Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a type of anxiety disorder that causes people to feel intense fear, nervousness, and self-consciousness in social situations. It affects millions of people worldwide and can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life, including relationships, career, and overall well-being.
Photo by Braydon Anderson on Unsplash
While there are various treatments available, including medication and therapy, recent research suggests that an unusual method of exposure therapy may be helpful in reducing social anxiety - sniffing other people's body odour.
Exposure therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that involves gradually exposing a person to the source of their fear or anxiety in a controlled and safe environment. By repeatedly exposing themselves to the source of their fear, individuals can learn to tolerate and overcome their anxiety.
In a study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, researchers investigated the effects of exposure therapy on social anxiety using body odour as the source of exposure. The study involved 36 participants with SAD, who were randomly assigned to one of two groups - an experimental group that underwent exposure therapy using body odour or a control group that received no treatment.
The exposure therapy involved the participants sniffing t-shirts that had been worn by strangers with no body odour-related conditions, such as no use of perfumes or deodorants, for 60 seconds each day over a two-week period. The participants were also asked to rate their level of anxiety before and after each exposure session.
The results of the study showed that the participants in the experimental group experienced a significant reduction in social anxiety symptoms compared to those in the control group. Furthermore, the level of anxiety reduction in the experimental group was comparable to the level of anxiety reduction seen in traditional exposure therapy for social anxiety.
So, how does exposure therapy using body odour work? The researchers suggest that body odour contains information about a person's emotional state, and exposure to body odour may help individuals with SAD learn to better interpret social cues related to body odour. In other words, exposure to body odour may help individuals with SAD learn to tolerate and interpret body odour-related social cues in a way that is less anxiety-provoking.
While the results of this study are promising, it is important to note that this is a relatively small study and further research is needed to determine the efficacy of exposure therapy using body odour for social anxiety. Additionally, it is important to consider ethical concerns related to the use of body odour from strangers, including issues of consent and privacy.
Despite these limitations, this study provides an interesting avenue for future research on alternative methods of exposure therapy for social anxiety. It also highlights the importance of considering the role of olfactory cues in social anxiety and the potential for exposure therapy using olfactory cues in the treatment of social anxiety.
In conclusion, exposure therapy using body odour may be an effective treatment option for individuals with social anxiety disorder. However, further research is needed to determine its efficacy and to address ethical concerns related to the use of body odour from strangers.