is our awareness of our own internal body, how well we feel things like hunger and heartrate. A hypnotherapist may look to enhance this through techniques like;
- Body scan; a practice in which a person experiences the different areas of their body and the sensations experienced by those areas. Commonly, this is done through a recording or by teaching it and through repetition it can enhance
- Suggestions for bodily awareness; these can be very direct or through a visualisation to help enhance awareness of the sensations of hunger.
Further, for Low hunger, if it does not appear to be based on poor interoception lifestyle changes may be required. These could include;
- Engaging with higher calorific foods.
- Organising eating times so they are less reliant upon biological prompting.
- Dietary changes to prompt the development of a robust biome which often aids in hunger signalling.
These are just a few examples, and many people will have tried some of them. The hypnotherapist’s job is to discuss these with their patient and find out what they tried, how well it went and what new strategies and tool may help.
I hope this blog has given you the information you need to feel confident to move to the next stage and book a therapist. If you want to contact me for a free consultation feel free, otherwise look for a therapist
The author
Dr Matt Krouwel PhD is a hypnotherapist based in Birmingham (UK) with a specialism in anxiety and functional digestive disorders. He has 25 years experience of working with clients and patients and is a member of both the BSCH and NCH