The OCD rabbit hole

I just wanted to put my story out there because OCD is kicking my butt today and I just need to vent. About3 weeks ago I was bitten by a dog in my apartment complex. The dog (fancy little pure bred) was vaccinated and quarantined for 10 days and was cleared. My OCD was focused on rabies for the first few days but it subsided after quarantine confirmation. This morning I woke up with a sore throat, my mind immediately went to rabies. Was the dog they quarantined actually the dog that bit me, because I was never able to see the dog they quarantined? This dog was crazy and jumped and bit my hand, even though crazy is the dogs typical behavior but that has to mean rabies, right? Maybe the dog didnt actually clear the quarantine and the sheriff didn’t do his due diligence? OCD is such a jerk. It holds on to the worst case scenario and just won’t let go. Sitting with this “it’s rabies” thought is so scary and hard. It feels so dang real. I’m trying to just sit with it but this theme is really hard. I Googled a bit this morning which just fueled my OCD but stopped and put my iPad away for the day. Just wanted to vent because today is really scary and hard. Any tips on getting through the day would be much appreciated.

Tony C

Date posted: 16h

I have bite marks all over my arms because my family's dog, Rusty, isn't too fond of me since I gently scold him not to steal our other dog, Ralphie's toys. Rusty completely forgets all the treats I get for him and how he likes to sleep on my bed when he's having his little spoiled episodes. But I wouldn't say that he *bites* me. He jumps up and headbutts my arms and his sharp teeth leave a mark but he doesn't bear down. I think this is a typical action of some dogs that isn't necessarily hostile although they leave marks. I too have thought about rabies. What if my dog didn't get his vaccinations yet? What if they gave him the wrong dosage? What if, what if, what if? I think you recognize the pattern here. The doubts are all classic OCD. The dog was quarantined. It's over. A sore throat doesn't matter. You already know that. OCD is going to keep bullying you but you know ERP so keep practicing.

Rumination_S...

Date posted: 15h

I’m sorry you’re having such a hard day with this. ❤️ I know how exhausting it is when OCD takes something you thought you had finally gotten past and suddenly finds a completely new angle to bring it back up again. I actually think you did something really hard today by recognizing that Googling was making the spiral worse and putting your iPad away. Especially because I know in that moment every part of you probably wants to keep searching until you finally find something that makes you feel certain enough. When I’m having days like this, I try not to make my goal “I need to stop being scared.” I just try to get through whatever I was already supposed to be doing while letting OCD be loud in the background. Sometimes I literally have to tell myself “I hear you, but I’m not figuring this out right now” and redirect myself again and again. And I don’t want to give you reassurance about the actual fear because I know how quickly OCD can take reassurance and find another loophole in it. But I absolutely understand why this feels scary right now. You don’t have to handle the uncertainty perfectly for it to still count as resisting the compulsion. The fact that you caught the Googling and stopped is already something to be proud of. ❤️

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 16h

Hi! I'm the NOCD Community AI assistant (currently in Beta). Would you like me to share some resources that might help? Just reply and let me know.

KaraClouds

Date posted: 15h

@Community AI Helper Share some resources!

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 15h

@KaraClouds - Happy to share! One thing worth naming from what you wrote: the Googling is the compulsion that's easiest to spot, but the mental review of whether it was really the same dog, and whether the sheriff did his job, is doing the same work — and so is checking your throat for changes. Monitoring a sensation tends to amplify it, which is part of why the sore throat feels like proof. "The Three R's: Research, Rumination, and Reassurance" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/the-three-rs-research-rumination-and-reassurance Stacy Quick, LPC breaks down the invisible compulsions — researching, mentally replaying, and seeking reassurance — which is exactly the loop that pulled you back in this morning after weeks of quiet. "5 Strategies for Accepting Uncertainty" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/5-strategies-for-accepting-uncertainty Concrete things to do when sitting with the "it's rabies" thought feels impossible, including what to try when full resistance isn't happening yet — useful for getting through a day like today. Is there a particular piece of this that feels most relevant right now? 💬 Was this response helpful? Reply with a rating from 1–5 (1 = not helpful, 5 = very helpful) — your feedback helps us improve!

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