Fear of Smelling Bad Could Be a Serious Disorder
Cheryl Phillips, GoLocalProv Health Contributor
Fear of Smelling Bad Could Be a Serious Disorder
This is normal, but imagine having the feeling that you smell bad all the time, no matter what the weather or how many showers you take?
That might just be a common condition called olfactory reference syndrome. A local study done by Dr. Katherine Phillips of Rhode Island Hospital was recently done to bring more attention to this often devastating condition.
Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) is a psychiatric condition in which the affected person is excessively preoccupied by the concern that one's body odor is foul or unpleasant. This disorder is often accompanied by shame, embarrassment, significant distress, avoidance behavior, social phobia and social isolation.
A psychiatrist and expert in body dysmorphic disorder, Phillips recently spoke about ORS at an American Psychiatric Association meeting. She noted that the condition has been talked about globally for more than a century yet the study of ORS has been minimal.
Study: Patients Spend Hours Worrying About Smell
Phillips and her colleagues studied the features of olfactory reference syndrome in 20 patients. The average age of the patients studied was 33, and 60% were female. Their symptoms started between ages 15 and 16, on average. Most patients spent three to eight hours a day preoccupied with their concerns that they smelled bad, with 85% completely convinced that they emitted a foul odor.
What type did those studied feel they had? The majority (75%) thought they had bad breath, and 65% believed their sweat smelled bad. About 30% blamed flatulence or feces for their foul smell, and 20% blamed their urine.
"They had thoughts such as "I smell horrid' or "People are moving because I stink,'" Phillips says.
Coping with Olfactory Reference Syndrome
Many of the participants in the study visited a variety of doctors such as gastroenterologists, dentists and dermatologists for what they assumed was body odor. The study revealed that 44% sought non-psychiatric treatment and Phillips says, "Usually, those treatments didn’t diminish their worry about body odor."
Those afflicted with ORS found different ways to deal with the overwhelming symptoms of this syndrome. About 70% resorted to frequent showers, 60% constantly chewed gum, and 50% sucked on mints. About a quarter changed their clothes several times a day to get rid of the imaginary stench.
According to Phillips, social situations were avoided by 74% of the study group, with 40% who stayed in for at least a week due to embarrassment over what they perceived as bad body odor.
Even worse? Phillips concluded that 68% had suicidal thoughts and 32% actually attempted killing themselves. About half had been hospitalized for a psychiatric problem.
How is ORS treated? Phillips noted that it is not clear what treatment is best but "selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be helpful." SSRIs are commonly used to treat depression and other mood disorders.
If you feel you have ORS or know someone who does, it is important to seek psychiatric help.