Tick Fears keeping you Indoors? I Get That

I know  and work with people diagnosed and healing Lyme.  Tick fears keep them indoors. Heck people sell their homes and move into the city to limit tick exposure.   Even though I live in a Lyme endemic area this isn’t the right course for me.  I am trying to get out of my own way and address my fears so I can enjoy nature again.  Remember that getting outside on a regular basis is really good for me.  Give in to cravings for fresh air, sunshine and earth connection, aka dirt. 

After 5 years of hard work to recover from a Lyme Disease and co-infections I understand the fear.   Tick fears and concerns may be a reasonable response.   I needed to come to terms with my fear of reinfection  in order to keep my world expansive and healthy.

Face  Tick Fears

I don’t want Lyme to make me so afraid I stop living. Lyme is a change agent, no doubt.  But I get to choose how to respond to some of the changes.   I love the outdoors and before Lyme I spent a lot of time in nature. (Probably how I got it in the first place.) I am not willing to give that all up.

I take good care to protect myself.   My immune system is not yet fully healthy, so I have to be extra careful.  Even last year I was out doing yard work, layered, tucked wearing a hat and a face net.  By accident I put my face net under my hat, big mistake.  Bug bites and co-infections are no joke.

This completely freaked me out.  Ticks are everywhere and this year is going to be a banner tick year.  I don’t want me or anyone else to get bitten, infected with Lyme or reinfected.  So why head outside?

We  evolved as part of nature and do better with natural sunlight, dirt to play in and clean air to breathe.  No one has to go off grid, live in a tent in the woods or become a hunter gatherer to garner the benefits of the great outdoors unless they want to.   Just make an effort to get outside when you can.

“I go to Nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put together.” –John Burroughs

Empower and Protect Yourself

First if you have a yard, make your yard a low tick habitat.  Cut the lawn, eliminate brush piles and other small mammal habitat.  Use natural or chemical deterrents.  People spray garlic, put out tick tubes, get chickens or guinea fowl to eat them or set tick traps and actively kill them.  Check this link on how to reduce your risk of ticks living in your yard.  Is yard preparation part of your protection plan?

If you are able and comfortable go beyond your yard to enjoy the beauty in nature or sit on your deck wrapped in a blanket.  As you recover find something you used to like to do outdoors, garden, bicycle, roller blade, hike jog, paddle board, kayak, canoe or walk.  Discover or rediscover outdoor activities.  Make the time in your day, week or month to engage with nature in a way that you truly enjoy.  Put a protection plan in place and use it every time you head out into nature.  I totally admit that I am a little less spontaneous about heading out into the woods because I need protective gear to feel safe. 

Choose low tick habitat areas.  For instance if signs are posted warning of major tick population, it might not be the meadow to go wading into.   See this link to help you make informed choices.

Nature is a source of inspiration.

Nature is a source of biodiversity.  We come from nature and belong to her.  There is a growing bunch of data on the ability of nature and trees in particular to promote well being.  Forest Bathing Shinrin-yoku is a recognized wellness practice in Europe and Japan.

If you are not ready to face the great outdoors because of tick fears get a screen saver that pictures natures bounty or gaze out and find the sky. Even looking at nature can make you feel better.  If you are ready gear up and head out when you can.

Scroll down and  Post below with your best protection strategy when heading outdoors.  With Lyme Disease information is power.  We need to shine light on our fears and share to help each other recover and rebuild.

The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.