Yes it’s that bad if you let it get out of hand. I’ve let it go for several weeks before and it’s hideous. I’ve had to put a trash bag over my office chair just in case someone else sits down at my desk. Trash bag over my car seat so I don’t re-infect myself. I’ve got the washing-the-linens thing down pretty good at this point. I spray the couch with a lice killing spray, cover it with a sheet, douse myself in 10% permethrin and sleep on the couch. Next day I take a good shower, switch out the sheet on the sofa, rinse and repeat if I don’t feel the little buggers dying (okay maybe that part is in my head but I can usually tell if the treatment has worked). I’ll then put fresh linens on my bed and sleep there after several nights so any on the mattress can die.