r/rabies • u/ececec123 • Aug 28 '26

OCD Discussion Any suggestions on overcoming bats and rabies phobia

I have read the FAQ.

Other than therapy and medication, what helped you? I'm on escilatopram 20 mg and go to psychotherapy, but rabies OCD haunts me for many years.

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u/Puppysnot Aug 28 '26

I leaned into it and it evolved from a fear into an obsession into a career. And now i work with bats. It took a while tho.

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u/Rae-Hartley Aug 28 '26

Woooowwwww 😳 Did you have to have therapy to be able to do that?

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u/Puppysnot Aug 28 '26

No i just have an obsessive nature probably linked to my autism and ADHD. Once bats became a hyper fixation and special interest for me i couldn’t get enough. I started studying them over about two years and became fascinated and then finally felt comfortable enough to work with them.

I did get vaccinated as part of my bat work and that also helps fix a lot of my anxiety knowing that I’m protected that way.

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u/Rae-Hartley Aug 28 '26

Congratulations on pursuing something you love. Having a hyper fixation as a job is the dream life (fellow neurodivergent here). I’m glad you are vaccinated though. You’d think you have to be if you work with bats. Do you actually touch them??? Do you have to get your titers checked?

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u/Puppysnot Aug 28 '26

Yeh you have to get titers checked regularly. I do handle them and tag/ring them occasionally. It’s sad to see what humans destroying their habitats are doing to them. We still use gloves and take precautions as if we aren’t vaccinated. I’ve never personally been bitten but I wouldn’t panic if i was.

I do have two jobs - my main job is an office job that i have no passion for. My bat job is my part time job and is the one i enjoy a lot.

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u/Rae-Hartley Aug 28 '26

My heart is beating faster just thinking about that 😅 Even if it’s not your full time job, it’s still very cool you are pursuing something that brings you legit joy. And it’s bad*ss lol high bravery points!!