07/26/2022
What does neurodivergence have to do with disordered eating patterns? In part 1, let’s take a look at interoception!
Image: Gradient rainbow colored background. Text reads:
Food and Neurodivergence Part 1 Interception
What is interoception?
Interoception is the sense of the internal state of the body... this includes things like needing to p*e or being hungry, thirsty, or full. Our interoceptive ability can be broken down into two aspects: accuracy of bodily signals & attention paid to bodily signals
What’s it got to do with neurodivergence?
Neurodivergent people (esp. those of us with ADHD, autism, and/or PTSD) tend to both be less accurate in identifying bodily signals and pay less attention to them! This can make advice like "eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full" inaccessible
Tips:
* Try to eat "mechanically" (whether or not you are hungry) every 3-4hr
* Set alarms (with different sounds than your usual one)
* Ask someone to check in with you
* Notice other "cues" that you may be hungry such as headache, irritability, nausea, fatigue, etc.
* Have convenient "safe foods" readily available
