OCD Off the charts!!!!

[offthewallpaul64]

I went out last night. Saw a girl I hadn't seen in several years, hugged her, spoke briefly and then shook her hand goodbye. Well, my friend later comes up to me and tells me she's HIV+. Now I'm totally freaking out. What if she had cuts on her hands and my hands are really dry and cracked from the weather, what if she got blood on my hands? What if she had cuts anywhere I hugged her? We were so close from speaking b/c the band was so loud, what if she spit in my eye? I'm completely terrified and couldn't sleep all night.

?'s:

1. Please tell me that I have nothing to worry about from the HIV standpoint
2. Does anyone w/ OCD ever not want to wash their hands b/c they need someone else to see that there's no blood on them just for reassurance?
3. How do I get my mind to stop repeating this over and over in my head? It's like a record!!a
4. Does anyone know why this happens?

I know that the chances of getting HIV this way is almost zero but I can't stop worrying about it. What can I do to get better? Does Zoloft work for anyone out there w/ this same problem? I am in therapy b/c Im severely HIV phobic. Is that common w/ OCD or hypochondriasis? I think it's just the fact that I got that close and touched some w/ HIV that terrifies me! It's almost like I'm waiting for this to get me! Please help!!!

[moonflower13]

HIV is NEVER transmitted in the ways you mention. If it were that simple, all the doctors, nurses, therapists... who work around HIV positive people would have been infected themselves long ago. You're OCDing your contact with that girl.

However, your problem isn't HIV, it's your extreme HIV anxiety. No doubt it will arise again in the future unless you treat it. Medication (SSRI) has helped me in the past with obsessive thoughts/hypochondriasis, but I think in your case it's very important for you to seek specific therapy for your type of OCD, or you're going to be terrified all your life regardless of medication. Right now, don't obsess with having to get better right now, it doesn't happen overnight, and yes, people with OCD obsess over things even when we know there isn't a real basis for it. Just keep repeating to yourself that you have nothing to worry about, and be aware that it's just your brain being overactive, but that your feelings of fear have no connection with reality whatsoever.

Good luck.

[offthewallpaul64]

oh... my friend that told me the girl was HIV+ was my guy friend that I went there with... not the girl speaking of herself. Just to clarify... she didn't tell me she had HIV, a guy friend did. Sorry!