Anxious about rabies

Strelets · Aug 11, 2021

Hey man, I've been through where you are plenty of times.

Two months ago I had a rabies scare because I was in a church with a bat at midnight.

Look at it this way, and to be honest, this is how I look at it now:

1. Most bats or animals aren't rabid. Even if you got bit by a bat, it probably wouldn't have rabies.

2. IIRC, and this is as someone who's had hypochondria for ~6 years now (15-21), I have been able to find out only one case where the rabies vaccine in humans failed, and that was in some really unfortunate kid in either Algeria, Tunisia, or Libya. I'm assuming you're American, Canadian, or European. Seeing as you're not staring out into the Mediterranean, you don't have anything to worry about. Even then - it might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but I'd honestly say that it might be better to live in a place where rabies is a bit more endemic than say, somewhere like the US or Canada - the doctors probably have way more experience with it.

3. Rabies, typically, takes around a month to develop. If you had rabies, you would've had time to develop it 5 times over. It moves around ~3 inches per day. You've had this worry for 5+ months. Unless your specific strand of rabies is failing it's job miserably or you're more than 38 feet tall (~152 days in 5 months, 152*3 = 456/12 = 38), you don't have anything to worry about.

4. If your dog had rabies, you'd know by now. Even if your dog pried open your eyes and licked your eyeballs and had a shitload of rabies, you'd know by now.

You don't need to worry about your dog, or you having rabies.

Maybe start asking yourself - what makes you worried about dying?

Fraser · Aug 12, 2021

SkeletonClique01 said:
My dog jumped on my bed and licked my whole face while I was sleeping. I am worried about rabies. The dog is vaccinated but what If the vaccine failed? The dog was in rural area about 4 weeks ago with my grandma and I am not sure If she got bitten by a rabid animal. I wouldn't be worried If she bit me on legs or hands because I would have some time to observe my dog for rabies symptoms. But instead she licked my face and saliva got into my eyes which is more risky. Rabies is endemic in my country. I have been having anxiety about rabies for 5 months now. My family members get annoyed whenever I tell them about this. I don't know what to do anymore. My mom doesn't vaccinate me.

I usually avoid touching my dog. I constantly beg my family members to give this dog to someone else. I feel bad about giving the dog away to someone else but I can't live like this. I lost 40lbs because of this fear. Every day is a torture. I might not get rabies but I think I will get other serious health problems because of my anxiety and stress. I am only 15 . This sucks.

Oh wow, you have hardcore rabies phobia. If you are 15, please do yourself a huge favour and seek out treatment for your phobia ASAP. The more you grow up with this, the more it will get entrenched into your thought patterns. I'm 40 and I wish I had started treating my health anxiety 20 years ago.

Cuchculan · Aug 12, 2021

People have this happen to them a lot of the time. Dogs licking their face. If your dog had rabies you would be able to tell. I agree with that Fraser is saying. You need to address your fear. It is a phobia you have. A phobia you can get help for. So everytime your dog comes nears you, you won't think the animal is giving you rabies. But if you don't get help for your phobia, you will be afraid of your own dog and other dogs. It will only get far worse. Get help early and things will get much better for you.

bin_tenn · Aug 12, 2021

I also agree, pursue help for the fear / anxiety.

Fraser · Aug 12, 2021

Guys? I lied. I'm 41.

Cuchculan · Aug 12, 2021

@bin_tenn I think @Fraser is used to hearing that on other types of sites. I lied, I'm not 15, I'm 41 and a police woman.

j/k

bin_tenn · Aug 12, 2021

OYG haha

E.B · Aug 12, 2021

Strelets said:
Hey man, I've been through where you are plenty of times.

Two months ago I had a rabies scare because I was in a church with a bat at midnight.

Look at it this way, and to be honest, this is how I look at it now:

1. Most bats or animals aren't rabid. Even if you got bit by a bat, it probably wouldn't have rabies.

2. IIRC, and this is as someone who's had hypochondria for ~6 years now (15-21), I have been able to find out only one case where the rabies vaccine in humans failed, and that was in some really unfortunate kid in either Algeria, Tunisia, or Libya. I'm assuming you're American, Canadian, or European. Seeing as you're not staring out into the Mediterranean, you don't have anything to worry about. Even then - it might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but I'd honestly say that it might be better to live in a place where rabies is a bit more endemic than say, somewhere like the US or Canada - the doctors probably have way more experience with it.

3. Rabies, typically, takes around a month to develop. If you had rabies, you would've had time to develop it 5 times over. It moves around ~3 inches per day. You've had this worry for 5+ months. Unless your specific strand of rabies is failing it's job miserably or you're more than 38 feet tall (~152 days in 5 months, 152*3 = 456/12 = 38), you don't have anything to worry about.

4. If your dog had rabies, you'd know by now. Even if your dog pried open your eyes and licked your eyeballs and had a shitload of rabies, you'd know by now.

You don't need to worry about your dog, or you having rabies.

Maybe start asking yourself - what makes you worried about dying?

This is a good post

Fraser · Aug 12, 2021

SkeletonClique01 said:
Thanks everyone for replying, it really means a lot to me. I can't express how much I miss the old times. I was living a normal life and enjoying things. But since we got a dog and I researched about rabies my life got completely destroyed. It always saddens me to think how much I changed because of this dog. I avoid touching anything, even my family members. My friends and lots of other people are probably enjoying school holiday(school break) but I keep worrying about rabies constantly, every fu***** second. My mom isn't supportive. She keeps telling me to let my fears go but if it was that easy, I wouldn't be where I am now. Sorry for venting out too much and being little dramatic. I just don't know what to do anymore.

You should get access to therapy. Is that a possibility for you?

E.B · Aug 13, 2021

SkeletonClique01 said:
Thanks everyone for replying, it really means a lot to me. I can't express how much I miss the old times. I was living a normal life and enjoying things. But since we got a dog and I researched about rabies my life got completely destroyed. It always saddens me to think how much I changed because of this dog. I avoid touching anything, even my family members. My friends and lots of other people are probably enjoying school holiday(school break) but I keep worrying about rabies constantly, every fu***** second. My mom isn't supportive. She keeps telling me to let my fears go but if it was that easy, I wouldn't be where I am now. Sorry for venting out too much and being little dramatic. I just don't know what to do anymore.

15 is when i really started my serious anxiety. For me it went from getting blood pressure taken to full physicals to aids...aids was a big health anxiety deal for me growing up. I say this because i know what you are going through is very real. I was able to do the psychiatrist/therapy/med thing and im sure it helped. What i can say is that you do not have rabies and have no chance of getting rabies, but facts didnt really help back then and really dont always help now. It may for a second but then the affirmation ends, and eventually a new worry tries to come along. Do your best to fight through this and try to get resources that can make it easier to get through this.

Fraser · Aug 13, 2021

Take a look: https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?111-Rabies-Concerns

EvaC · Aug 16, 2021

SkeletonClique01 said:
Thanks everyone for replying, it really means a lot to me. I can't express how much I miss the old times. I was living a normal life and enjoying things. But since we got a dog and I researched about rabies my life got completely destroyed. It always saddens me to think how much I changed because of this dog. I avoid touching anything, even my family members. My friends and lots of other people are probably enjoying school holiday(school break) but I keep worrying about rabies constantly, every fu***** second. My mom isn't supportive. She keeps telling me to let my fears go but if it was that easy, I wouldn't be where I am now. Sorry for venting out too much and being little dramatic. I just don't know what to do anymore.

I am sorry you are going through this... it's a horrible anxiety. I joined this forum a year ago, when I was having terrible anxiety... time and counseling helped but it always threatens to return and it is starting to return again. My rabies anxiety keeps coming back everytime something happens -- like I think I see a bat or something brushes my head. RIght now, my beloved indoor only cat is very sick and dying and he has some neurological symptoms that make me worried he could have rabies. I have spent over a $1000 on vet consultations and nobody is sure what is wrong with him. They don't think it's rabies but that is not reassuring. I am going to have him euthanised probably tomorrow which is heartbreaking. It is also heartbreaking to me that I am scared to touch him or hold him right now when he really needs me, in case he is contagious. I had the full course of rabies vaccine last year but I know know my protective antibody titers have lowered because they were tested in May. I may go back for the two booster shots, becasue I was handling him and being exposed to saliva and was scratched, and I know I will once again be ridiculed for my concerns. Anybody with anxiety can get online counseling through betterhelp.com. They have financial assistance. It helped me last year.

Doug97 · Oct 15, 2021

This sounds like classic phobia. Phobias are extremely treatable, have you looked into consulting a clinical psychologist?

Walking Circles · Oct 15, 2021

SkeletonClique01 said:
Hey I am back. I have been getting better every day and my fear and OCD seems to have passed. But I still have one and the worst fear. Whenever I go to walk outside, I have very weird thoughts that a rabid dog might come close to me and lick my feet and legs without noticing lol. Everytime I go to walk, I always look back to check if there is any dog following and it is very annoying. Today after coming back to school there were 6 stray dogs on the road and after I passed them, I always looked back to check if there were any dogs following me.

Some people fear bats might bite them without noticing but It is completely opposite for me. I dont fear bats. I fear dogs licking me without knowing XD. (I have small cuts on my feet and legs)

Sorry if I have grammatical mistakes. English isn't my native language.

I understand this fear, rabies fear is one I struggle with too. Just know that the chances of a dog licking you without you noticing are slim, dogs aren't generally very subtle creatures lol! If a rabid dog approached that close most likely they would be attacking and you would certainly know. Oh and your grammar is excellent!

Doug97 · Oct 17, 2021

Walking Circles said:
If a rabid dog approached that close most likely they would be attacking and you would certainly know.

That's a good point, I didn't think of that!

TruthHurts · Oct 17, 2021

Walking Circles said:
I understand this fear, rabies fear is one I struggle with too. Just know that the chances of a dog licking you without you noticing are slim, dogs aren't generally very subtle creatures lol! If a rabid dog approached that close most likely they would be attacking and you would certainly know. Oh and your grammar is excellent!

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