As I said in the post above, a reader thinks her neighbor killed themselves after having had bed bugs for several months.

As for your experience, I think that not being believed is the worst thing that can happen. Bed bugs can be hard to detect.

I hope you are getting professional help for the bed bugs (which can be gotten rid of!) and also — if you ever feel down again, please seek professional help. Bed bugs are very stressful, but life is precious and there is professional help out there if you are depressed or stressed out.

I feel like a prisoner–can’t stay and can’t move. I try to keep busy and focus on the the positives in my life–the people.

Thanks for your comments Doug. It put the bedbug epidemic in perspective.

Bed bugs are a public health problem that hasn’t been fully acknowledged by public health authorities.

The World Health Organization recently published a report that details the scientific evidence demonstrating the adverse health effects that are associated with bed bug infestations.

Unfortunately, the mental health effects are seriously understated. This publicly transmitted parasite is a mental health nightmare.

Moderate to severe anxiety disorders commonly accompany bed bug infestations. Bed bugs function as a severe stressor that contributes to insomnia, anxiety & depression in affected populations.

This sad story is a compelling example of why we need to recognize the adverse economic, psychological & physical health effects as a growing public health threat that will affect millions of people worldwide.

We need to track infestations with a central database and classify bed bugs as vermin that pose a public health risk, particularly for populations of patients with fragile health conditions & dire economic circumstances.

Funding programs like Bug & Scrub & implementing the recommendations of the public task force will help slow down the exponential public transmission of these human parasites and significantly reduce the human suffering that follows their path.