Bugged Out

A few readers have asked why Bugged Out does not feature images of bed bugs. One reader argued that people living with bed bugs need to see them in order to confront any fears of the insects and/or desensitize themselves to the sight of these parasites. While I do agree with that argument, I feel that since every other bed bug related site on the Web features image after magnified image of bed bugs, Bugged Out should be the one site that doesn’t feature such images.

Visitors to such websites should get some kind of warning that they are about to view some very graphic images of these creatures. Most people find insects disgusting, and I feel those sites have enough bed bug images on display that I do not need to post any images on Bugged Out. Besides, anyone living with bed bugs have probably seen what a bug bite looks like and what the insects themselves look like. But if someone still wishes to see pictures of bed bugs, they can see an ample array of photos on any of these sites in the Bed Bug Links list.

Let’s get a few exaggerations out of the way. The following are the most common misconceptions I’ve encountered concerning bed bugs.

Myth #1: Bed Bugs are highly contagious.

First off, for the most part, bed bugs almost always spread from one person to another via bags/luggage. You cannot get bed bugs by shaking one’s hand, kissing them, hugging them or being in the same room with them. Bed bugs do not have wings , so they cannot fly or jump from one person to another. As I stated in a previous post, you really can’t get bed bugs unless you are in the home, especially the bedroom of someone who has bed bugs. They are called bed bugs for a reason, because bed bugs live in the places where their human hosts sleep.

Myth #2: Bed Bugs spread disease and death.

According to every medical professional on the planet, no one has ever died from being bitten by a bed bug, and there are no diseases, viruses or illness that bed bugs have been known to carry. The reason why people are wary of bed bugs is because their bites itch and leave bumps on the skin that resemble mosquito bites. In some cases, some people may have different allergic reactions to bed bugs, ranging from mild itching to itches that linger for hours to even rashes.

Also, because of a person’s individual physiology, bed bugs may like to bite some people more than others. Adversely, there are some rare instances in which there are a small minority of people who bed bugs do not like to bite at all. Lucky bastards.

Fortunately for myself, my biological reaction to the bites isn’t that severe. It itches for a while, but after an hour the bumps and itching go away. The itching sensation can be reduced by buying prescription creams and ointments. There are several different products on the market and from what I’ve learned, all of them are quite effective. The cream really makes a difference.

The only constant downside of bed bugs is that they make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Because bed bugs hate the light, some people who have them often sleep with the lights on, which can make it hard to sleep for people who prefer or are accustomed to absolute or near-absolute darkness when sleeping.

If you need any further evidence of the relative harmlessness of bed bugs, I have a very logical reason why bed bugs do not spread disease. Unlike animals and insects that do, bed bugs do not feed off of dead animals or humans, bacteria, feces, urine or germs. They feed on YOU. A bed bug is basically as disease and bacteria-free as the person whose blood they are sucking. Though bed bugs have been known to feed on the blood of live animals, they very much prefer human blood.

Myth #3: Only people living in filth, poverty, substandard housing or who are from Third-World countries have bed bugs.

Bed Bugs are not maggots. They are not born from decaying carcasses or stale feces like maggots are. As I mentioned in the aforementioned paragraph, bed bugs consume the blood of live humans, not bacteria or germs or dead bodies of feces. And according to recent news reports, even the nicest hotels and homes are suffering from bed bugs. A plush limousine seats can have the same likelihood of having bed bugs as an upholstered seat of a city bus. If poor people can be connected to bed bugs in any way, it is mostly likely because poor people cannot afford to purchase the chemicals, special laundry detergent or throw away their linens and beds, all necessary actions to eradicate bed bugs.

I will offer more myths to dispel as I come across them. Feel free to add your own.

I never knew how ignorant people were about bed bugs or the stigma surrounding these insects until I visited my physician to get some prescription cream to ward off the bed bugs. The minute I tell the doctor that I got bed bugs from a friend’s home, she rushes out of the examining room…for 20 minutes.

When the doctor returns she is wearing like some kind of biohazard suit, her face hidden behind a clear plastic veil and her body covered in the jumpsuit from head to toe. She then continues to ask me questions about the infestation and writes me a prescription in her little outfit. I found her little costume change to be overdramatic, insulting and a real exhibition of her personal ignorance. I’m not radioactive, and I’m not a leper. The only way she could’ve gotten bed bugs from me is if she comes to my home. And this is a person with a medical degree.

It was then that I realized how ignorant people could be of bed bugs. I also decided right there and then that I would mention my problem to as few people as possible. I don’t want people pre-judging me because of bed bugs in my room. As a result, I am often reluctant to tell people that I have bed bugs. That is also why this blog can really help people who have bed bugs but are too embarassed to look for support in the offline world. This blog really facilitates anonymity, and I hope people use it.