A method comprising: providing a treatment fluid that comprises: an alkali metal complexing agent comprising a pseudocrown ether, wherein the pseudocrown ether comprises a compound having a structure selected from the group consisting of wherein, at each occurrence, A independently comprises a carbocyclic ring or -CH 2 CH 2 -, optionally wherein each A comprises -CH 2 CH 2 -; wherein X 1 and X 4 are independently CH 2 or C=O; wherein X 2 and X 3 are independently CH 2, CHR 1, or CR 1 R 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, or a polymer; and wherein Z is (CH 2) n wherein n is an integer ranging from 0 to 2; wherein X 2 and X 3 are bonded to one another if n is 0; wherein B comprises a carbocyclic ring; forming a complex of the pseudocrown ether with an alkali metal ion; and introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation. providing a treatment fluid that comprises: an alkali metal complexing agent comprising a pseudocrown ether, wherein the pseudocrown ether comprises a compound having a structure selected from the group consisting of wherein, at each occurrence, A independently comprises a carbocyclic ring or -CH 2 CH 2 -, optionally wherein each A comprises -CH 2 CH 2 -; wherein X 1 and X 4 are independently CH 2 or C=O; wherein X 2 and X 3 are independently CH 2, CHR 1, or CR 1 R 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, or a polymer; and wherein Z is (CH 2) n wherein n is an integer ranging from 0 to 2; wherein X 2 and X 3 are bonded to one another if n is 0; wherein B comprises a carbocyclic ring; an alkali metal complexing agent comprising a pseudocrown ether, wherein the pseudocrown ether comprises a compound having a structure selected from the group consisting of wherein, at each occurrence, A independently comprises a carbocyclic ring or -CH 2 CH 2 -, optionally wherein each A comprises -CH 2 CH 2 -; wherein X 1 and X 4 are independently CH 2 or C=O; wherein X 2 and X 3 are independently CH 2, CHR 1, or CR 1 R 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, or a polymer; and wherein Z is (CH 2) n wherein n is an integer ranging from 0 to 2; wherein X 2 and X 3 are bonded to one another if n is 0; wherein B comprises a carbocyclic ring; wherein, at each occurrence, A independently comprises a carbocyclic ring or -CH 2 CH 2 -, optionally wherein each A comprises -CH 2 CH 2 -; wherein X 1 and X 4 are independently CH 2 or C=O; wherein X 2 and X 3 are independently CH 2, CHR 1, or CR 1 R 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, or a polymer; and wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, or a polymer; and wherein Z is (CH 2) n wherein n is an integer ranging from 0 to 2; wherein X 2 and X 3 are bonded to one another if n is 0; wherein n is an integer ranging from 0 to 2; wherein X 2 and X 3 are bonded to one another if n is 0; wherein X 2 and X 3 are bonded to one another if n is 0; wherein B comprises a carbocyclic ring; forming a complex of the pseudocrown ether with an alkali metal ion; and introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation.