Struggling with anxiety about getting the COVID vaccine; need advice.

Don’t think I can do it

I was supposed to get my second COVID vaccine this weekend that I had been putting off for a while due to horrible anxiety. I ended up getting the stomach flu so I have to postpone it again… In the meantime I have been spiraling about getting the shot. My thoughts are constantly “you are going to die. You are going to get heart inflammation. It’s documented that people have died from it and you will be one of them” it literally feels like getting it will be the end of my life. I have spent the past few days crying all day long about how it will be the end for me. I feel like I can’t handle getting it and knowing that I could be about to get a potentially deadly side effect. Does anyone have any advice? I’ve ceased all compulsions like googling, etc but even setting a new appointment sends me into doomsday panic. I’m leaving on my honeymoon in a month and I don’t know what to do. Thank you for any help you can give.

Username: Dee CDee C

Date posted: 1y ago

Sorry you’re going through this. I commend you on ceasing the compulsion to google. In that, give yourself a pat on the back. Unless you have a professional diagnosis about the ‘heart inflammation’ then you’re self diagnosing. I won’t give you reassurance but will say - you are not your thoughts and feelings are not facts. That’s what ocd wants is certainty and realistically no one is 100% sure of anything. It’s as good a time as any to lean towards the uncertainty. I’m hoping this helps you, even a little bit. You got this. Btw, I’m going for my second booster tomorrow.👍🏼🙏🏽✌🏽

Username: vmcgeevmcgee

Date posted: 1y ago

@Dee C Thank you for your reply!

Username: OCDMMOCDMM

Date posted: 1y ago

I went through this and ended up never getting vaxxed. Ended up getting COVID recently but way after a lot of my vaxxed and boosted friends so not sure if it made a difference that I didn’t. The whole COVID/ vaccine thing is hard because you already have OCD and it’s an issue that almost everyone has had to deal with, fear of the disease, fear of the shots. My therapist told me, get vaxxed or don’t, (because I was so scared to not get vaxxed, too. )But then just accept your decision whatever it is and move on. Maybe you get COVID from not getting it. Maybe you get a heart issue from getting it. Maybe, maybe not. But you’re going to do whatever you decide and move on and not worry about what might or might not happen

Username: vmcgeevmcgee

Date posted: 1y ago

@OCDMM Thank you so much for your reply. It’s so nice to hear from someone who knows exactly how I feel.

Username: cantstopthinking cantstopthin...

Date posted: 1y ago

just respond with “maybe I’ll get heart inflammation, maybe I won’t, we’ll see”. You must be willing to take the risk

Username: zale

Date posted: 1y ago

I hate this

I'm supposed to have a doctor's appointment for a physical this week and I've known about it for weeks but now I'm having overwhelming anxiety and panic about contamination themes. I know that rescheduling or canceling will only make the panic worse and make the OCD stronger but I just started ERP and I seriously don't know if I can cope with this level of exposure/anxiety at this point. It will also make my family upset if I don't go. I'm trying to just sit with the discomfort and not look for reassurance but it's so overwhelming and everything makes it worse. I hate having OCD and I hate these feelings so much.

Contamination OCD

Username: paylo28

Date posted: 1y ago

Health Anxiety/OCD

7 years ago I was a raging drug addict. I took any and all kinds of drugs without second thought of consequences. When I had my first child it’s like a switch flipped in my brain. Within her first 6 months of life I had over 12 visits to the ER. I was (still am) constantly afraid of developing a life threatening disease / illness or having a sudden health event (stroke / heart attack / heart failure / brain tumor / cancer ) develop. I’ve seen over 10 Specialist from autoimmune, heart, eyes, neurology , stomach , skin, etc. I’ve got a seemingly well bill of health but I become so hyper aware of every small change within my body. It’s. Constant state of fear and anxiety. Headache = likely tumor / aneurysm , small pain in chest or arm = heart problems , mild cold = covid or some rare disease , etc. Lately, my heart has been my fixation. I was having tachycardia going to the ER 2x a week. EKGs normal, 24hr monitor normal, X-RAY normal. Shortly after I notice my resting heart rate went down as low as 50bpm. I looked through my history over the months and that seems pretty normal for me I just hadn’t noticed before. Now I’ve been worried about my heart for weeks even tho my dr says I’m okay. It’s exhausting to be afraid of sickness and death 24/7. When I get focused on these thoughts it pulls me away from my kids and husband and daily tasks. I either full blown panic or shut down in fear. Anyone else relate? What helps you? I don’t want to rely on medications as I have so many adverse reactions to the 10+ I’ve tried! - oh year here’s another one - I’m afraid of allergic reactions as well I CONSTANTLY fear I will have an allergic reaction to medications / foods or over dose on things like Tylenol and Ibuprofen or mix meds and have reactions.

Username: bruin

Date posted: 29w ago

Not sure

My anxiety has been terrible everyday for 8 months straight due to engagement and getting married. I am now a month away and everytime I see my partner I start really freaking out over height. The anxiety is so intense nothing is helping. I just cry everyday. It doesn’t feel like ocd but real thoughts. What do I do:( please help me.

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Struggling with anxiety about getting the COVID vaccine; need advice.

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