Reflections of the multimple rabies threads [Archive]

paranoid-viking

24-08-17, 18:52

I have noticed that over the last 2-3 months or som there seems to pop up threads form someone ferociusly fearing rabies almost every second day now. Has there been a major breakout of rabies in the UK or USA the last months or is there nightmare stories in the english language media that has been triggering this off?:shrug:

Last year, when I joined here I think there were only ONE rabies thread; by a young woman who believed; I repeat BELIEVED that she had been bitten by a bat and was sooo convinced that she was dying oif rabies. She kept posting the fear for months, but in the end she came to her senes. But she was CONVINCED she had this extremely rare in human ilness and interpretated absolutely every discomfort under the sun as rabis. Now I see it again, except that is everywhere on this forum now. New threads every day, including one who seriously believes there are rabies virus on his bedsheets.

Let me tell you; from one hypocondriac to another: I myself had a major rabies fear in 2003; 14 years ago. And that fear and panic lasted a year or so; a whole year of my best age wasted on such a ridicilous worry. I wish I could have that year back and that I coul re-live it without wasting it on rabies fear.
Rabies is almost non-existing in humans, this is especially true in the Western world. Now; if some of you WERE in a third world country; let us say in a village in India and was bitten by a aggresive and foaming stray dog I would telle you to go to the nearest hospital and get the first rabies shot ASAP; but this is not the case with the rabies posts here.
Let me tell you this; if a person develops rabies symptoms; it goes extremely fast and the person will die a horrible death within 5 to 10 days. If you guys really had rabies you would not be able to sit and post all this on an Internet forum. You would be foaming at the mouth, have delirium and go crazy because it attacks the brain and nerve system.
So...this is my take on it. I would say save your worries to you`d need it.
I can not convince you that you dont have rabies; but I have been where you are; I was convinced I had it but....I am here. And so are you.

Fishmanpa

24-08-17, 19:12

Illnesses and fears seem to run in cycles here. Part I believe is due to members reading and being triggered, some are news related (remember the boards during the ebola scare? :ohmy:), I'm surprised there weren't more eclipse posts too! Then there's nodes, ALS, cancers of all kinds and often times, they're the rarest of the rare diseases. The list goes on and on and on.

The rabies threads are frankly totally fantastical in nature. I would be curious to understand the thought patterns and process that makes someone believe a disease that's been eradicated in most countries afflicted them (a bat sneaks into a home, bit someone undetected and escaped totally unnoticed for example).

Positive thoughts and bats ;)

sportboy

24-08-17, 22:23

I'm one of the rabies posters.

My health anxiety obsessions were gone for 2 years and one day I just looked my hand and there was a hangnail wound. I don't know why, but I googled rabies and it all started. I don't know what happened but suddenly bats were everywhere, every situation was a threat. The interesting part is that when I looked my browser's history I noticed one rabies search a month before. Just one search. Very interesting.

It's very strange how health anxiety starts. One morning you just google something and 2 months later you have many other diseases. For example, now I can't get over of VCJD. Currently I'm trying other methods to eliminate my OCD and I have hope that I don't have to bump my VCJD thread anymore and that I win this battle.

NervousSubject

25-08-17, 03:56

I've dealt with the rabies hypochondria since 2014, but this year it seemed to have spiked for me mostly due to the fact that in the county I live in, three bats a few towns away from me tested positive for rabies within a week last June and it was all over social media.

AntsyVee

25-08-17, 04:15

The invisible bat has bitten many a poster on here and AZ.

MyNameIsTerry

25-08-17, 04:51

The subconscious aims to find the most scariest thing it can find for you, would it be so reinforcing if it was a cold? For some it even is the minor illnesses too but like intrusive thoughts anxiety is trying to tick the boxes i the cycle and it does that by looking for your Achilles Heal. You panic, it gets it's feedback and on we plod with those new core beliefs.

Fight or flight is there for a good reason, it aims to reinforce fears to protect us. Sadly, it's running rampant with us and building fears about irrational stuff. It really doesn't matter whether your fear the most deadly cancer known to man or fear changing your t-shirts (like I did), it's about what is scary to YOU.

That's why they tell us to break that cycle, starve it.

As far as Rabies goes PK, those here longer will have been seeing them before.

People fear the rare BUT do they fear the benign or pick only the terryfing stuff? :winks:

Some of it's the media, some social networking sites, how about someone watching a film and a fear "sticks" (I've heard that many a time on here)?

paranoid-viking

07-09-17, 22:32

The invisible bat has bitten many a poster on here and AZ.

Strange, isnt it? There are about 2 unfortunate victims apparently of rabies in the US annually in a population of 300 million. And both of these, plus couple of others all seems to be hypocondriacs posting on NMP.

Haloinreverse

08-09-17, 03:57

I get odd fears all the time though this is my first rabies scare. I woke up with a rash. Thought it was a bite spend all day finding a bat that wasn't there. Granted I'm under so much stress. In the caretaker to my brother who has non hogkins lymphomas. Turned out it was shingles. Which should have been my first concern since I'm caring for an immune suppressed person.
Just a few weeks before it was P.A.M.
I don't show my anxiety around my brother but fresh I'm a worrywort.

paranoid-viking

22-09-17, 20:59

I guess I should bump this up out of support for people whose keep posting rabies fears. Even today. Maybe this should be in the "sticky" section.

AntsyVee

23-09-17, 01:54

I think it should be, "The Invisible Bat Strikes Again!"

MyNameIsTerry

23-09-17, 02:08

You could put it in the Success Stories, I guess? It will get buried on this board within days...but probably not read on the positive boards. :shrug:

I doubt Admin want to fill the board with stickies. Maybe post on the end of other stickies that are relevant? The theme really doesn't matter anyway, it's the thinking behind it that does and I think there are some stickies for that.

paranoid-viking

23-09-17, 12:39

You could put it in the Success Stories, I guess? It will get buried on this board within days...but probably not read on the positive boards. :shrug:

I

Yeah, question is: how many actually read the positive boards and sucsess stories? Just like the media, people are flocking around fear and horror.

MyNameIsTerry

24-09-17, 02:51

Yeah, question is: how many actually read the positive boards and sucsess stories? Just like the media, people are flocking around fear and horror.

I would say a very small % of those on the HA board are seen anywhere else except Symptoms. I can only base that on my experience of reading across all the boards, I rarely see them posting anywhere else. I've always regarded the HA board as a "forum within a forum".

EDIT: It's a pity they don't add a scroll bar to the sticky section then you guys could add many more in and it wouldn't cause any screen clogging issues. Why not ask?

snowghost57

24-09-17, 03:02

I think it should be, "The Invisible Bat Strikes Again!"

I don't mean to be cruel but your statement, the invisible bat strikes again made me chuckle. I don't have health anxiety but I almost started thinking about if from reading these posts. I stopped. I have friends with real life physical problems and people here sit around and examine their poo or freak over a freckle this is beyond me. If you can get out bed by yourself in the morning, feed yourself, take a shower, take care of your family you are blessed. Don't waste a precious moment of your life wondering if you have cancer or some other deadly disease. Live life! The tests were normal! Just my two cents, I don't want to upset anyone.:yesyes:

swajj

24-09-17, 05:35

The invisible bat has bitten many a poster on here and AZ.

lol @ invisible bat.

I'm no psych but of all the ridiculous health fears I have had or read about here being bitten by a phantom bat and developing rabies is probably the most ridiculous.

AntsyVee

24-09-17, 07:12

LOL...yeah. It may be insensitive, but the rabies threads make me think of the tabloids with "Bat Boy". You remember those?

swajj

24-09-17, 13:37

LOL...yeah. It may be insensitive, but the rabies threads make me think of the tabloids with "Bat Boy". You remember those?

No. :)

paranoid-viking

24-09-17, 14:31

lol @ invisible bat.

I'm no psych but of all the ridiculous health fears I have had or read about here being bitten by a phantom bat and developing rabies is probably the most ridiculous.

The rabies fears are riddicilous; I totally agree with that, but it is not THE MOST riddicilous, albeit very close. The most riddicilous are the ones making posts about how they fear....listen ti this....BRAIN EATING AMOEBAS! I know one should not laugh at peoples fear, but I am just human and I could not help but laughing out loud that people can actually fear such things. Apparently there are one such brain eating amoebas that has bitten 10 people worldwide or something. But....COME ON....:lac::lac::lac::lac:

---------- Post added at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was at 15:31 ----------

LOL...yeah. It may be insensitive, but the rabies threads make me think of the tabloids with "Bat Boy". You remember those?

No, what was that? Please tell us.

AntsyVee

24-09-17, 17:19

paranoid-viking

24-09-17, 19:44

Bat Boy (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Boy_(character)). Lol

---------- Post added at 09:19 ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 ----------

Maybe he's the reason everyone gets bitten but doesn't remember it happening ;) lol. It's a conspiracy!

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

Never heard about it, but that must be because it was only n the US, never heard that story here, lol:roflmao:

Sounds like something that could be an April Fools joke in the media. But I think we had a version of Weekly World News in Norway at that time period entitled En gal gal verden,which means "A Mad Mad World". I remember that magazine and those crazy stories in it, but I dont remember excactly the bat boy story.

AntsyVee

24-09-17, 20:32

Yeah, it was a 90s phenomenon here. I remember pulling some pranks at school with pictures of bat boy in people's lockers.

MyNameIsTerry

25-09-17, 01:36

Yeah, it was a 90s phenomenon here. I remember pulling some pranks at school with pictures of bat boy in people's lockers.

Aha, the culprit finally owns up!! Root cause established. :yesyes::winks:

Haloinreverse

25-09-17, 03:14

AntsyVee

25-09-17, 03:41

At some point you gotta laugh about the irrationality of your fears; taking it all too seriously 24/7 just feeds the beast.

MyNameIsTerry

25-09-17, 04:45

Yet again another place on the internet... That makes fun of somones fears. People come here for help not to be harassed. These excact sistuations is what triggered people to have issues in the first place. Good job guys.

True. It's only a few people though, not a whole membership. As a Magical Thinker I've had many weird thoughts within my anxiety but I've often found that some HA sufferers regard the usual cancer, brain tumour stuff as a more rational fear when really the same irrationality can be observed in those. An invisible bat or an invisible cancer, is there really much of a difference? The level of the associations being made seems to extend further in less mainstream fears but fear is fear and we all know how horrible it feels.

If we took this whole board outsie of an anxiety environment a more general public might be saying the same about all the cancer worries.

Apologies if my joke to Vee appeared insensitive.

paranoid-viking

25-09-17, 11:18

Yet again another place on the internet... That makes fun of somones fears. People come here for help not to be harassed. These excact sistuations is what triggered people to have issues in the first place. Good job guys.

Well, I had that crazy rabies fear back in 2003- And I tell you this - at one point you need people to riddicule such completely irrational fear - right in your face to help you REALISE how beyond riddicilous it is. A hard wake up call. Fearing rabies and brain eating vampires....sorry, brain eating amoebas it was; is, well....riddicilous. Looking back on my own fears I see that too. It is a wake up call. It is a part of the treatment. They need to hear it instead of sitting alone in their own creativ self-destructive bubble of irrational fear and making up scenarios. So riddiculing such fears can actually be done out of loving care and consideration.

---------- Post added at 12:14 ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 ----------

True. It's only a few people though, not a whole membership. As a Magical Thinker I've had many weird thoughts within my anxiety but I've often found that some HA sufferers regard the usual cancer, brain tumour stuff as a more rational fear when really the same irrationality can be observed in those. An invisible bat or an invisible cancer, is there really much of a difference? The level of the associations being made seems to extend further in less mainstream fears but fear is fear and we all know how horrible it feels.

If we took this whole board outsie of an anxiety environment a more general public might be saying the same about all the cancer worries.

Apologies if my joke to Vee appeared insensitive.

But cancer is real and it does exists, which can not excactly be said about air carying rabies and invisible bats. But I think anyone, including me, needs in-you-face harsh treatment if the fear is going to far and creativity takes over.

---------- Post added at 12:18 ---------- Previous post was at 12:14 ----------

At some point you gotta laugh about the irrationality of your fears; taking it all too seriously 24/7 just feeds the beast.

Amen to that. The fact that people close to me, like my family, were laughing at my fears when it go to far helped me keep my sanity and not go to far of the rails.

au Lait

25-09-17, 22:05

paranoid-viking

25-09-17, 22:18

People don't seem to understand that it doesn't matter how improbable a scenario is. The root cause of the fear is an anxiety disorder. Everything we fear is irrational and overblown. But it feels real at the time. That's how an anxiety disorder works. Doesn't matter if it's rabies or MS or any other rare disease. We KNOW the fear is irrational. If simply knowing could cure us then it wouldn't be a disorder and there would be no reason for this forum to even exist. But this forum is here for a reason. People come here because they're alone and afraid and everything feels wrong. There are plenty of fears that people express here that I don't worry about at all. But that's a moot point, because I'm not the one going through it; they are. No matter how unlikely a scenario seems to anyone else, it doesn't matter. Because it feels real to the person suffering. And they still deserve respect and empathy.

Hve you read what I wrote? I have been through the rabies fear! I used to be ONE OF THOSE who irrationally feared rabies. That is why I can put myself in the siutuation and in retrorespect see how riddiciously irrational it is. As I have overcomed it I can view it from the side of people around me who saw it for the craziness it was. And sooner or later these people posting rabies fear will realise that too. You know; I have HA; I suffer it from it now; I fear cancer; but I also have SELF IRONY. Being able to laugh of my own madness helps me not to go completely of the rail. To stay human.
So please dont tell me I dont know anything about the fear of rabies. I am a veteran in that department. I know EVERYTHING about it! I know how it was. And unlike most people here I was actually exposed to a dog in a country where rabies exist. So you can imagine.

Gary A

25-09-17, 22:39

MyNameIsTerry

26-09-17, 02:14

But cancer is real and it does exists, which can not excactly be said about air carying rabies and invisible bats. But I think anyone, including me, needs in-you-face harsh treatment if the fear is going to far and creativity takes over.

That's your opinion which you are entitled too but you can't assume all sufferers feel the same way. If you treated me harshly you get it back in your face because I don't respond well to it from strangers. My family can talk to me that way because of who they are, not some username on an internet forum who may not care in the slightest anyway.

This argument never gets anywhere on here because we have preferences, if you like someone kicking your ass knock yourself out but kicking someone who doesn't may result in them kicking you back (something the kickers always get offended by), upset them even more and in some cases even makes them leave the forum.

I believe you need to know how a person feels about this before you wade in giving it "the big un". It's only the same as taking the piss out of someone. Do it to someone who likes it and you have a laugh. Try walking up to a stranger and doing it - you may need your teeth picking up afterwards though :noangel:

Being blunt and being harsh have never been the same. But it's a pointless discussion on here until everyone feels the same.

As far as cancer goes - nope, I disagree. You are worrying about an imaginary cancer not a real cancer. It's another invisible bat but you choose to try to validate it simply because cancer is more real and more probable. But where are the real symptoms of cancer? Why are banged heads brain bleeds? Why are head aches brain tumours? Why would anyone fear cancer when they don't have the symptoms? They don't - only HAers do. The physical symptoms may be real but they are not real cancer symptoms, it's just seen as a bit more acceptable than in the invisible bat but the same links are being made.

Fear is fear. Whether it's about an imaginery bat (or ghosts or demons, for instance) or maybe your intrusive thoughts, it can still feel the same as fear over cancer.

I agree that fears are on a scale where they can slide towards the more imaginary but you can't argue someone's fear is more real in terms of being more probable when both are completely imaginery. Because a sufferer fears a deadly illness their fear is not more severe than someone afraid of changing a t-shirt (like me). Whilst my fears were often more "out there", they are no more real than a cancer worrier. You can reach the same severity with any anxiety.

au Lait

26-09-17, 02:44

I've never really understood why people who get their irrational fears criticised seem to get offended by it. Don't you want to hear that your fears are silly? Absurd? Ridiculous? Unfounded? Irrational in the extreme?

If you know your fears are irrational then that's great, but in that event, I have to ask, what is it you want to achieve by asking a question about a fear that you openly admit is irrational?

People claim to want "support" a lot, but I struggle at times to decipher what that means. I'm not going to tell anyone that their fears about having rabies are anything other than utterly ridiculous. I get that the fear is born from an anxiety disorder, sure, but the fact remains that fearing rabies is ridiculous.

I refuse to give that type of fear credit. Why would I? Anxiety is an ugly illness, and I'm not here to sympathise with it. I'm not criticising the individual, I'm criticising your anxiety.

I can't speak for everyone, but I certainly don't feel offended. I agree with everything mynameisterry has written. Tough love is a thing, but so are compassion, empathy and tact. I can't really see how critising anyones anxiety, something that may largely be outside of their control, yet still is a very real part of them, is beneficial. Often times it's difficult to separate ones self from ones feelings. Perhaps that is why some may react as though they have taken offense. It's never fun to feel as though one's feelings are being invalidated.

We all have our invisible bats, as it were. No doubt letting someone know that their fears are unfounded is essential. But how must the people feel who were used as examples for this thread? They weren't named, but I'm sure they knew they were being referred to. I could see how that may make someone feel attacked or ridiculed. In no way do I think that was the intention of paranoid Viking in making this thread. I'm just offering a different perspective.

Paranoid Viking, I never said that you don't know anything about rabies related anxiety. I'm sorry that I gave you such an impression. I too had a past experience with rabies anxiety. That is where I am coming from. We're just two different sides of the same coin, that's all. :) No attack on you or anyone else here was intended on my part.

MyNameIsTerry

26-09-17, 02:54

I can't speak for everyone, but I certainly don't feel offended. I agree with everything mynameisterry has written. Tough love is a thing, but so are compassion, empathy and tact. I can't really see how critising anyones anxiety, something that may largely be outside of their control, yet still is a very real part of them, is beneficial. Often times it's difficult to separate ones self from ones feelings. Perhaps that is why some may react as though they have taken offense. It's never fun to feel as though one's feelings are being invalidated.

We all have our invisible bats, as it were. No doubt letting someone know that their fears are unfounded is essential. But how must the people feel who were used as examples for this thread? They weren't named, but I'm sure they knew they were being referred to. I could see how that may make someone feel attacked or ridiculed. In no way do I think that was the intention of paranoid Viking in making this thread. I'm just offering a different perspective.

Paranoid Viking, I never said that you don't know anything about rabies related anxiety. I'm sorry that I gave you such an impression. I too had a past experience with rabies anxiety. That is where I am coming from. We're just two different sides of the same coin, that's all. :) No attack on you or anyone else here was intended on my part.

I agree, Paranoid-Viking started this thread with the best of intentions to help others. I understand what he is saying and part of me does agree, I do laugh at my anxiety and it can helpand I've taken the micky out of others I know on here with a jokey comment many a time.

I also agree with the points you raise here & before.

The whole bluntness vs. compassion has been discussed on threads for years and it always ends up the same - some prefer one to other and that position is solid.

What I take issue with is that the old "tea & sympathy" and enabling comes out to describe compassionate or thought challenging posting. Equally the same can be said that bluntness is nasty. In reality, some may be on each end but most are likely somewhere between.

I just find it odd that people can complain about no anxiety sufferers doing things that are done on here too? It's almost like "I'm fat so can call all overweight people fat and they shouldn't get upset" but people are all different and it pays to be cautious if you don't know how someone will react. We can be snappy when struggling, I know I have been, and emotions run high with the person asking for support and those giving it so some arguments are bound to happen in places like this. That may be why face-to-face groups are strict on rule enforcement?

It's also easy to get it wrong on here. It's harder in written form to understand the person on the other side. And our natural behaviour is a factor to, an arse is an arse no matter where they are (and the same for an enabler).

au Lait

26-09-17, 03:09

I agree, Paranoid-Viking started this thread with the best of intentions to help others. I understand what he is saying and part of me does agree, I do laugh at my anxiety and it can helpand I've taken the micky out of others I know on here with a jokey comment many a time.

I also agree with the points you raise here & before.

The whole bluntness vs. compassion has been discussed on threads for years and it always ends up the same - some prefer one to other and that position is solid.

What I take issue with is that the old "tea & sympathy" and enabling comes out to describe compassionate or thought challenging posting. Equally the same can be said that bluntness is nasty. In reality, some may be on each end but most are likely somewhere between.

I just find it odd that people can complain about no anxiety sufferers doing things that are done on here too? It's almost like "I'm fat so can call all overweight people fat and they shouldn't get upset" but people are all different and it pays to be cautious if you don't know how someone will react. We can be snappy when struggling, I know I have been, and emotions run high with the person asking for support and those giving it so some arguments are bound to happen in places like this. That may be why face-to-face groups are strict on rule enforcement?

It's also easy to get it wrong on here. It's harder in written form to understand the person on the other side. And our natural behaviour is a factor to, an arse is an arse no matter where they are (and the same for an enabler).

I agree, it's a fine line to walk when it comes to being compassionate and enabling. It makes sense that a mixture of both bluntness and restraint would work, as everyone here will have individual needs and react differently. What works for some will not work for others, and vice versa.

I suppose it all comes down to "knowing your audience" as the saying goes. Any path chosen could easily go awry if the other person isn't open to what is being said, or how it's being said.

Ellient

26-09-17, 04:33

AntsyVee

26-09-17, 04:34

I think there is a big difference between joking around and picking on someone. I like to find the humor in things. It's one of my coping mechanisms. I think pointing out that many fears are irrational and joking about them generally is healthy. It's a huge difference than making fun of someone specifically. No one in this thread has singled anyone out specifically to make fun of them. Paranoid viking started this thread on a general topic.

This isn't the first time someone has taken offense to a joke on here, and it won't be the last, and honestly, I stand by my earlier comment. If you can't laugh at an irrationality in a general way, then you're in way too deep.

MyNameIsTerry

26-09-17, 04:42

For UK worriers

''The UK has been rabies-free since the beginning of the 20th century, with the exception of a rabies-like virus in a species of wild bat called Daubenton's bats.
This has only been found in a few bats and the risk of human infection is thought to be low. People who regularly handle bats are most at risk''

:hugs:

P.s - where exactly are these people going to see bats? I've never seen one and I live near a lot of different wild animals.

I have plenty of places to see bats near me and I'm on the edge of a city. We get them in our local parks, we have a "bat wood" not far away that's a National Trust site because of the bats and rarer trees, we have them at Chester Zoo in their excellent bat house :D, and I see them in my street sometimes or near the major roads (moth hunting because of the streetlamps).

I like bats though so seeing them is a good thing for me. I went on a bat walk once not too far away at a RSPB site where they have them living in an old cottage. We listened to them on bat monitors.

At the local park I've watched them diving over the lake. There must have been 20-30 of them. I'm surprised you don't see them if you have wild areas.

Ellient

26-09-17, 04:56

MyNameIsTerry

26-09-17, 05:13

Yes, I think some will see it on here and take it in as a new fear. That's likely with cancer threads, especially when it's from a dubious Daily Mail article. Some form of anxiety type of mirroring. :doh:

I tend to be out doing some shopping between 12-3am so that might be why I've seen them more close to urban areas? I guess they adapt to humans encroaching on them.

Last year I had come out of a Tesco at 2am ish and went to scatter some food for the local rabbits on the industrial estate where it's all grass. I shook a carrier bag out and about 10 bats flew out of the bush right next to me! It was like a scene out of Batman. :biggrin: http://yoursmiles.org/hsmile/mystic/h0531.gif (http://yoursmiles.org/h-mystic.php)http://yoursmiles.org/hsmile/mystic/h0517.gif (http://yoursmiles.org/h-mystic.php)

becca98

26-09-17, 05:26

Ignore all of that I thought you were talking in general terry not to everyone, feel like I've interrupted your conversation now :doh:

MyNameIsTerry

26-09-17, 06:05

Ignore all of that I thought you were talking in general terry not to everyone, feel like I've interrupted your conversation now :doh:

Nah, talk away!

No one's robbing me of my choccies!!! Ruddy Daily Mail!

Lola-Lee

26-09-17, 06:21

MyNameIsTerry

26-09-17, 06:28

Plenty of bats up here, I have been pissed on by bats,around dusk the muther's come out and fly over my place,they fly to the river and eat whatever, I don't mind them,but they stink.There are thousands of the suckers.

Good for the garden is bat poo. :yesyes: We ship it in. You would think we produce enough manure already in the UK...the politicians certainly do. :roflmao:

paranoid-viking

26-09-17, 14:35

That's your opinion which you are entitled too but you can't assume all sufferers feel the same way. If you treated me harshly you get it back in your face because I don't respond well to it from strangers. My family can talk to me that way because of who they are, not some username on an internet forum who may not care in the slightest anyway.

This argument never gets anywhere on here because we have preferences, if you like someone kicking your ass knock yourself out but kicking someone who doesn't may result in them kicking you back (something the kickers always get offended by), upset them even more and in some cases even makes them leave the forum.

I believe you need to know how a person feels about this before you wade in giving it "the big un". It's only the same as taking the piss out of someone. Do it to someone who likes it and you have a laugh. Try walking up to a stranger and doing it - you may need your teeth picking up afterwards though :noangel:

Being blunt and being harsh have never been the same. But it's a pointless discussion on here until everyone feels the same.

As far as cancer goes - nope, I disagree. You are worrying about an imaginary cancer not a real cancer. It's another invisible bat but you choose to try to validate it simply because cancer is more real and more probable. But where are the real symptoms of cancer? Why are banged heads brain bleeds? Why are head aches brain tumours? Why would anyone fear cancer when they don't have the symptoms? They don't - only HAers do. The physical symptoms may be real but they are not real cancer symptoms, it's just seen as a bit more acceptable than in the invisible bat but the same links are being made.

Fear is fear. Whether it's about an imaginery bat (or ghosts or demons, for instance) or maybe your intrusive thoughts, it can still feel the same as fear over cancer.

I agree that fears are on a scale where they can slide towards the more imaginary but you can't argue someone's fear is more real in terms of being more probable when both are completely imaginery. Because a sufferer fears a deadly illness their fear is not more severe than someone afraid of changing a t-shirt (like me). Whilst my fears were often more "out there", they are no more real than a cancer worrier. You can reach the same severity with any anxiety.

Well. Well; if people wants to make fun of my cancer worries, they are free to do so. I am not taking any offence at it; some may do; I dont. We are all different. It does not matter who does it.

I mean - we live in a time and age where you are supposed not to make fun of anything - people gets so easily offended about whatever it is; all the talks of trigger warnings and microaggresion out there. I have never had any problems with people making fun out of hypocondriacs; and it has been done a lot. There is a classical play from the 17th century called The Imaginary Invalid by Moliere. I have not seen it, but I would like to. I would by no mean feel offended by it. If it is funny depends of how realistic the description of a hypocondirac is. Now of course there are humppur that is ill meant and meant to humiliate people; but I know such type of humpur when I sees it. But NO ONE in here is resorting to that kind of humour. It is well meant. No one here is trying to humiliate anyone. And there is a saying that goes "a good laugh is prolonging your life".
So how should one respond then to someone who has a completely irrational fear. OK; I can go on and telleing them they dont have rabies and why it is impossible they have rabies. Fine. But what do you do then when they keep on going and create more and more fantastic scenarios of why they think they have rabies? Shall we just keep on going "you doont have rabies, you dont have rabies"? What good does it if they dont believe you and keep on going with more and more fantastic scenarios every day?
I know because I have been there.

---------- Post added at 15:33 ---------- Previous post was at 15:28 ----------

I think there is a big difference between joking around and picking on someone. I like to find the humor in things. It's one of my coping mechanisms. I think pointing out that many fears are irrational and joking about them generally is healthy. It's a huge difference than making fun of someone specifically. No one in this thread has singled anyone out specifically to make fun of them. Paranoid viking started this thread on a general topic.

This isn't the first time someone has taken offense to a joke on here, and it won't be the last, and honestly, I stand by my earlier comment. If you can't laugh at an irrationality in a general way, then you're in way too deep.

It has been said that a show like Seinfeld would not be possible in todays offence culture. I believe it is true. If I have read correctly Senifeld himself is neurotic and there was a lot of jokes on the neurotics behalf in that show.

---------- Post added at 15:35 ---------- Previous post was at 15:33 ----------

I've seen them in a bat house aswell, I've just never seemed to see one in the wild :doh:

I loved seeing bats had no idea they could even carry diease, if I got bit by one before this thread I wouldn't even think to get it checked out. I wonder where this fear has come from, I live in the UK I've not seen anything in the news or anything to trigger it.

Maybe people see it on this forum and then start worrying? :doh:

Could be. Sometimes participating here can be counter productive.
Or it could be the evil Dr. Google.

budgie1979

26-09-17, 16:43

I've seen them in a bat house aswell, I've just never seemed to see one in the wild :doh:

I loved seeing bats had no idea they could even carry diease, if I got bit by one before this thread I wouldn't even think to get it checked out. I wonder where this fear has come from, I live in the UK I've not seen anything in the news or anything to trigger it.

Maybe people see it on this forum and then start worrying? :doh:

In the United States, it's "rabies season," by which I mean this is the time of year that many wild animals show up in the suburbs with rabies. We've had 4 or 5 in my county alone in the last 3 months, and precisely because it's actually exceedingly rare for people to get rabies, it always shows up in the news when one of these animals bites a person. Rabies infection in wildlife tends to slow down in the winter, or is just noticed less because fewer people are spending time outside where they may encounter wild animals. I bet if someone did an analysis of all the rabies fear threads here they would find that the number spikes in the summer and early fall when rabies is more in the news.

I've been through 2 or 3 rabies scares myself due to my HA. Weirdly, it's one illness where I feel that learning more about it actually helped alleviate my fears (unlike cancer, which seems to just get worse the more you google it). It's actually quite difficult for humans to contract rabies--if it were as easy as people with anxiety believe, we'd all be getting regular vaccinations like people who work with animals do. The fact that there's no need for vaccination of the entire population, and the fact that it was pretty rare even when we didn't have vaccinations should help put people's minds at rest.

.Poppy.

26-09-17, 17:14

But cancer is real and it does exists, which can not excactly be said about air carying rabies and invisible bats. But I think anyone, including me, needs in-you-face harsh treatment if the fear is going to far and creativity takes over.

I'm really nervous about saying this because I don't want to trigger anyone, but there has been an instance of rabies being transmitted through the air. It is CRAZY rare and conditions have to be SPECIFICALLY right, so no, not worth worrying about, but not so impossible that anyone who might be afraid should be labelled insane or mocked.

I would say that I am afraid of rabies. It's a scary disease, and probably one of my top fears. I'm not in knots fearing it, largely because I know that I simply haven't been exposed to it - I don't mess with wild animals, my pets are all vaccinated regularly, etc. But I can understand people's fears.

paranoid-viking

26-09-17, 19:16

I'm really nervous about saying this because I don't want to trigger anyone, but there has been an instance of rabies being transmitted through the air. It is CRAZY rare and conditions have to be SPECIFICALLY right, so no, not worth worrying about, but not so impossible that anyone who might be afraid should be labelled insane or mocked.

I would say that I am afraid of rabies. It's a scary disease, and probably one of my top fears. I'm not in knots fearing it, largely because I know that I simply haven't been exposed to it - I don't mess with wild animals, my pets are all vaccinated regularly, etc. But I can understand people's fears.

I understand that you have read about that cave in Texas where someone got infected by breathing in it. It was in the 1960s I understand and was a unique case that was never seen again anywhere in the world. I guess it was an epidemic among bats in that cave and someone somehow got drops of bat saliva while being in that cave. I mean; actively visited the cave.

---------- Post added at 20:16 ---------- Previous post was at 20:12 ----------

In the United States, it's "rabies season," by which I mean this is the time of year that many wild animals show up in the suburbs with rabies. We've had 4 or 5 in my county alone in the last 3 months, and precisely because it's actually exceedingly rare for people to get rabies, it always shows up in the news when one of these animals bites a person. Rabies infection in wildlife tends to slow down in the winter, or is just noticed less because fewer people are spending time outside where they may encounter wild animals. I bet if someone did an analysis of all the rabies fear threads here they would find that the number spikes in the summer and early fall when rabies is more in the news.

I've been through 2 or 3 rabies scares myself due to my HA. Weirdly, it's one illness where I feel that learning more about it actually helped alleviate my fears (unlike cancer, which seems to just get worse the more you google it). It's actually quite difficult for humans to contract rabies--if it were as easy as people with anxiety believe, we'd all be getting regular vaccinations like people who work with animals do. The fact that there's no need for vaccination of the entire population, and the fact that it was pretty rare even when we didn't have vaccinations should help put people's minds at rest.

I guess it happens someplace, I understand, but that is mainly in neighbourhoods close to the wilderness, no? Not all over the United States I guess? I admit I am a bit clueless on this being here in NW Europa, but America is big so my guess it is not everywhere, no? I mean, it cant be much wildlife in the suburbs around New York or Boston?

.Poppy.

26-09-17, 22:16

I understand that you have read about that cave in Texas where someone got infected by breathing in it. It was in the 1960s I understand and was a unique case that was never seen again anywhere in the world. I guess it was an epidemic among bats in that cave and someone somehow got drops of bat saliva while being in that cave. I mean; actively visited the cave.

Yes, I believe that's the one. My boss is into biochem - she wrote chapters for textbooks on bioterrorism - so she was the one that kindly shared the info with me. :D From my understanding, airborne rabies has been studied in labs, but not terribly frequently.

So it's not *common* but it is *possible*. I'm not trying to legitimize the fear as I know that's not helpful, I just don't think it's productive either to say that it is something that could NEVER EVER happen because I'm sure we both know what HA sufferers are like, having suffered ourselves :blush:. Someone will say "no, that's completely impossible" and then they'll google...then they'll see it has happened...then they'll suddenly be the ONE person at the start of the next pandemic.

:doh:

NancyW

27-09-17, 02:23

I understand that you have read about that cave in Texas where someone got infected by breathing in it. It was in the 1960s I understand and was a unique case that was never seen again anywhere in the world. I guess it was an epidemic among bats in that cave and someone somehow got drops of bat saliva while being in that cave. I mean; actively visited the cave.

---------- Post added at 20:16 ---------- Previous post was at 20:12 ----------

I guess it happens someplace, I understand, but that is mainly in neighbourhoods close to the wilderness, no? Not all over the United States I guess? I admit I am a bit clueless on this being here in NW Europa, but America is big so my guess it is not everywhere, no? I mean, it cant be much wildlife in the suburbs around New York or Boston?

I'm on the northeast united states, born and raised. We have cities nearby but many farms and parks with loads of wildlife. I have never heard of anyone here getting rabies.

Our dogs and cats get rabies shots as a preventive. My cousin fooling with a racoon got bit, he got rabies shots as a precaution.

No odd or random rabies stories or fear mongering in our area.

Fishmanpa

27-09-17, 03:28

So it's not *common* but it is *possible*. I'm not trying to legitimize the fear as I know that's not helpful, I just don't think it's productive either to say that it is something that could NEVER EVER happen because I'm sure we both know what HA sufferers are like, having suffered ourselves :blush:. Someone will say "no, that's completely impossible" and then they'll google...then they'll see it has happened...then they'll suddenly be the ONE person at the start of the next pandemic.

:doh:

In this instance, being that no one on this forum (or any other anxiety forum or pretty much any forum or reason!) has or will EVER visit a cave where there happens to be a rabies outbreak among bats, somehow get exposed by saliva or some other nonsense and contract a 99% eradicated illness! For goodness sakes.. C'mon! Why even bring something like this up? Just for the sake of saying nothing's impossible?

I get that people get anxiety about things. Heck, I worry about my heart. It sucks to have angina and wonder if the pain I'm having is the next heart attack. That ten minutes or so until the nitro kicks in is pretty stressful but to worry about rabies and being bitten by an invisible bat or a lick from a friendly dog is frankly ridiculous! It's not based on any sense of reality! All I know is it would have to suck BIG TIME to truly sit there shaking in fear over something like this. I feel bad to those that do but I'm always going to call irrationality as irrationality. So ... IMO.. 100% of every rabies thread here I've EVER read along with SFI, ALS and most of you name it, can be rationalized as not possible.

Positive thoughts

MyNameIsTerry

27-09-17, 05:34

In the United States, it's "rabies season," by which I mean this is the time of year that many wild animals show up in the suburbs with rabies. We've had 4 or 5 in my county alone in the last 3 months, and precisely because it's actually exceedingly rare for people to get rabies, it always shows up in the news when one of these animals bites a person. Rabies infection in wildlife tends to slow down in the winter, or is just noticed less because fewer people are spending time outside where they may encounter wild animals. I bet if someone did an analysis of all the rabies fear threads here they would find that the number spikes in the summer and early fall when rabies is more in the news.

I've been through 2 or 3 rabies scares myself due to my HA. Weirdly, it's one illness where I feel that learning more about it actually helped alleviate my fears (unlike cancer, which seems to just get worse the more you google it). It's actually quite difficult for humans to contract rabies--if it were as easy as people with anxiety believe, we'd all be getting regular vaccinations like people who work with animals do. The fact that there's no need for vaccination of the entire population, and the fact that it was pretty rare even when we didn't have vaccinations should help put people's minds at rest.

That's a very good point. It's not something you would ever see reported in the UK news so there is seasonal effect. It seems the most plausible reason for a change in frequency, it's unlikely to be unconnected.

Yes, with rabies you have the ability to say there is no way to get it this way or that way. Cancer is a much more complex beast and with it's overlaps into many other, many benign or even mental health based, disorders/conditions it's a can of worms like many physical illnesses. Even a doctor checking a lump won't say "it's definately not" if there is the remotest chance because they know that would get them into trouble legally later if it turned out to be that one particular outlier hence why they always say "in my opinion" and explain cancer is an outlier and veyr unlikely.

---------- Post added at 05:34 ---------- Previous post was at 05:01 ----------

I mean - we live in a time and age where you are supposed not to make fun of anything - people gets so easily offended about whatever it is; all the talks of trigger warnings and microaggresion out there. I have never had any problems with people making fun out of hypocondriacs; and it has been done a lot. There is a classical play from the 17th century called The Imaginary Invalid by Moliere. I have not seen it, but I would like to. I would by no mean feel offended by it. If it is funny depends of how realistic the description of a hypocondirac is. Now of course there are humppur that is ill meant and meant to humiliate people; but I know such type of humpur when I sees it. But NO ONE in here is resorting to that kind of humour. It is well meant. No one here is trying to humiliate anyone. And there is a saying that goes "a good laugh is prolonging your life"

I've not seen it. It will be reflective of the point in history. Back then anyone with a mental health condition was thrown in a place worse than a jail. And viewed by the rich for a good laugh. Or perhaps left to starve to death. They can't be expected to have any clue, it's too far back.

It wouldn't offend me but I would likely feel it was sad because of the suffering inflicted on people out of ignorance. A factual depiction is just that, if it's unpaletable you don't watch it. It's not like watching 12 Years A Slave is going to leave you feeling good, quite the opposite and that's the point.

PC cultural shift, PV, there are always some looking to be offended by anything these days. The word "safe space" should only mean a reaction of :doh::roflmao: as it just can't be taken seriously. It's a good way to breed prisy princesses who can't hack anyone with an opposing opinion and need to remain in their bubble surrounded by lackies & yes types to keep stroking their egos. :winks:

Lola-Lee

27-09-17, 06:49

Good for the garden is bat poo. :yesyes: We ship it in. You would think we produce enough manure already in the UK...the politicians certainly do. :roflmao:

What!you lot ship in bat shit!geezus I might start up a business exporting premium Bat Shit.
I reckon I could make a good quid,and fly business class to Alaska:yesyes:

---------- Post added at 16:49 ---------- Previous post was at 16:47 ----------

Our pollies are the same :roflmao:

MyNameIsTerry

27-09-17, 07:17

What!you lot ship in bat shit!geezus I might start up a business exporting premium Bat Shit.
I reckon I could make a good quid,and fly business class to Alaska:yesyes:

---------- Post added at 16:49 ---------- Previous post was at 16:47 ----------

Our pollies are the same :roflmao:

What does a group of politicians have in common with the Highland Games?

Both have some massive t ossers. :winks:

budgie1979

27-09-17, 17:01

I'm on the northeast united states, born and raised. We have cities nearby but many farms and parks with loads of wildlife. I have never heard of anyone here getting rabies.

Our dogs and cats get rabies shots as a preventive. My cousin fooling with a racoon got bit, he got rabies shots as a precaution.

No odd or random rabies stories or fear mongering in our area.

I'm in the NYC suburbs, and this past summer we've had 1 rabid raccoon attack (jogger ended up drowning it in a puddle :scared15: ), 1 rabid coyote wandering around, and 2 separate incidents of rabid foxes attacking people. It is either a particularly bad year for rabies in my area, or the word about such incidents is spreading more with social media (probably this because wild animal attacks make for very popular Facebook posts).

.Poppy.

27-09-17, 17:50

In this instance, being that no one on this forum (or any other anxiety forum or pretty much any forum or reason!) has or will EVER visit a cave where there happens to be a rabies outbreak among bats, somehow get exposed by saliva or some other nonsense and contract a 99% eradicated illness! For goodness sakes.. C'mon! Why even bring something like this up? Just for the sake of saying nothing's impossible?

I get that people get anxiety about things. Heck, I worry about my heart. It sucks to have angina and wonder if the pain I'm having is the next heart attack. That ten minutes or so until the nitro kicks in is pretty stressful but to worry about rabies and being bitten by an invisible bat or a lick from a friendly dog is frankly ridiculous! It's not based on any sense of reality! All I know is it would have to suck BIG TIME to truly sit there shaking in fear over something like this. I feel bad to those that do but I'm always going to call irrationality as irrationality. So ... IMO.. 100% of every rabies thread here I've EVER read along with SFI, ALS and most of you name it, can be rationalized as not possible.

Positive thoughts

I mean, I guess we're always walking a thin line in here between triggering people to the point of no return and being honest that something could be a risk. :shrug:

Rabies is RARE, yes, but it's not totally gone, so it's worth being aware of risk factors and acting accordingly. Invisible bats? Probably not, but there have been several documented cases where individuals have been bitten and not been aware. The chance of contracting rabies is so crazy slim, but that doesn't mean that you should ignore it if you come into contact with an animal (esp. a bat) or if you have an infestation in your home. At least call a doc or the health department and see if further action is warranted. My town had a major problem with bats a few years ago - several people had to be vaccinated, though no one contracted the disease.

I do realize this is a health anxiety forum, and that almost NO ONE here actually comes down with what we fear, but at what point do we tell people that yeah, they should get that lump/chest pain/weird rash checked out? I think that HA becomes a problem when you're worrying uncontrollably OR you've been given the all clear and still persist with your fears. Even non-anxious people have to visit the doc sometimes.

I dunno. Maybe I'm still too touched by HA to be totally objective. I don't run around with a fear of rabies, but at the same time I am very aware of its possibility and do what I can to protect myself (make sure my home is free of pests, treat my animals, don't play with wild raccoons, etc.).

lofwyr

11-01-18, 19:47

Ironically I know of two people who have had to get a series of rabies shots, but from bat exposure. But that's it, they got the shots. No big deal...well, aside from the cost. I found out if you don't have insurance in the US, they cost between $5 and $8 thousand. =)

One of them was my daughter, from an exposure at summer camp, all her cabin mates had to get one for a bat exposure, but no drama, no fear.

I have never understood the fear of the very rare diseases and illnesses, and I know not one but two people who have had bubonic plague. I am wondering if I should fear the rare stuff more given the circles I run in. ;-)

Definitely worth making a rabies sticky I think.

Lola-Lee

12-01-18, 00:56

There are millions of bats around here at the moment,lots of mango's for them too feed on, I don't worry about them,the only thing that bothers me is the smell of pi** it is sickly.

MyNameIsTerry

12-01-18, 02:02

There are millions of bats around here at the moment,lots of mango's for them too feed on, I don't worry about them,the only thing that bothers me is the smell of pi** it is sickly.

I read about those Flying Foxes dying in the heat. Very sad :weep:

paranoid-viking

12-01-18, 02:14

I mean, I guess we're always walking a thin line in here between triggering people to the point of no return and being honest that something could be a risk. :shrug:

Rabies is RARE, yes, but it's not totally gone, so it's worth being aware of risk factors and acting accordingly. Invisible bats? Probably not, but there have been several documented cases where individuals have been bitten and not been aware. The chance of contracting rabies is so crazy slim, but that doesn't mean that you should ignore it if you come into contact with an animal (esp. a bat) or if you have an infestation in your home. At least call a doc or the health department and see if further action is warranted. My town had a major problem with bats a few years ago - several people had to be vaccinated, though no one contracted the disease.

I do realize this is a health anxiety forum, and that almost NO ONE here actually comes down with what we fear, but at what point do we tell people that yeah, they should get that lump/chest pain/weird rash checked out? I think that HA becomes a problem when you're worrying uncontrollably OR you've been given the all clear and still persist with your fears. Even non-anxious people have to visit the doc sometimes.

I dunno. Maybe I'm still too touched by HA to be totally objective. I don't run around with a fear of rabies, but at the same time I am very aware of its possibility and do what I can to protect myself (make sure my home is free of pests, treat my animals, don't play with wild raccoons, etc.).

Yes, it looks as if you are trying to rationalise a fear that is completely irrational.