I don’t know if anyone here has been through this… but I eat a lot of fast food because I have a fear of using anything to cook, if it’s for me to make something like bread and butter, that’s fine, it’s just a fork that I need, but when it comes to using a furnace or those kind of things, I just have a fear I might mess up somehow and start a fire or something… I know it sounds stupid but it’s a nightmare I have in my head for some reason =/, I thought I’d try getting over it so I could cook my own meals and get more healthy but thar’s a barrier stopping me… can anyone who has been through this give me any advice on it?
First, it’s OK to not cook. If you are getting by alright without cooking, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Second, I respect you coming here and admitting your fear. Ironically it takes a lot of bravery to do that!
Third, irrational fears and anxieties are a normal part of the human experience. Everybody has them, so though it can feel like you’re being stupid, you’re really just being human (though some might say that’s two ways of saying the same thing).
Fourth, I’m not a therapist or medical professional but the treatment for phobias I am aware of are CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), and exposure therapy. You can find CBT and ACT workbooks that might be helpful. As for exposure therapy, I think it’s best to work with a professional doing that. Exposure therapy is not just taking the plunge, there’s a process to it. Of course, if you can afford it, talking to a mental health professional is always best.
Good luck!
He is eating a lot of fast food. That is not okay, it is harmful to your health (at least in the US). It is possible to find healthy restaurant meals, but it isn’t easy, if you care at all about health you need to cook yourself to get it. Of course once you know how to cook you discover you can cook much better than a restaurant meal for a lot less money.
I conditioned my statement with “if you are getting by alright”. If nutritional needs aren’t being met that’s not getting by alright. Though I can see how someone might interpret that differently, but that was my intent.
You can get by on bad nutriton for a long time but I wouldn’t call it alright.
But your point still stands. If someone is content to not improve