Severe Rabies anxiety

[seedling]

Hello, I am from India. Since, a few days I am suffering from anxiety about rabies. I am already taking a dose of three rabies vaccination following a dog scratch few days ago. I had my second dose today. When, I was coming home I saw a stray dog scratching itself. I did not feel anything but now I am in panic thinking what if it scratched me(a little which I was unable to feel). Supposing it did will I have to restart the vaccination?And I am very scared about catching rabies and whenever I see a dog or cat near me, I go into panic and start checking for cuts or scratches on my body. Please help me to overcome my anxiety.

[Imeleedi]

I can sort of understand your fear of rabies living in India. You get people panicking about rabies in European countries where it is like 99.9999999% eradicated.

I don't know enough really about how life is over there to comment with any real knowledge. Tell you the truth, its not often I'd say this on a an anxiety forum but I'd definitely get a shot if i got into any kind of contact with a stray in India. You are probably wise to be wary. Just don't let it take over, you get a scratch off a stray, you get the shot, you're good to go.

[paranoid-viking]

I agree on that. If a stray were biting me in India I would certainly go to the nearest hospital to get the first dose of rabies shot. It is a genuine nescesarily thing to do unlike what I see hear from people in the US or even UK who thinks that an invisible bat magically sneak into their room at night and give them an invisible bite or some creative scenario like that.

But to the OP: you would feel it if that dog came near you and scratched you. You would have seen it. And it would have to have fresh; and I mean FRESH saliva on it claws that immediately would break into your skin and your bloodstream. The rabies virus lives in the saliva and it needs the body fluids to survive. Outside of the body it does not live very long, perhaps a few second mostly.

But India should do something about the stray dog problem, that is for sure. Not only the helath risk but it is also a cruelty to animals to let them suffer out on the street like that. Where in India do you live, BTW?

[Fishmanpa]

I'm confused... is this anku? The threads are nearly identical

Positive thoughts

[seedling]

I live in assam, a state in India.I couldn't find the data related to rabies during 2016,2017.But it shows 0 cases in 2011-2015. Moreover I am already taking a course of three rabies injection, the third is scheduled on 27 February. Now, should I restart it or continue with it.

---------- Post added at 00:10 ---------- Previous post was at 00:08 ----------

No, I am his friend. He told me to ask here myself.

[paranoid-viking]

I live in assam, a state in India.I couldn't find the data related to rabies during 2016,2017.But it shows 0 cases in 2011-2015. Moreover I am already taking a course of three rabies injection, the third is scheduled on 27 February. Now, should I restart it or continue with it.[COLOR="blue"]

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You should do excactly what your doctor tell you to do in this situation.

[NervUs]

Even if a dog scratched you a couple days after starting rabies shots, there would be no need to get another-- unless a doctor also determined you need the immunoglobin. Otherwise, your body is already beginning to produce antibodies that would attack the rabies virus, if it actually was present in your body.

The bigger issue is, you seem to be having intrusive thoughts whenever you see a dog. Your mind tricks you into thinking you've been bitten/scratched/whatever even when there was absolutely no contact. Is there a way to get psychiatric therapy in your country, specifically with someone specializing in OCD?

Otherwise, you will need to work alone on disturbing the connection your brain is making between dogs and your own rabies exposure. You either need to be present enough and strong willed enough to fight back at your rabies thoughts, the moment they enter your brain. Refusing to spend anytime on them starve your brain of the stim it wants and actually will make the panic neural pathways get weaker in a physical way. That takes a lot of effort.

Therapists also use exposure therapy, but I don't know how to really do this alone and might not be wise to try it.

Therapy is your best bet. G/L