Aa
HIV anxiety - help
Hi, I have anxiety and OCD over HIV. I recently had to inspect a drug clinic for my job and while there I shook hands with 2 workers. I had a 5 day old cut on my index finger and dry chapped skin on the back of my hand. I don't know the status of the people I shook hands with and I'm scared I may have been exposed to HIV if they had cuts or sores on their hands. I didn't see any blood after shaking and I wasn't bleeding just the 5 day old cut and dry skin. I'm so scared and worried. I ask dr hook and he said I have no risk at all and not to worry no risk! And no need to test. I really want to believe him and I do but I wake up every day at 4.30 and it's the first thing to pop into my head. I had a episode 8 months ago when I needed stitches and I went to a walk in clinic. To get the stitches after I was worried I was exposed, I had 6 tests all neg and I thought I was over this and then the handshaking incident and it's all back.
I'm taking 150 mg of Zoloft for my OCD and a klonipin when needed. Please help me with this! It's killing my wife and kids. I want to enjoy life and not worry! I don't do drugs and I'm faithful to my wife of 22 yrs. I haven't done anything to put me a risk, just shake hands. Please help me get over this. Thank you so much!!
I'm taking 150 mg of Zoloft for my OCD and a klonipin when needed. Please help me with this! It's killing my wife and kids. I want to enjoy life and not worry! I don't do drugs and I'm faithful to my wife of 22 yrs. I haven't done anything to put me a risk, just shake hands. Please help me get over this. Thank you so much!!
I really, really thoroughly recommend seeing a therapist and perhaps your psychiatrist (assuming that's who prescribed you the klonopin and zoloft).
for one, maybe the zoloft isn't the right medication for your OCD! you may need to try another medication for OCD. i believe some others are prozac and lexapro.
secondly, i am in therapy for a VERY similar situation as you. i also have a very intense fear of HIV. instead of trying to guarantee that i am safe from all those diseases, i am working on becoming comfortable with the uncertainty. the likelihood that you contracted HIV from the situation described is extremely unlikely, however OCD convinces us that there is some slim chance that it WAS possible, and the OCD becomes fixated on that tiny probability and we want to know for 100% sure that there is no chance, which is silly because there is no way to 100% protect ourselves and feel entirely safe when our OCD becomes fixated on such tiny, slim probabilities of contracting diseases.
( I am, naturally, speaking on behalf of my own experiences and feelings, but I feel that you may understand/relate to this. )
anyways, now in therapy, I am working on becoming okay with the uncertainty. it is very anxiety provoking initially, but i think in the long run it makes our lives a lot more enjoyable with much less anxiety.
i'm not really sure if this helped/made any sense, but i hope it did. i also hope that if you have the ability to do so, you seek help with a therapist and/or psychiatrist for your OCD. i wish you the best of luck!
for one, maybe the zoloft isn't the right medication for your OCD! you may need to try another medication for OCD. i believe some others are prozac and lexapro.
secondly, i am in therapy for a VERY similar situation as you. i also have a very intense fear of HIV. instead of trying to guarantee that i am safe from all those diseases, i am working on becoming comfortable with the uncertainty. the likelihood that you contracted HIV from the situation described is extremely unlikely, however OCD convinces us that there is some slim chance that it WAS possible, and the OCD becomes fixated on that tiny probability and we want to know for 100% sure that there is no chance, which is silly because there is no way to 100% protect ourselves and feel entirely safe when our OCD becomes fixated on such tiny, slim probabilities of contracting diseases.
( I am, naturally, speaking on behalf of my own experiences and feelings, but I feel that you may understand/relate to this. )
anyways, now in therapy, I am working on becoming okay with the uncertainty. it is very anxiety provoking initially, but i think in the long run it makes our lives a lot more enjoyable with much less anxiety.
i'm not really sure if this helped/made any sense, but i hope it did. i also hope that if you have the ability to do so, you seek help with a therapist and/or psychiatrist for your OCD. i wish you the best of luck!
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Community
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
