Scared of basically anything, due to HIV..

[Tastee]

I have become paranoid about everything I do because I don't want to contract HIV... examples:

- I just shaved, and I washed my razor blade, but for some reason I still feel like I somehow got it due to my roommate POSSIBLY using my razor. Though I didn't see any blood

- I cut my hand in the elevator = I got HIV

- I bumped into someone outside = I somehow contracted HIV from some blood on them

The biggest one has been the shaving one. I am afraid to even tweeze my eyebrows because im afraid my roommate used my tweezers. I can't even leave my toothbrush in the bathroom. My roommate even says he has gotten tested and doesn't have HIV, but I can't believe him because im so worried :{

advice? I CANT TAKE THIS ANYMORE!

[Jamesflames]

One of my mates had the same thing many years ago. He had it with quite abstract things like feeling stepping on cracks would doom him to HIV. He had some therapy which helped him get his feelings of danger back into a reasonable state, and was then fine again.

I hope you manage to get past this as it can be pretty debilitating. Try to get some help. I know medical stuff can be quite expensive in the US but even a self-help group might be useful.

Good luck.

[Anxious_gal]

Exposure therapy!

It's just a typical phobia really so the treatment is the same.
I remember a lady on tv who had a germ phobia.
Slowly but surely she stopped using alcohol hand gel and stuff, eventually she was able to touch dirty things without fear : )

By talking and doing you retrain your brain!

Most phobias aren't rational!

They are actually really close to curing AIDs.
A man got aids, then he had a bone marrow transplant and the T cells in the new marrow cured his aids.

[Danny_dingle]

Tastee,

I used to have a very similar feeling to this and was petrified of catching something nasty. All I can tell you is that once I got my anxiety sorted out the worrying stopped completely. And you know what? I didn't catch anything nasty. :)

I hope that gives you some hope: get your anxiety/phobia diagnosed and fixed and the rest will be history.

Take care,

Danny xxx

[peter34uk]

Actually catching HIV is quite hard believe it or not. It doesn't survive in the open so opening a door etc wont give it to you.

If its your razor and your not infected, then how would you catch it?

I was told that even if I had unprotected sex with a HIV+ partner, it would still be unlikely to get it unless I slept with them multiple times, then the risk is higher.......though I dont suggest you do that!

U cant get it via kissing because even if your partner is HIV+, only tiny amounts live in saliva and you wouldnt get it. No one has yet!....not on record around the globe!

If your that worried, get a test.

I had to last year when my wife had an op and i cacked myself thinking I had it. (I used to sleep around with the girls in my early days)

But it was all fine.

Your fine, rest easy!

[Tastee]

Thanks all so much, every comment was considered and read with a smile on my face. Happy to see people are willing to give advice and have been there, done that.

Thanks all. Thanks. Thanks . Thanks