How Your Perfume Can Predict Mental Illness
Sarah Bellum says:
I thought that wearing waaaay too much perfume was a sign of bad fashion sense, kind of like the Christian Dior mess that Charlize Theron wore to last year’s Academy Awards. But according to Science Daily.com, scientists from Tel Aviv University say that overdosing on fragrance may be a sign of a much deeper psychological problem – depression.
The study, published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism, shows a link between depression and the way your body’s sense of smell works. Their findings indicate “that women who are depressed are also losing their sense of smell, and may overcompensate by using more perfume.” A member of the research team, Prof. Yehuda Shoenfeld, even suggests that aromatherapy could be part of the treatment regimen for depression.
Hey, I’m feeling a bit bummed out today, I wonder if my doctor will give me a prescription for a bottle of Clinique Happy
Do you know anyone who always wears too much perfume? Do you think they’re depressed or just nasally insensitive? Leave a comment and share your smelly thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
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Gloria Says:
Yes.. my 4th grade teacher.
Selina Says:
Ummmm, is it just me or does a study on the link between frgrance and depression seem a little out of place in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism?
Cate Says:
I actually just heard this story on Cosmo Radio the other morning. I was a little interested in it and wanted to post it in the forum, but I forgot. Nice post Sarah!
Judy Says:
Guilty as charged! I don’t have a good nose for fragrances so aromatherapy doesn’t seem to work for me though I wish it would. I don’t think I use too much fragrance but I can never smell it 5 minutes after applying it. And, yes, I have OFTEN thought to try Clinique’s HAPPY as a mood enhancer!!
Mitzi Says:
Actually I have noticed that since I have been on anti-depressants (for about two months now) that I seem to be able to smell things again! I just thought it was a fluke thing ,but maybe that is why.
Tonya Says:
Right now, I don’t know anyone who wears too much perfume. However, a link between depression and smell makes sense.
KAT Says:
A CO-WORKER WEARS THE MOST GOD-AWFUL FRAGRANCES, AND IT STINKS UP THE ENTIRE OFFICE! AND WORSE, SHE REAPPLIES IT ALL NIGHT LONG, THINKING THAT HORRIBLE STENCH HAS FADED! DEPRESSED? PERHAPS. TOTALLY SELF CENTERED? ABSOLUTELY!!
Nic Says:
What about men over-dosing on cologne? I see/smell that more than women with too much perfume. Same diagnosis?
Ci Says:
Why do they have to waste time on studying about perfume. I wear perfume I like the smell. It makes me feel good I’m not depressed. Oh my maybe if I use to much I’ll go off the deep end. Give me a break. You want to see depressed when I look in the mirror and no makeup in the morning……
Tracy Says:
Does this ring true for men as well? If so, I know a couple of really depresesd men.
Jennifer Says:
I noticed that when I use a particular fragrance for a while my nose gets very used to it and doesn’t smell it as well as it does in the beginning. This is when I tend to use too much. I find that when I switch perfumes I can gauge how much I’m using a lot better.
Ivy Says:
This is really interesting…I agree with Jennifer - If I wear a fragrance for a while I can’t smell it as much, but when I switch it up I can smell it more.
Claire Says:
Men’s sense of smell is less sensitive than that of women, which might explain why they load on the cologne, and also why they don’t tend to notice bad smells as much.
I also read that losing one’s sense of smell is a sign of early schizophrenia. Of course, smell becomes less sensitive as we age.
Who Wants To Know The Real Reason Women Like Makeup? | The Beauty Brains Says:
[...] says: I just read your post on perfume predicting mental illness. Why do they have to waste time on studying about perfume? I wear perfume because I like the smell. [...]
Who Wants To Know The Real Reason Women Like Makeup? | Beauty Secrets Blog Says:
[...] says: I just read your post on perfume predicting mental illness. Why do they have to waste time on studying about perfume? I wear perfume because I like the smell. [...]
vicky Says:
I had to laugh at Jennifer and Ivy’s post. It IS true that when you’ve been wearing a scent for a while, you nose gets used to it and doesn’t smell it anymore. I used to work in a store that sells custom-made scents and we would have customers who were decades-long users of a scent come in and swear up and down that we had changed the formula of a certain fragrance because it wasn’t as strong as it used to be. They would not be willing to wear another scent for a couple weeks and then switch back–they wouldn’t give up their “signature scent”. Ha!
Natnee Says:
Interesting theory….personally, I have suffered from severe depression for years..and have an AVERSION to most perfumes! I can’t stand to wear more than the lightest misting or I get nauseated haha