Yahoo Lifestyle "It’s Not Just Being A Picky Eater": This Guy With A Severe Food Phobia Is Going Viral For Pushing Himself To Try New Foods
As a lifelong "picky eater" and hardcore pickle-hater, I was intrigued by a recent TikTok video of Andrew Luber, a 27-year-old screenwriter and filmmaker from Los Angeles, trying a pickle for the very first time.
In the now-viral video, Luber said, "I knew I would be trying a pickle today, and I've been distraught all day. I'm very nervous. I literally have the spins right now. This is the worst food that I'm trying to date." He was repulsed by the pickle juice getting on his hand and then gagged when he smelled it.
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
He tried to take a bite of the pickle, but the attempt forced him to reach for a nearby brown paper sack in case he threw up. "I can't do it," Luber said.
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
Finally, his friend who was filming suggested he try cutting off a tiny slice of pickle, which he did. Luber psyched himself up before putting the piece of pickle in his mouth, but it didn't stay there long.
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
"I'm sorry, I can't do it," Luber said to his friend before rating the pickle as a thumbs-down.
Luber has ARFID, which stands for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. According to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, ARFID is "an illness affecting eating or feeding behaviors that can significantly impact a person’s physical and mental health. Those who struggle with this disorder are typically unable to meet their body’s nutritional or energy needs, caused by a refusal to eat food or a tendency to avoid certain types of foods."
Luber shared in another video that he's had a food phobia for as long as he can remember and that the biggest factor affecting which foods he doesn't eat is the texture. He said, "I might like the taste of something, but if it doesn't feel right in my mouth, I'll spit it out and potentially throw up."
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
He also mentioned his least favorite food. "The number one enemy is a banana. I'll never eat a banana. Don't even ask. Won't eat it, won't try it. It's scary, and I avoid it at all costs."
Luber said having ARFID is "actually a nightmare. I'm consciously thinking about how I'm going to go about my day according to what I'm eating. When I go out with my friends, I'm thinking about what the restaurant contains, food-wise, and what I can and can't eat and what I need to avoid."
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
He added, "My friends have encouraged me to make videos about me trying different foods that I've never tried in my life. Part of what encourages me is that I make my friends laugh, even though it's very scary for me. And I just want to make it clear that you can conquer your fear and have fun with it."
His friend filming the video then asked him if he'd say, "By the end of this journey, I'll be able to try a banana."
"I don't want to say that," Luber laughed.
BuzzFeed reached out to Luber to learn more about his decision to undertake this endeavor. He said, "I’ve found that the only way to really face ARFID is to tackle it head-on by exposing myself to the foods that scare me the most. I’ve been doing exposure therapy for a while, but I thought, why not put this journey online? It added the right kind of pressure for me to really commit."
"Plus, being a filmmaker and screenwriter, it felt natural to document everything and create content around it. It’s been a personal challenge, but also a way to connect with others who might be struggling with the same thing."
Luber also told BuzzFeed, "My experience with ARFID started long before the term even existed. I’ve been dealing with this since I was a baby. As a child, I worked with several occupational therapists and specialists, but no one had a name for what I was going through. Looking back, it’s clear that my struggles with food have always been there, just without a label. Currently, I’m working with a dietitian who helps people with ARFID, and they’ve reinforced that the exposures I’m doing on TikTok are exactly what I should be focusing on."
Therapists have left positive comments on his TikTok, praising him for sharing the videos and bringing awareness to ARFID.
Parents of children with ARFID have found the videos to be "super encouraging."
Others who suffer from ARFID said, "ARFID runs my life," but they feel inspired by seeing Luber trying new things. "Seeing you enjoy new things makes me want to try," one person wrote.
And Snooki from Jersey Shore even told Luber she'd happily take that pickle he didn't like.
When asked what was most challenging about having ARFID, Luber said, "Social situations are probably one of the toughest parts, especially when it comes to dating. ARFID makes things feel pretty isolating because people don’t always understand how restricted my relationship with food is. It’s not just being a picky eater — it’s more than that, and it can make you feel out of place in everyday life."
Considering how restrictive his diet is, many of Luber's followers demanded to know: "What do you eat?"
Luber responded by going to Costco and picking up some of his favorite items, including bagged Caesar salad, Brussels sprouts, pound cake, and, surprisingly, a poke bowl.
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
He also mentioned he liked potatoes, corn, mushrooms, broccoli (if cooked in a specific way), macaroni and cheese, and all types of meat.
Luber was careful to avoid his nemesis, bananas, while in the store.
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
BuzzFeed asked if any foods had surprised Luber along his journey. He said, "Oh, for sure! Trying and liking matcha (don’t ask me to pronounce it) was something I didn’t expect at all. The green color was so foreign and strange to me; I thought there was no way. But surprisingly, the drink had a familiar texture and a sweet taste that actually wasn’t very scary at all."
One of Luber's videos features him trying orange juice for the first time after having "a bad experience" at 6. He smiled after tasting it and was "surprised" to find it "not bad!"
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
He also shared his experience trying his first-ever shaved ice, complete with macadamia nut ice cream. He liked it and called it "really good" and "amazing."
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
But he didn't like celery, canned tuna, or a lemon creme pastry.
@arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com, @arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com, @arfid_andrew / Via tiktok.com
Luber has already found a favorite new food through the process. "Trying a blackberry was like unlocking a whole new world for me because I’ve totally fallen in love with blackberry jam on toast. I guess it’s more of a condiment, but it’s my new go-to, which feels like a win for me!"
Finally, Luber shared with BuzzFeed that he's finding new ways to share his experiences by "working on an exciting short film called The Hunt. The film explores themes of identity and examines why people are the way they are, relating to important issues like ARFID and mental health. These labels are ones that people often use to define themselves, and the film reflects on how these labels influence our understanding of ourselves and others."
If you'd like to follow Luber's journey as he continues to try new foods and keep up with his storytelling, follow him on TikTok here.
