Needing a normal meter check

Hey all,

So I have an extreme ocd fear of rabies. I actually have not worried about rabies in a very long time (~a couple years). However, something happened the other day that triggered my fear and honestly don't know why other than I have a ton of other stress I'm dealing with, but i need help making my mind realize this is not plausible.

The other day around 7 pm, so dark out, I was at a drive thru line and when i was leaving the parking lot, i drove past a cat who was hunched over by the small exit sign on the corner. I couldn't see him well but later that night my mind jumped to what if he's sick? And what if he left drool puddles in the road and it's on my car? And what if it somehow got on my hand or somewhere on me when I opened the door to get in, then i unknowingly infected myself through a cut or touching my eyes/mouth? I went to a store that was literally behind the drive thru right after, so there wasn't my much time in between seeing the cat and getting out of the car, then back in again. I also had a water bottle leak a little in my purse, so I closed the cap better when I came back to my car...then later took a drink and thought what if the water was contaminated with the virus now that I fixed the cap, because if I had touched infected drool that got on my car somehow and its in the water? I know all these scenarios sound insane, but I need to hear a rational (at least rational about rabies) person tell me logically that I'll be ok.

Basically, if a "normal" person drove closely past this cat, they wouldn't think twice right?

As you can see, I'm in serious need of a normal meter check. I am certain I'm freaking about this because there is so much other stress I'm going through right now - spouse is deployed and I have two under two (one is special needs), I also have an endoscopy that I'm terrified about in two days to check for some gastro issues I've been dealing with for a couple months, among other things. I feel like I'm a wreck and my mind is just attaching to every little thing to worry about. But I need to get this irrational thought out of my mind quick and i don't have anyone who I can really talk about this to.

Please help if you can, i really appreciate your time; thank you for reading.

Scaredy Cat said...
Hi Claira and welcome!

I am sorry to hear that you are dealing with so much currently. You do have a significant amount of stressors atm...which are no doubt fueling the irrational fears that you're experiencing now.

Even though you know rationally that your fear is not logical...it doesn't help in stopping the anxious/intrusive worries, does it?

I can tell you that you have literally zero percent chance of having contracted rabies. You simply had no exposure whatsoever...and beyond this...there is no proof that the cat you saw was even sick. (cats are not common vectors for rabies at all)

I can tell you all of this, and it may even help you to feel better...this time, and with this worry...but we both know that the core of the issue is anxiety, and until that is managed...

...these types of worries are just going to continue in differing forms.

Therefore I encourage you to talk to your doctor about your management options including medication and/or therapy. You can together come up with a plan of action for your recovery.

...and for now, please see our Resources at the top of the main forum page here for great self help material that you can get started on right away!

Keep posting with us as well if you find it helpful. We understand, care and support is key!

Talk soon,

Scaredy Cat

Thank you so much for your post!! I cried when I read it, there's just been so much going on and no one I felt who I can talk to about it or would understand. I felt like I was losing my mind, and I need to keep it together for my little ones. :/

It's frustrating to me the scenarios and what ifs my mind can come up with with this disease. Of course researching it fuels my mind's imagination with ways of contracting it without a bite because they say it can happen by simply saliva getting into your body. :/ In the past, i would mainly freak out about roadkill or stealthy bats. It actually sounds silly when I type it out...

At the beginning of my GI issues, my pcp prescribed me Zoloft, which I think was really starting to help me.. but after 10 days he told me to stop because I lost weight quick and still had GI issues and he thought Zoloft was causing them. I knew that the weight loss was a separate issue, so when my gastro stuff continued, even with dietary changes etc., i went back to him and he prescribed me effexor?? So I kind of lost trust in him because he dismissed my concerns as only anxiety and would not rule out anything else (now have a new pcp who is addressing my gastro stuff first). Hopefully I'm not rambling but I am definitely open to taking medication, and i feel like Zoloft was helping me. I want to resume taking it, I'll definitely discuss options with him soon. I also plan to see a psychologist when husband is back in the states, can't come soon enough! In the mean time, I will absolutely look at the resources here on the forum, thank you so much!!

Scaredy Cat said...
C.,

Until you've been through it...it's nearly impossible to relate to the chaotic thinking anxiety can cause. It is a familiar experience for sufferers to be told, "Just stop worrying about that...you're being silly." If only it was so easy, right?

Okay, it sounds like you have a good plan to talk to your doctor about reinstating your Rx...

...and yes, check out the Stress Relieving Exercises link, the Therapy Worksheets and meditation videos from the Resource Guide. Practicing the suggested exercises daily will make a big difference in how you feel!

Keep us updated so we can keep you in support!

S.C.

Yup anxiety is definitely something people around me don't understand, especially health anxiety. I definitely wish I could simply stop worrying like turning off a light, because it's not fun at all, or something I choose to do!

Today was a better day but it's still lingering in the back of my head off and on, definitely not as bad now that I've had another person's perspective, but still a little there as in "but what if there was somehow saliva I touched on my door handle that I didn't notice". I dont know why that thought wont go away, when the cat probably was fine and doing normal cat things... Seriously is frustrating how my mind attaches to this. I think the resources will help me greatly and I'm so happy to have found this forum, just feeling anxious about my procedure Wednesday morning so I think that is making it hard for me to focus. 😔

Thank you so much for the support, it's comforting to know I'm not alone in this ☺

Scaredy Cat said...
C.,

It's normal to be anxious about a procedure...I would be too, not b/c I think you have reason to fear anything...but just because that's how I roll too!

If you are interested in reading how many anxiety regarding rabies posts (including my own account!) you can do a SEARCH here in the forum (upper right tool bar) It may help you to feel less alone in your worries.

Sending positive thoughts and prayers for tomorrow...let us know how it goes!

S.C.

Hey SC ☺
Procedure went well! Thanks again for all the support, and thoughts/prayers! I was super nervous but the nurses, anesthesiologist, and doctor were great! Something totally treatable and waiting on a biopsy result but doctor is not concerned so I'm feeling very relieved with that! Hoping it makes it easier to be less stressed now to know what's physically wrong with me.

Last night I was super anxious bc of the procedure and to make matters worse regarding my anxiety I saw a news article on social media about a rabid cat in central FL (I'm in NW Florida). It's just kind of frustrating it would pop up when I'm working out my current fear episode regarding it, and the exact same animal species felt like it made it a little bit of a setback ... :/

Scaredy Cat said...
C.,

Great news regarding your procedure! I am so glad it went smoothly, and that your doctor had encouraging words for you...well done!

Keep working the self help to manage your worries regarding tje article you read. Remember it is only anxiety causing these fears...not reality or facts.

Peace and progress!

S.C.

Hey SC,

Today I've been experiencing a shiver down my spine periodically throughout the day and sometimes my scalp, do you think this is concerning? I wasn't thinking about the incident last friday til today when I felt this. I also didn't feel anxious today either.. 😔

Hey there,

SC, just wanted to thank you for your encouragement ☺ it's really comforting and helps me stay motivated to keep up with the anxiety resources.

I saw an allergist on Monday to test for food allergies as a part of figuring out my gi issues. I found out i had lost 5 more pounds in slightly less than 3 weeks, which really worries me because that means I've lost about 21 pounds since this started 2 or 2.5 months or so ago. So I had a rough day today, and I think it dawned on me that I have these ocd rabies freak outs when there's something significantly stressful going on in life. I seemed to get the idea in my head today that perhaps the cat I saw was there while I was in the line, lurking by my car while my window was rolled down at the drive thru (which was down from speaker to pickup window) and i can't get the idea out of my head that he infected me somehow by being in close proximity. And surely I would know if I came in contact with it through my open window... I just don t know, but it's a thought I'm trying to get out of my head and seriously struggling (even though I shouldn't be struggling with it). It's hard because as time goes on I don't remember that night as well.

Looking forward to getting back home so I can start therapy and medication...but it won't be for maybe 2 more weeks 😔