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Fear of rabies has completely destroyed my life.

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SkeletonClique01

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Everything started about 1.5 months ago when my puppy bit me. I didn't get rabies from her because she is still alive an well. But after what I have read about rabies, completely destroyed my life.

Everytime I touch something, my mind keeps telling me that I will somehow get rabies. If I touch something, I immediately wash my hands. I even avoid touching my family members. My hands are irritated and dry from washing them frequently.

About 25 days ago I noticed 3 dots on tip of my finger with very very short distance between them(1mm), thinking that bat bit me without me noticing. I still have these dots. I know it is so rare but I can't get rid of that kind of thoughts. I also have never seen a bat in my entire life.

I also have fear of getting rabies from stray cats in my backyard without them biting me. 3 days ago I left a water bottle outside and after drinking from it the first thing that came to my mind was that what if a rabid cat licked it and then it got into my cuts on my lips(I always have chapped lips).

Yesterday my neighbor's dog attacked my puppy. The dog is usually put on a leash and lives outside but my neighbor released him yesterday. The dog came into my backyard aggressively and chased my puppy. The dog couldn't manage to bite her but I am worried if the dog's saliva got on my puppy's fur and then I petted her with my irritated hands?

My life has never been like this before. When I tell my family members about this, they say I am going to be okay and sometimes laugh at me. Getting rabies is worst fear of mine. My mom doesn't take me to a doctor thinking that I will be okay. I don't know what to do anymore. I am crying inside. I even lost appetite from worrying this much.
 
cheer_mom

cheer_mom

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I am sure you will be okay. I would try to see a counselor so you could get help with your fear.
 
Cuchculan

Cuchculan

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All just irrational thinking. You have created a new fear for yourself. One that has all but taken over your life. Of dogs that have rabies, they are few and far between. Is not every single dog out there. This is what you have to try and keep telling yourself. That not all dogs are infected with rabies. Same would go for other animals too. Chances of them been passed onto you in a wild roundabout way simply won't ever happen. It would take a fluke of nature for a person to catch rabies by way of one dog been in touch with another dog that in turn was in touch with a third dog. Just give up reading about such things. It is doing you no good at all.
 
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E.B

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One thing about us is we are extremely creative. As a youth is used to think I was alone in my creative irrational thoughts however this forum confirms im not...none the less I've dealt with irrational rabies phobia and it can assure you that you are ok 100 percent!
 
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KertzHealth

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I had an anxiety that took my life into a depression state. It all started when I saw a bat near a lake in California. It was a dead bat that I went near to, I kept on thinking I was fine, and I'm at no risk. Once I search online about how it can spread even, that's when the anxiety stuff started. I kept on searching and searching for my risk online, even though it said I was in no risk whatsoever. It surely did change my life and the things I do.
 
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bigjetplane6

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Anxiety is making you think the worst case scenario: I have been bit by dogs before and all has been fine :) Many people are bit by dogs
 
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Fraser

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You do need to see a healthcare professional if you can about your health anxiety. It sounds like you might be a young person who is still living with their parents, in which case you might need their help and support. Cognitive behavioral therapy is very effective at treating this kind of thing (it sounds like it is king of half health anxiety and half phobia) and the sooner you deal with it directly the better.
 
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KertzHealth

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I used to be scared not only on diseases, but on tornados, hurricanes, and failure. Of course, non of my worries ever happened, but I still till this day overthink about such impossible stuff.
 
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SkeletonClique01

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Thanks everyone for replying. I am also worried of getting rabies from my puppy even though she is VACCINATED against rabies. What If he ate dead rabid animal or had contact with mouth with rabid animal outside, didn't swallow virus and transported it to my wound. She sometimes goes outside unsupervised. Uncertainty is worst thing ever.
 
FlipperK

FlipperK

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SkeletonClique01 said:
Thanks everyone for replying. I am also worried of getting rabies from my puppy even though she is VACCINATED against rabies. What If he ate dead rabid animal or had contact with mouth with rabid animal outside, didn't swallow virus and transported it to my wound. She sometimes goes outside unsupervised. Uncertainty is worst thing ever.
Click to expand...

Most of us have learned, or are learning, that you will never have 100% certainty in this world.

Do you know how many people have outdoor dogs and get licked by them? Probably millions in the USA... every day. No one has gotten rabies like that. It is nearly ALWAYS from a bat bite.

If she is vaccinated, DONT worry. You have done everything you can do and you need to find a way to calm your emotions.

Some insurances do provide a limited amount of free mental health therapy, or they have services that can assist. If you are under someone else's plan, just get the phone number from them and call yourself.

It is OKAY to get help, everyone on this earth needs help... you think we all were building houses straight from birth? Learned to read by ourselves? Learn morals, fear, danger, happiness, etc.... No. We all had help learning and realizing those skills/feelings as we grew up.

You will never stop growing, and if this is truly affecting your everyday life... you need to see someone and talk about it.



I promise you, its' not the rabies...
 
Cuchculan

Cuchculan

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Amazingly here in Ireland I have only seen a few bats once in my life. Probably out there. But not something I ever look for. If an animal could carry something you fear, it is only obvious that you would fear that animal. Another thing, I have actually never known anybody who had rabies. That would be a good one to ask others. How many people actually know another person who had rabies? Hands up if you do.
 
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SkeletonClique01

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I didn't really care about bats before, because I didn't know what rabies was. Now everytime I find 2 small dots on my body, I keep thinking that bat bit me in my sleep and I didn't notice lol.
 
Cuchculan

Cuchculan

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That only happens in horror movies. Dracula and the likes. Not in real life.
 
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KertzHealth

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It's very hard to actually for me to think any good of them, so yea I am very scared of bats because I think of them always being disease carriers.
 
ThankfulJen

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We have bats all over where I live. When we sit outside at night or go camping at the lake in summer, we can hear them flying and swooping overhead. We have lived here for five years and no incidents with us or that we have heard of. I also live where there are many ranches so not even reports of them biting the livestock or pets! It really is very rare.
 
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