Bed bug infestations are a hard thing for people to deal with, especially on their own. With the bites and the difficulty getting rid of them, plus the stigma attached, dealing with bed bugs can be very stressful. Anyone who has ever had bed bugs in their home knows how difficult it can be to get rid of them and the worry of whether they’re really gone. In fact, they can cause more problems than just bites. Dealing with bed bugs can cause anxiety, paranoia (like feeling a phantom bug crawling on you), obsessive behavior (checking and cleaning), insomnia and nightmares. If that sounds a lot like post-traumatic stress disorder, there’s a good reason for that. Studies are showing that trying to fight bed bug infestations and dealing with the stigma can cause PTSD.
I’ve been exterminating the pests for years, and I can say that it’s only a bug. A person doesn’t have bed bugs because they’re dirty or don’t keep their place clean. The truth is, bed bugs do not discriminate. They’ll hitchhike to wherever they can get a meal and don’t care how the house is kept. There is no reason to feel shame if you have an infestation. They are a worldwide epidemic–I tell everyone I know that they can expect to deal with a bed bug infestation at least once in their lifetime.
And yet, it’s still stressful. It’s just a bug, but it’s in your house and affecting your family. And to make it more stressful, it’s still something nobody wants to admit they’re dealing with and most will try to avoid people who are. That isolation can make the situation worse. Studies have been published for years that show people can develop PTSD from dealing with bed bug infestations. People have reported anxiety, depression, hypervigilance (constantly making sure there are no bugs), obsessive thoughts and sleep disturbances (insomnia and nightmares). It can really take a toll on people, so it’s important to find a safe, effective way to eliminate the problem.
We at Allphase Exterminators understand the stress and stigma of bed bugs, since that’s the only pest we deal with. We know you want an exterminator to get in and get the job done right the first time. We use a heat treatment that kills bugs and their eggs in one visit. It doesn’t leave a residue, and bed bugs can’t build a resistance to heat like they can to chemicals.
It may be just a bug, but it’s one that can cause a lot of stress. Call us–we can help.