Why do people tell me my food tastes are weird?

As an adult dealing with disordered eating, you may often find yourself navigating a complex relationship with food that leaves you feeling emotionally drained. One of the most frustrating aspects can be feeling completely disconnected from your hunger and fullness cues. You may skip meals or eat at random times, unsure of when your body needs nourishment, which can lead to feelings of confusion and frustration. On some days, it might seem like nothing sounds appealing to you, while on others, all foods may sound tempting, leaving you feeling overwhelmed by choices. This can create a cycle of indecision that amplifies your anxiety around eating.

You might also feel like eating is a burden, a task that requires effort and mental energy you often don’t have to spare. Instead of enjoying food as a source of pleasure and sustenance, it may feel like a chore that adds to your already full plate of worries. This feeling can lead to resentment toward your eating habits, as you grapple with the necessity of fueling your body while feeling emotionally detached from the process.

Moreover, if you identify as someone from a marginalized community—perhaps as queer, Black, a person of color, or within the fat or plus-sized spectrum—you may experience additional challenges. Disordered eating is often portrayed as an issue primarily affecting straight, white, thin individuals, which can make you feel isolated in your struggles. This perception can lead to feelings of shame or invalidation, making it even harder to seek support. Each of these experiences adds layers to your relationship with food and your body, making it essential to address both the emotional and social aspects of your disordered eating in a safe and understanding environment.

Neurodivergence and Disordered Eating

When we begin our session together, I create a compassionate space where we can explore your relationship with food without judgment or shame. As your therapist specializing in disordered eating, I understand that food difficulties often stem from complex emotional and neurological factors rather than simple lack of willpower. You'll find that our conversations go beyond just what you eat—we dig deeper into how eating patterns connect to your emotions, sensory experiences, and daily functioning. I take time to understand your unique history and challenges, recognizing that disordered eating manifests differently for everyone. During our work together, we explore the significant overlap between disordered eating and neurodivergence, as many individuals with ADHD or autism spectrum disorder experience atypical relationships with food that aren't adequately addressed by traditional eating disorder treatments.

As someone who may be neurodivergent, you might notice that your relationship with food feels different from what's typically described. Your sensory sensitivities, executive functioning challenges, or different interoceptive awareness can all influence how you experience hunger, fullness, and food preferences. I help you recognize these connections and develop strategies that work with your neurotype rather than against it. Together, we'll create practical approaches that honor your unique needs while moving toward a more peaceful relationship with food and body. You'll learn to distinguish between neurological differences that affect eating and disordered patterns that cause distress, developing self-compassion for the ways your brain processes food-related experiences.

How neurodivergence may affect your relationship with food: 

• You might forget to eat due to time blindness or hyperfocus on other activities 

• Sensory sensitivities can limit food choices or create aversions to certain textures 

• Executive functioning challenges can make meal planning and preparation overwhelming

• You may struggle to identify internal hunger and fullness cues accurately

• Rigid thinking patterns might lead to fixed food rules or rituals around eating 

• Emotional dysregulation can trigger using food as a coping mechanism 

• Social communication differences may complicate food-related social situations

You may benefit from body image & disordered eating coaching if you hope to:

• Ditch harmful messaging from society

• Stop worrying about being judged for your appearance

• Embrace yourself just as you are

• Heal your relationship with food