10 Ways to Handle the Psychological Stress of Dealing with Mites
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This article is dedicated to those who suffer in silence. Those who've been called crazy. Those who go to work everyday fearing that they may be a danger to others. Those who remain isolated at home. Those who spend every moment of their spare time vacuuming and washing endless loads of laundry. You are modern day heroes. You are a living testament to the tenacity of the human spirit. Like a true warrior, it's time to don your battle armor and sharpen your swords.
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1. Play comedy while you do chores.
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It's depressing to spend your whole life cleaning and doing laundry. Now is the time to watch funny movies or look up classic performances from your favorite comedians. Visit YouTube to find concerts featuring various artists. Play the videos while you mop floors, wash dishes, do laundry, organize closets or relax in bed. It has long been known that the endorphins secreted by laughter promote a general sense of well being, and the mood enhancement benefits of a good laugh session can last for several hours. Some benefits of laughter include improved immune functioning, stress relief, increased pain tolerance, improved cardiovascular health and reduced anxiety.
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2. Prove your case! Validation from an expert source can heal family disagreements.
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If doctors or family members have treated you like this new parasite problem is all in your head, remind them that mites often focus upon one person in the house before developing an attachment to others. If proving your case will help you get along better with your spouse and get more cooperation from doctors, get a microscope with a camera to capture images of your skin or study debris found on couches and beds. For expert identification, visit websites such as VetDna.com and follow the protocols for submitting samples. Modern technology is amazing! A simple swab of the affected area is often all it takes to identify the type of parasite that's bothering you.
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3. Change your response to external stimuli.
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You richly deserve a good cry to vent your frustrations, but don't stay in this dangerous head space all day. It's counterproductive! The next time you feel a biting or crawling sensation, try not to scream or freak out. Look upon it as a prime opportunity to get a decent picture of the culprit. Keep a point-and-shoot microscope beside your bed so that you can quickly take advantage of these moments. Your commitment to examining the problem will lead to resolution much faster than a commitment to feeling overwhelmed and helpless. Extended self-pity can leave you suspended in a state of depression and prevent you from performing tasks related to home maintenance and self-care.
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4. Avoid talking to anyone with a history of bullying or belittling you.
We all have that friend or family member who has a tendency to make us feel bad about ourselves. Avoid sharing your parasite issues with anyone inclined to judge you, doubt you or downplay your suffering. If the emotional bully in your life happens to be your spouse, consider moving into the spare bedroom so that you can perform nightly cleaning and skin maintenance rituals in peace. If your bully is a medical professional, find another doctor. There are more than a million professionally active physicians in the United States. You need not continue a relationship with the one who shames you.
5. Learn to savor skin and bath time rituals. Follow our guide for mixing DIY skin treatments.
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Like it or not, skin treatment protocols are about to become a major part of your life. Instead of viewing self-care as a chore, start looking upon bath time as your own personal spa experience. Since 2009, I've taken thousands of phone calls from mite afflicted individuals around the world. Did you know that many folks living in studio apartments don't have full bathtubs? If you have a nice place to soak in Epsom salts and veterinary concentrates, you are better off than many people in the world. If clean water flows into your home via community pipelines, YOU ARE BLESSED. Visit our DIY skin treatment page for bathing advice and five easy-to-mix skin formulas.
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6. Let go of bad energy. Accept that many infested items aren't worth saving.
There's beauty in letting go. Here's a list of items that mite warriors should discard or put in storage. You'll feel better. I promise!
- Throw Rugs (Rugs make it difficult to spray, vacuum and perform daily maintenance rituals connected to mite eradication.)
- Throw Pillows (Mites can burrow deep into fabric items. It's impossible to kill them without soaking the item in pesticides.)
- Cardboard Boxes (Mites can EASILY get in and out of cardboard boxes. Store all of your excess items in air tight plastic bins.)
- Live Plants (Some critters such as springtails will eat decaying leaves and breed in potting soil.)
- Old Clothes! (Unless you plan on soaking them in PCO and storing them in PLASTIC air tight containers, get them out of your life.)
- Wicker Laundry Baskets. (Mites can easily move in and out of the spaces. Store dirty and clean laundry in air tight plastic bins.)
- Old Toys. (Since toys should be sterilized on a regular basis, now is a good time to get old or unwanted items out of the mix.)
- Pictures. Did you know that mites can hide behind wall hangings to escape the effects of fogging? Wrap your favorite paintings in plastic and put them in storage for a year.
- Old Decorative Items: Are you still holding onto those lamps that match the living room set you discarded ten years ago? Don't be silly. Purge closets of items you no longer need.
7. Stop living in denial about infested carpeting.
Many types of mites can infest carpeting, and some are more difficult to get rid of than others. If you're dealing with bird mites, rodent mites or springtails, understand that these critters often infest below carpet padding. No amount of spraying or steam cleaning will reach them. For more information, consult our tutorial for addressing problems that have spread BELOW carpet padding. If you don't know what type of mite has taken control of your life, call 734-782-5205. We may be able to help you figure it out.
8. Choose clothing and bedding constructed of man made fibers.
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Clothes and bedding made from cotton or wool are more easily infested and are harder to clean than synthetic fabrics such as polyester. If you've been to the store searching for casual clothing and sleepwear made without cotton, you already know that such things can be difficult to find locally. See more examples of clothing a bedding constructed of man made fibers.
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9. Use double sided tape to keep parasites from reaching you.
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Did you know that bird mites are famous for assaulting from above? They're known to crawl up walls, scurry across ceilings and drop down into beds. In fact, they're often found infesting light fixtures above beds! To eliminate this problem, apply double sided tape around the perimeter of the room where the wall meets the ceiling. Mites that scurry up walls won't be able to crawl over the tape and get onto the ceiling. It's also a good idea to wind double sided tape around bed legs to prevent floor dwelling mites from crawling up bed legs. More restful nights will occur when you learn to protect yourself from above and below!
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10. Choose a home treatment spray that's both a killer and a repellent.
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Advanced or chronic mite cases may require fogging with Dr. Ben's Evictor.
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Critters such as bird mites and springtails don't just hang out near the floor. They can be EVERYWHERE, including walls and ceilings. A fog machine will help pest controlling mist settle upon walls, ceilings and other surfaces that traditional spray techniques can't reach.
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