Fear of bat bite and rabies

[hs8904]

Last night while enjoying some Fourth of July fireworks I felt something smaller than the size of my fist hit my back. I immediately swiped it away and figured it was a fairly large bug or something like that. I didn't see what it was but it did hit into me but decent force and it hurt. I am now worried that it was a bat That Could Have bitten Me I don't see any puncture wounds or anything like that but it is hard to see my back. I had my friend check today. Ahe didn't see anything unusual. I am concerned and wondering if I should go to the ER to have it checked? I'm worried about rabies in particular but with no real evidence i fear the dr will think I'm just being paranoid . Please advise.

[Fishmanpa]

Haven't seen one of these posts in a while!

No, no way you were bit. It's like saying you were cut by a knife but there's no blood or knife!

Positive thoughts

[hs8904]

Appreciate your response. It's hard bc I keep inspecting my back and I do see 2 little red dots near each other. But could be acne, blemishes, etc. This anxiety drives me crazy bc i can usually take control of it by consulting a Dr. But I would feel silly telling a Dr this one lol

[Chris 614]

Last year a bat flew into my house. Scared me silly. I talked to bat specialists, biologists, doctors, etc.. A field biologist in our county said you will know if a bat bites you. He was holding a bat with special gloves. The bat bit the glove but didn't go through it. He said it's a pain you don't forget. Another bat specialist who had been bitten said it was like being poked with ten hypodermic needles. So, I think the chances that you were bitten and didn't know it are zero.

[paranoid-viking]

Haven't seen one of these posts in a while!

No, no way you were bit. It's like saying you were cut by a knife but there's no blood or knife!

Positive thoughts

Virtually no humans gets rabies. Yet, there seems to be a lot more than actual rabies victims posting here fearing rabies - at least when we talk about the Western world.

[hs8904]

I know its extremely rare. The anxiety sets in and you think- I could be one of those 2 cases annually. I have some pain where I got bumped in the back and around the red marks. I realize it COULD be a somatic type of symptom. The vicious cycle of anxiety here goes from... 1. I am totally fine, no way a bat randomly flew into my back and bit me and flew off--- to 2. WHAT IF a a bat did fly into me, bite me, was rabid and in 3-8 weeks I start showing symptoms and at that point its too late?

Ugh- I have been in counseling and my counseling often jokes (lightheartedly) about my health anxieties. Im sure he will enjoy this one. Utilizing my CBT helps sometimes but as I described above I am currently experiencing the WHAT IFs and I am at work and doing a bit too much googling. :(

[tamara33]

I have the similar fear, absoutly... and its hoorible.. i clearly realize, that its very stupid, but this ocd.. i had CBT and it little helped me.. but moustly i help myself.. two years i was free from fears, and my life was so happy (i was strong in love, this is best theraphy)
i have this fears from 2013... not only bats,(in my country- georgia there was a reasarch, and noone bat was rabid, all where helthyes, but it does not helpe to my fears)cats, dogs and everythig what can potencialy danger. i dont khow why this fears return to me, i hope it goes.. we must learn better how to manege our ocd.. and go on life.. and live happyly

[Leah88]

I love bat posts. It's OCD, not reality. Been there

[maz063]

I feel. I noticed 2 scabs on my knee a little over a month ago and i worried that a bat bit my knee on my way to the gym at night. I told myself that a bat wouldn't be able to that without me noticing. I was proud that I didn't let my anxiety get the better of me. Now fast forward to this week and I've been worrying again and been experiencing pain in my leg and weakness in the leg. But there is no way I got bitten becaus I would have noticed and I know there aren't bats in my apartment. But I keep focusing on my leg and thinking I'm feeling tingling or pain around the bite area. Its driving me close to tears. I keep thinking that a bat got to me somehow and that I'm dying.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I feel. I noticed 2 scabs on my knee a little over a month ago and i worried that a bat bit my knee on my way to the gym at night. I told myself that a bat wouldn't be able to that without me noticing. I was proud that I didn't let my anxiety get the better of me. Now fast forward to this week and I've been worrying again and been experiencing pain in my leg and weakness in the leg. But there is no way I got bitten becaus I would have noticed and I know there aren't bats in my apartment. But I keep focusing on my leg and thinking I'm feeling tingling or pain around the bite area. Its driving me close to tears. I keep thinking that a bat got to me somehow and that I'm dying.

That's the subconscious still sending the "data" asking "what if" or "what shall I do". Consciously you know it's irrational and that the subconscious is presenting no evidence to you, it's just that the feelings & thoughts are unpleasant.

Anxiety relies on reinforcement. Reduce checking & time thinking about the theme until you eliminate these reinforcing negative behaviours.