The fear of smelling bad, also known as bromidrophobia, is a relatively common fear for many people.
People with a fear of smelling bad can also have a fear of others' body odors.
Fortunately, there are effective treatments that can help people cope with this fear.
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Symptoms of the Fear of Smelling Bad
Most people have a routine before going out in public.
If you have bromidrophobia, however, this is not enough.
Symptoms can include:
You may develop extensive hygiene rituals you obsessively follow before leaving the house.
Your showers may gradually become longer as you worry you are not clean enough.
Some people with bromidrophobia shower three or more times per day.
Others damage their skin through excessive scrubbing and the drying effects of hygiene products.
Women may develop a fear of being around others during their menstrual cycles.
What Causes the Fear of Smelling Bad?
Good hygiene reduces the risks of disease transmission and infection.
Regular washing along with sterilizing procedures when appropriate (operating rooms, piercing equipment, etc.
), is important for good health.
However, likemysophobia, or fear of germs, bromidrophobia takes cleanliness too far.
This fear may also be related to a condition known asolfactory reference syndrome.
This condition causes people to obsess over their own body odors.
Bromidrophobia vs. OCD
Bromidrophobia is a fear of perceived odors.
Bromidrophobia may be linked withobsessive-compulsive disorderor OCD.
The difference is subtle, but important, and is best diagnosed by a trained clinician.
Body odors are natural.
Human beings, like animals, emit natural scents from our bodies.
In a healthy person with reasonable hygiene, these odors are not offensive.
In fact, these odors contain pheromones, which act as chemical communicators.
Insects and other animals rely largely on pheromones to stimulate a wide range of behaviors.
Complications of Bromidrophobia
Like many phobias, bromidrophobia tends to worsen over time.
Eventually, you might find yourself restricting your activities.
Overcoming your phobia is never easy, but with proper treatment, you might be successful.
These are normal and can often be resolved relatively easily.
If so, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional about treatments that can help.
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