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Autodysomophobia
Body Phobias

Autodysomophobia – Fear of Being Dirty or Smelly

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The Down and Dirty of Autodysomophobia

Have you ever walked into a job interview and felt overly conscious about the way you smell?

Does the thought of taking your shoes off at a friend’s house make you nervous?

Do you spend hours browsing remedies for body odors? Perhaps you invest in all sorts of perfumed products or take extra-long showers to ensure you don’t have body odor. And despite all that, are you still bothered by the thought that you might smell? Or that you are dirty?

If you can relate to this feeling, you might have autodysomophobia. It’s also likely that you may have bromidrophobia, which is the fear of perceived smells or odors.

Knowledge is power. And fighting this feeling is possible if you have the right tools.

Autodysomophobia Definition

Autodysomophobia is the fear of smelling bad. This obsessive phobia over body odor is sometimes an exaggerated reaction. It could also be a figment of the imagination. An affected individual is convinced that he or she is emitting a vile smell, which leads them to bathe multiple times a day or cut off socializing altogether as a coping mechanism.

Autodysomophobia, a social phobia, is also referred to as olfactory reference syndrome (ORS). Considered to be a sub-type of body dysmorphia, ORS could also be linked with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Stress, isolation, and avoidance may occur with autodysomophobia.

The cause of ORS could be traced to social trauma or heredity. An event from the past can serve as a trigger. Social phobias such as ORS are complex and causes tend to reveal themselves over time. Brain chemistry coupled with experiences of trauma impacts the development of these types of phobias.

What Are the Symptoms of Autodysomophobia?

The symptoms of autodysomophobia are varied. Many who suffer from ORS might have other physical or mental health concerns as well, such as anxiety or OCD, as mentioned above. The level of trauma which may have caused the phobia could affect its severity. What makes it hard to diagnose is that symptoms don’t follow a pattern. They may build over time and can worsen or get better as well.

Experts categorize symptoms into two types as seen below.

Physical Symptoms

  • Heavy breathing
  • Heart palpitations
  • Panic attacks
  • Dry mouth
  • Hot or cold flashes
  • Nausea

Mental/Emotional Symptoms

  • Social isolation
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Embarrassment
  • Low self-esteem
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Drug addiction

How Can I Overcome Autodysomophobia?

Autodysomophobia can be uncomfortable to the point that it pushes one to develop suicidal thoughts. If you feel that your fear is uncontrollable to the point of pain, consider seeking professional help. The situation isn’t as bad as your brain allows you to believe. There is help. There are several treatments available. And it can get better. Even if professionals don’t guarantee a 100 percent phobic-free you, they can ease your fear to the point where it is bearable.

In helping yourself, you’ll be able to achieve better results. This is why self-help is the first step. Here’s what you can do:

  • Convince yourself that you will power through this, no matter what. The brain believes ideas that you keep reinforcing.
  • Surround yourself with positive friends or family with whom you feel safe, so you know you’re not alone.
  • Understanding a problem is the answer to finding its solution. This is why journaling is a great way of tracking the root and triggers for your phobia. Once you identify what triggers your phobia, start working on finding alternative solutions that don’t make you feel like you’re being stretched too far.
  • Positive self-talk is a big part of getting through phobias. Keep telling yourself that this is only temporary and that you are meant to overcome. Putting motivating quotes in places where you spend a lot of time can uplift your mood and keep you positive. A morning routine of positive affirmations is a great way to start your day.
  • Support and reinforcement is also a big part of overcoming any phobia. Everybody needs a little reassurance now and again. Visiting a therapist is an excellent idea if you need help with this.
  • Next, face your fears—not all at once, but step-by-step. If social interactions are difficult for you, start by making time to hang out with those in your inner circle. Slowly push yourself to extend an invitation to those in your outer circle as well.

What Are the Available Professional Treatment Options?

Therapists can prescribe medications to help combat physical symptoms. However, medications don’t solve the issue nor are they free from side-effects. That’s why they aren’t the recommended course of action.

In extreme cases, antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are prescribed to those who have phobias and personality disorders. Their only function is to increase the levels of serotonin in your body. This does not treat the phobia itself. But there are treatment options that do.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A method of professional psychotherapy against ORS is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This form of therapy creates a positive influence on your behavior and thoughts. This treatment is also applicable to other mental disorders or phobias. CBT focuses on relaxing and unwinding your mind by changing your approach to situations and guiding your future course.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Another method of treatment is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). This treatment is specifically focused on resolving trauma from childhood or past experiences. It is also used to help those who have post traumatic stress disorder. It’s similar to CBT because it helps chart out a course for the future while also addressing and dealing with problems of the past.

What Not To Do

Those who experience autodysomophobia might sometimes consult doctors who don’t specialize in mental health concerns, such as ENTs or surgeons. This choice can prove harmful and expensive, because unnecessary surgery may be recommended. For example, in the case of ORS, people may seek to have their sweat glands removed. This is a hasty decision, and it doesn’t solve the bigger mental health problem. Seek methods that specifically apply to mental health.

Powering through Autodysomophobia

No doctor or mental health professional can guarantee that you will be completely free of your phobia. However, a mental health professional can help ease the symptoms and guide you through the process of controlling ORS or autodysomophobia.

A fear of smelling bad is something everyone experiences in life at some point or other. Be it bad breath or stinky feet—we’ve all been there. This is not a reflection of you as a person. You are more than a byproduct of what you fear. What’s more, you are bigger than your fears.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If something bothers you, it’s worth a conversation. Focus on the positives in your life whenever you need a reality check. You can turn to your immediate family or close friends to help keep you thinking straight. By being brave enough to acknowledge your problem and resolving to fight it, you have already taken your first step in the right direction.

Change is the only constant in life. It’s essential to keep moving. This doesn’t mean that you take radical, life-changing decisions to get further. Take baby steps, but make them count. After all, you have the power to help yourself.

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Your Fear Goes Up and Down

Are you someone who would rather climb the stairs than take the elevator? You call it squeezing in a workout after being sedentary the whole morning. Or perhaps you claim it's a faster route. These are both typical, normal, and acceptable reasons. But what if you need to be in the conference room on the eleventh floor in five minutes, and you're wearing your business suit and wingtips? Would you still prefer to take the stairs? If your answer is yes, then maybe it's time to take a closer look at your reasons for avoiding elevators. Elevators stir all sorts of emotions in passengers. From the discomfort of closeness to strangers to the sensations in our gut, elevators can be a source of the heebie-jeebies for many, but for some, they can also be a source of terror. Let's dig a little deeper into the latter, and see what this terror is all about and what can be done to manage it. To begin with, does being inside an elevator give you chills or the sweats? Or does it trigger an unpleasant memory? Perhaps you remember movies you've watched where something terrible happens inside an elevator. From Silence of the Lambs, The Shining, Final Destination 2, or the king of all elevator horror films, 2010’s Devil, the elevator becomes witness to something sinister and horrible. And you want nothing to do with any of it. You know that you're not claustrophobic. You can deal with heights just fine, too. And you know that you're not going to be trapped inside. All of these contribute to a fear of elevators—but they don't apply to you. Yet being inside one does something to you. It's hard to explain.

What is the Fear of Elevators Called?

What you have is a fear of elevators, which is called elevatophobia. It is most commonly triggered by an experience of getting stuck inside either due to a power outage or technical maintenance. Hearing about other people's experiences or watching a movie about similar circumstances can prompt a fear of elevators getting stuck with you inside. Usually, claustrophobics and agoraphobics may also develop elevatophobia because the triggers and objects of these fears are related. Claustrophobia is the fear of closed and cramped spaces, while agoraphobia is the fear of being trapped without any means of escape. Put the two together, and the elevator becomes the perfect combination of both phobias. The space is limited and closed, with only one means of entry and exit. You can add another point of access if you consider climbing the cables like they do in the movies, but that certainly isn't ideal.

Symptoms of Elevatophobia

If for some reason an elevator stops due to an outage or some technical difficulty, passengers with elevatophobia may go into full panic mode. Even if the maintenance team advises that it will just be a matter of minutes, by then, the person's mind has become irrational with the fear of the elevator falling, being stuck for hours, or other unpleasant thoughts. You would expect a person to exhibit the following physical symptoms: Additionally, you would be filled with that overwhelming anxiety where you feel that you have zero control over the situation. You start fearing the unknown and are filled with negative thoughts about death and imminent doom. You become irrational and unresponsive.

Possible Complications of Elevatophobia

When the panic sets in, the possibility of emergencies related to pre-existing conditions may make themselves known. This might include serious health crises like heart attacks or asthma attacks. When this happens, fear becomes a medical emergency. Elevator rides do not last long; it's just a matter of minutes or even less. But the fact that a person can escalate from panic to a near fatal medical situation classifies the fear of elevators as a 'hard phobia.'

Trying Some Self-Help Methods

Your fear of elevators can likely interfere with your social and work life and relationships. Not everyone understands that elevatophobia, like most phobias, can be crippling. But don't be disheartened. Depending on the level of your fear and level of control, you can gradually face and manage your phobia. Here are some recommendations you can try:
  1. Make a List of Everything that Entails Riding in an Elevator This is a systematic approach to getting over your anxiety. By following a step-by-step process, you can identify where the fear kicks in at its strongest. You can write a list of steps like pressing the topmost button and waiting to arrive on that floor, watching as the door closes and opens, being alone inside the elevator, or having delays with the doors opening. Now try doing the opposite. For example, face away from the door or occupy yourself with your phone so that you are distracted.
  2. Create Your Fear Ladder Although the name says fear of elevators, it is not the whole process that scares you. There are just phases and parts of the elevator riding experience that cause you to panic. So go back to the list you initially created and label the fear level you feel. You can do it numerically, too, like ten being 'really scary,' six, 'manageable scary,' and one, 'not scary at all.' You can put the corresponding fear levels so you can focus more time and effort into activities that are more scary to you.
  3. Face Your Fear By now, you have identified what scares you the most. You can try repetitive action to minimize your fear and increase your sense of ‘normalcy’. Remember that the longer you expose yourself to your fear, the better you get at handling your emotions. If you are feeling overwhelmed, stop. Pushing yourself too fast and too soon can backfire. Modify your pace and go slower instead.
  4. Talk About Your Fear People by nature, unfortunately, are not quick to offer understanding and support. You need to tell them what's wrong before they can empathize. Talk to someone who you trust and ask for their support, especially in the initial phase of overcoming your fear. If you are too afraid to ride the elevator alone, you can ask them to go with you, and before you realize it, you are on your floor, and there was no indication of panic.
  5. Learn To Be Patient Be patient with yourself and your predicament. This is, after all, your fight against fear. It might take hundreds of elevator ride practices before the fear gets under control. Even then, there might be some hesitations and episodes of nervousness. These are acceptable and expected, so cut yourself some slack and congratulate yourself for every progress.

Seeking Professional Help

Along with self-help, you can always enlist a medical professional's aid to support you with your elevatophobia. Talking to someone who has experience with similar cases can be comforting, because you know that you are not alone, and this situation can get better. Talk to your doctor about the severity of your fears and the symptoms that you experience. Explain how you deal with it in an attempt to control it. An exam and a health history are made to ensure that there are no unrelated or underlying problems that your symptoms might mask. Usually, phobias like this are approached with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Your doctor will talk about these options with you, and it's entirely up to you, with your doctor's recommendation, what you want to pursue. For psychotherapy, the most common type is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to help you find different ways of behaving, thinking, and reacting when about to step inside an elevator or when already inside it. With medications, there are beta blockers and benzodiazepines, but note that these can have side effects. Whatever these side effects are, you should promptly share it with your doctor.

Simple Tips to Overcome Elevatophobia

Elevators are not perfect, but their likelihood to malfunction, fall, or get stuck is very low. If you are not fully confident with this information, you can help overcome your elevatophobia by learning common elevator safety tips and basic elevator operations. These should help curb your mild fear until you become more self-assured. In addition to that, here are some of the things that you can do to gradually overcome your fear of elevators—both in getting on and riding one.

Conclusion

Yes, elevatophobia can be a challenge in today's world, but don't allow the elevator to win. Don't let it stop you from taking a job on the top floor or attending a social gathering on the rooftop. Sure, you can take the stairs if you insist and arrive winded and sweaty, with the party about to wrap up. But is this the quality of life you seek? Elevators are designed to make life easier. There are guaranteed ways to help you overcome elevatophobia. Take the first step and seek help. Soon, you’ll see yourself breezing through the floors with those arduous stair climbs little more than a memory.
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