Rabies concern but hear out my post please.

[KK77]

But yeah, I feel better and better on it by the day. Finding this message board has shown me that i really am alright.

Good to hear. So strike while the iron is hot and seek treatment for your anxiety disorder. Even self-help. There is a link in Fishmanpa's signature for free CBT prog at CBT4Panic.

---------- Post added at 01:07 ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 ----------

Here http://cbt4panic.org/

[MyNameIsTerry]

If what happened to you happened to me the result would be it floating past me or me smirking at a daft thought. But that's because I have no HA elements to my anxiety disorders. I would only recognise the thought now and automatically label it because I've been through intrusive thoughts in my OCD and come out the other side of them. Prior to this it would have passed through even quicker without even a label, as the non anxious would do.

That's the issue to look at, the reaction. You can look at the lack of evidence and produce counter evidence (like the rabies statistics) but these need to be used in a productive way and not as a "checking" which is compulsion and only feeds cycles. Take the counter evidence and look no further in it because that's all about all-or-nothing thinking, digging for the 100% certainty that doesn't always exist no matter how unlikely as the mind will always find something.

Work to change your reactions. CBT4Panic will be useful but it's not aimed at OCD, which is where HA often comes in and may lack some things that help with reacting to intrusive thoughts, but you could supplement it with the CCI workbooks which the same author has created a sticky for on this board to cover that. It's worth trying.

I said at the start how I just wouldn't care about this but that's because it's not a theme that has ever developed in me. Substitute it with one that has, say I needed to change a t-shirt for a clean one and how that minor change in my life triggered an intrusive thought about the dangers of it, and my reaction was no different from yours or anyone else's. But I spent years working against it and found my way through them until it became intuitive.

[Seaster]

Honestly, when I first was bitten, my fears were more hoping the symptoms just don't show up than anything else. Because I felt like this is it for me mentality but I'm not in the minority in that fear regarding rabies.

Now, I'm more calm because of the fact that I had gloves on. The doctor told me today that I should feel good because if the gloves are not damaged, then my wound wasn't caused by teeth penetration. I just have to be positive and not think of things like what if symptoms do show?, etc.

[MyNameIsTerry]

So, are you saying your not in a minority thinking about the risks of rabies because it is more common in the US? Out of all the people bitten by dogs every year?

But cases are so rare, it would be more practical in a country with big rabies problems.

[NervUs]

Honestly, when I first was bitten, my fears were more hoping the symptoms just don't show up than anything else. Because I felt like this is it for me mentality but I'm not in the minority in that fear regarding rabies.

Now, I'm more calm because of the fact that I had gloves on. The doctor told me today that I should feel good because if the gloves are not damaged, then my wound wasn't caused by teeth penetration. I just have to be positive and not think of things like what if symptoms do show?, etc.

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but the symptoms are very likely to show. I am a zoonotic disease fearer, and I have feared many, and the symptoms show every time! Plus, with rabies, the incubation period is so long that you will get sick in that time. You need to have some mental reserves for that and a way to process what is happening.

Rabies hypochondria is actually a very old phenomenon. IN the 1800s. maybe even earlier, doctors used to believe rabies was not inherently fatal b/c so many people who had been bitten by animals would come down with rabies symptoms and then recover. Some was psychosomatic and some was other illnesses that mimic rabies. Why do I know this? Hypochondria of course-- I think I have read everything every produced about rabies and, when I am not fearing it, I actually find it all very fascinating! But the bottom line is, you are likely to come down with twinges, headaches, sore throat, etc and you will have to fight to see it clearly. Hypochondria is a cruel B!

[Seaster]

I've had worries about health issues in the past and each time, it was a struggle but I got through it. One instance was Diabetes, and it resulted in me getting blood tested to ease the mind. But with this, I just got to live my life like I normally would. Posting on here and having reassurance helps.

If I see the owner/dog again, that'll be a good sign but I will have to let a manager know because a dog that bites shouldn't be in a store.

---------- Post added at 02:43 ---------- Previous post was at 02:33 ----------

For the record, this was the mark left on my hand when I took off my glove after the dog "bit" me. I'd love to know whether this is even a "breaking the skin" situation for future reference if nothing else.

[AntsyVee]

Looks like a small bruise. My prognosis: You're gonna live.

[paranoid-viking]

They are required but some people are irresponsible so it's possible some aren't? I have no choice but to just accept i'm likely fine because the shots aren't gonna be covered through workmans comp most likely. (doubtful they are needed.

Doctor said teeth would have had to go into my skin or parts of mouth make contact with my skin but since I was wearing a glove, the low risk gets even lower because of that. I suppose that's true? I mean, you can shine light through the glove but it's very small holes as part of the design of glove.

You did not answer the question? Do you know who the owner of the dog is or were they complete strangers? Do you have any opportunity of follow-up? I mean so that you can relax your mind. It is not good being extremely hysterical over rabies.

---------- Post added at 10:06 ---------- Previous post was at 09:58 ----------

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but the symptoms are very likely to show. I am a zoonotic disease fearer, and I have feared many, and the symptoms show every time! Plus, with rabies, the incubation period is so long that you will get sick in that time. You need to have some mental reserves for that and a way to process what is happening.

Rabies hypochondria is actually a very old phenomenon. IN the 1800s. maybe even earlier, doctors used to believe rabies was not inherently fatal b/c so many people who had been bitten by animals would come down with rabies symptoms and then recover. Some was psychosomatic and some was other illnesses that mimic rabies. Why do I know this? Hypochondria of course-- I think I have read everything every produced about rabies and, when I am not fearing it, I actually find it all very fascinating! But the bottom line is, you are likely to come down with twinges, headaches, sore throat, etc and you will have to fight to see it clearly. Hypochondria is a cruel B!

I know. There was a doctor in that time period who thought that he could cure rabies by putting patients in a steam bath. He had claimed that himself had developed rabies and cured himself that way but I guess he was a hypocondriac himself as doctors with hypocondria is not an unknown phenonomen(they are often the biggest HAers themself considering their medical knowledge). Anyway; he thought that he had cured patients of rabies by using this method. Well, unfortunately, he just cured hypocondria for people with psychosomatic pain. Sort of placebo medicine I guess.

[Seaster]

You did not answer the question? Do you know who the owner of the dog is or were they complete strangers? Do you have any opportunity of follow-up? I mean so that you can relax your mind. It is not good being extremely hysterical over rabies.

---------- Post added at 10:06 ---------- Previous post was at 09:58 ----------

Complete strangers and there is not way to track them down other than hope they return to the store one of these days.

[Seaster]

And now it would seem that the owner of the dog has been spotted shopping in the store but did not have his dog with him this time. I wasn't in at the time but this kind of makes me wonder/worry a little bit because from what I know, he usually has his dog with him. But since it bit me, he either decided it best not to take it with him after that, or something happened to the dog (shudders at that possibility.)

I'm trying to find out something because it would just be nice to know why I got bit and all.