Automysophobia

Olfactory disorders are subjects that are often dealt with at VIOLET. In order to learn more, I invite you to read the article on anosmia: here , or, if you are more visual, Anthony has made great videos: here for French and here for English. Happy reading or watching.

It's a sunny Friday afternoon and you're at the wheel of a car heading for a relaxing weekend by the sea. Ecological awareness and reductions in travel costs oblige, there is an illustrious stranger in the cabin met on a carpooling application. Situation a little stressful by nature, it is then that, unfortunately, barely a few kilometers traveled, you take the wrong road. Nothing really bad, the carpooler doesn't even seem to have noticed. But there you go, it was enough to give you a hell of a heat stroke. Half an hour later, you have the unpleasant sensation that the confined space smells of sweat. Is that you ? Has your deodorant laid down its arms? Would he have surrendered this petochard? Is it in your head? Is it a passing fantasy*? What if the unknown felt you? What would he think? The situation is slowly becoming unbearable and from a pleasant weekend at the sea you are now heading towards a hell of olfactory judgment!
This (true) example prompted me to learn more about the fear of smelling bad. It was then that I discovered automysophobia. 

It is, briefly, the morbid fear of being dirty, of smelling bad. And like all phobias, automysophobia can have harmful and devastating consequences on the social sphere of people who are affected by it.

Already, automysophobes have excessive attitudes such as washing several times a day or avoiding closed places in the presence of other people (thus preventing them from smelling their scent). They also have great difficulty leaving their homes for fear of smelling bad and watch and distrust others for fear of judgment. Finally, in some cases, they have a massive consumption of perfume.

Like all phobias, automysophobia is the result of several factors such as trauma, heredity, genetics, brain chemistry or even childhood development. There are a plethora of closely related reasons and to believe that it is following an event would be reductive and counterproductive. 

How is automysophobia treated? 

The most important thing to do is to consult a mental health specialist in order to work, during sessions, on this phobia. Because like all phobias, it should absolutely not be taken lightly. They can become so invasive that everyday life will gradually turn into real hell.

In conclusion, depending on the situation, we all have doubts about the smells that it gives off. Let's not forget that the sense of smell is the most primitive sense and undeniably brings us back to our nature. The smell is intimate and it is quite natural to worry about it. It happens to everyone not to control their scents. The most important thing is to defuse the situation. It's nothing serious. After talking about my sweating problem, my carpooler and I had a good laugh. On the other hand, not sure that he calls me back for a trip. 

*phantosmia: Form of olfactory hallucination. Perception of an odor without the physical presence causing it. The smell can be pleasant or unpleasant.