None of us like unpleasant smells, but that is not a problem in our daily lives as it happens to people who suffer from olfactophobia. The fear of smells is a phobic disorder that can be very limiting and affects the physical and mental health of the person who suffers from it.
What is olfactophobia?
Olfactophobia is the fear of smells, aromas or perfumes. It is also called nomophobia and it is not only about strong and penetrating odors, but it can be about any type of odor. Can you imagine living in fear of smells?
To all the limitations that being afraid of smells entails when trying to avoid a stimulus that is present at all times, the relationship of olfactophobia with migraines is added. It is not well known if migraines are a cause or a consequence of this phobic disorder, but it is clear that the fear of smells is often accompanied by a severe headache.
Symptoms of olfactophobia
Imagine that you are on the subway and the person next to you has not showered. You start to get nervous and you fear that you will have a panic attack. This situation can occur if you suffer from bromidrosiphobia, which is the fear of sweat, but also if you have olfactophobia.
It all starts with nervousness before any smell; your body becomes alert as if you were in danger, because that is precisely what happens with phobic disorders. And then a series of symptoms begin to develop that are the same as those of anxiety. The need to flee or avoid that olfactory stimulus can make your life very complicated.
Causes of olfactophobia
But what causes olfactophobia? As with most phobias, the main cause is conditioning from a traumatic experience in the past. If in the past you experienced a moment of tension with a huge emotional charge and you associate it with a certain smell, you can develop olfactophobia when your nostrils detect that smell again.
Also suffering from an anxiety disorder is reason enough to develop this and other phobias, which tend to increase if they are not treated in time. Anxiety is a mechanism that is triggered by danger and in this case of olfactophobia, the danger is the smells.
Olfactory phobia treatment
Luckily, all phobias have a cure. You can overcome a phobia at the hands of a psychology professional that will have to find out the origin of this disorder and how you currently manage it, that is, the degree of the phobia. Sometimes a pharmacological treatment may be needed to accompany psychological therapy.
And in most cases, cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective because it works directly with the distorted thinking that causes that irrational fear. To treat the symptoms of phobia, nothing better than regularly practicing relaxation techniques that help you with anxiety.