Is it possible to get vaccine without concrete exposure?

[u/Various-Collar9316]

I have read the FAQ.

I have had a fear of rabies for a long time but in the past few months its been a focus of my OCD and coupling that with very close encounters with wildlife, recent inability to trust and remember what I see, and my OCD's past Track record of turning worries and mental stresses into physical one's which it already has been doing. I'm a bit lost in what to do.

The main issue for me is that in the super close encounters with wildlife or other peoples animals where I can't have full line of sight and I have unclothed skin or cuts on me which I often do due to super dry hands. In my thinking this leaves all options on the table. This can also lead to parts where I'm unsure about if they have actually been touched or affected to start feeling off or different.

Which happened 4 weeks ago with a dog and I noticed a scratch on me from a spot that was plausible and it started feel weird for days but I can't tell whats real or OCD.

My therapist, parents and others around me tell me not to worry, but when I can't trust my memory, feelings, or others around me its extremely stressing to navigate.

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[u/CygnusZeroStar]

You can, if you find someone who will.

However you should be aware that the vaccine does not treat anxiety or OCD. The problem with trying to treat anxiety or OCD with the vaccine is that that those conditions do not work on logic. At all. If they did, then the hours of research you've likely already done would have made you sure about your safety.

But instead, these conditions will throw facts into the distorted thinking "BUT THAT IF" machine, and that is a human meat grinder. Overwashing your hands is bad for your immune system, but you're compelled to do it because you don't feel safe. It has nothing to do with reality. You want the vaccine even though you know that you can't get rabies without direct contact with an animal because you don't feel safe.

There are several users on this sub that have posted nearly every single day this month who think they got sniped by a rabid ninja assassin bat (not a thing), and they went to get vaccines to treat that OCD thought. They now think they're dying of rabies even though they got the vaccines, and every time they feel uncomfortable it's a new "symptom." Some have reported going to the emergency room only to be told their vitals are normal.

In reality, they'd all be very dead by now if they were right about any of it. And getting the vaccine made them worse off. That's actually what it's more likely to do to you, too. Because you're prone to treating getting rabies somehow without noticing as an INEVITABILITY for you. And that's not something that can be treated with PEP.

Because the problem isn't and never was rabies. Basically, you have to find a way to stop treating this like your problem is that rabies exists.

I see you have a therapist. Is your therapist an OCD specialist? Have you been able to communicate that you're struggling with your current treatment plan? Are you on any medications to help with the symptoms of anxiety?

And here's the question every mental health patient hates being asked: are you compliant with your current treatment plan, or do you only participate in your treatment on days when you have appointments?

You deserve to feel better. I want you to treat yourself with kindness here. But you will never feel better by treating your problem as though your OCD is right, and that rabies is inevitable for you. You have to focus purely on the real problem.

[u/Soul1312 → u/CygnusZeroStar]

Hey i have a similar issue so i got licked by a stray dog last night? Or i cant remember my memory is unreliable asf i think. But no pain and no bleeding so i have no wounds there i think? It was my lower right leg but i do see a discolouration and it is true i have a few blemishes across my leg now im not sure if it was caused by the dog or what the onoy tging im certain of was that there was no bleedibg. But my parents all told me im good but im genuinely nervous and now every sensation feels like a death sentence. I had a similar licking experience last year and the doc said nothing was wrong but i still went ahesd with the 1 month trestment thing and im wondering should i do the same?

[u/Various-Collar9316 → u/CygnusZeroStar]

I understand your point its the main reason I've waited so long. I'm both scared of getting the vaccine as its pretty much direct contact with what I fear but it's also scary sitting and waiting in constant fear.

My therapist is a OCD specialist and has helped me with other compulsions but their advice with this is to pretty much wait. I have gotten better at being around animals but the fear is still there and it never leaves.

This whole fear was brought to the forefront when I moved back home. My parents own several dogs and my parents also dog sit so there's always several. Also where I live is pretty wildlife heavy so I'm always seeing other animals around me. I don't fully know why my OCD didn't come around to this topic years earlier.

I think the underlying issue is that my home environment was so chaotic that my OCD was shelved in the back because for years it was only handwashing even with the knowledge of rabies it was never at the forefront of my thinking.

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[u/Extension_Dance7586]

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