I was in a wooded area yesterday and happened to get a tick on me. I’ve never had one on me before so it was a new experience, as was pulling it off with tweezers (you have to pull really hard!). The most interesting part of the experience to me is my state of mind after finding this tick on me. I feel dirty, unsafe, violated, and paranoid. With every itch I feel or imagine I’m worried about other ticks getting on me despite the likelihood of that happening at home being very low.
This happens a lot when we encounter a small bad thing in our life. Our brain goes overboard trying to protect us from future occurrences regardless of any facts we present it. I’ve found the best way to handle it is not to argue with myself in my head. Instead I note the way I feel, acknowledge it as a feeling, and move on.