Fear of smells (olfactophobia)

En español: lee sobre este miedo en Fobias.org.

Olfactophobia is a fear of smells, either of certain odours or of smells in general. People may avoid perfume counters, busy kitchens or public transport because of what they might breathe in. If smells bring on headaches or feel physically overwhelming, it is worth checking with a GP.

About this phobia

The word combines the Latin olfacere, to smell, with phobia. It is rare and mostly found on lists of phobias. The related term osmophobia is also used in medicine for a sensitivity to smells during migraine, which is a different matter from a fear.

How it shows up

Plenty of people find strong scents unpleasant, and that is common. With olfactophobia, the worry is more that the smell itself is harmful, overwhelming or impossible to escape, and it can make people avoid many ordinary places. Some fear one smell, such as smoke or gas, while others react to perfume, cleaning products or body odour in a crowd. The reaction can come on fast, because smell is closely linked to the parts of the brain that handle emotion and memory.

Common triggers

• Perfume and aftershave
• Cleaning products and bleach
• Cooking smells
• Smoke or gas
• Body odour in crowded spaces
• Smells linked to past events

Where it shows up

• Public transport
• Department stores and perfume counters
• Restaurants and kitchens
• Hospitals
• Lifts and small rooms

Symptoms

In your body

• Nausea
• Holding breath
• Racing heart
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Coughing or gagging

In your mind

• Worry the smell is harmful
• Feeling trapped by an odour
• Dread before entering certain places

What you might do

• Avoiding shops and transport
• Covering the nose
• Opening windows straight away
• Leaving rooms quickly

What may cause it

There is little research on fear of smells, and it is important to separate it from medical issues such as migraine, where smells can trigger or worsen headaches. Smell is closely tied to memory, so an odour present during a frightening event can later bring that fear rushing back. Some people are naturally more sensitive to smells and may find strong scents hard to filter out. Avoiding smells can keep the fear strong, as the mind never learns that most of them are harmless.

How it can affect your life

It can limit travel, shopping and social plans, and make shared homes or workplaces difficult when others use scented products. Some people feel self-conscious about holding their breath or leaving rooms in public. Cooking and cleaning at home may also become a source of tension.

Related fears

• Fear of germs (mysophobia)
• Fear of being poisoned (toxiphobia)
• Fear of body odour (bromidrosiphobia)
• Smell sensitivity in migraine (osmophobia)

Things that can help day to day

• Keep a familiar, gentle scent on a hanky to help you feel settled
• Breathe slowly through the mouth at first, then try short breaths through the nose
• Build up time in mildly scented places
• Note which smells are a real hazard, such as gas, and which are not

When to get help

If smells bring on headaches, breathing problems or feel physically overwhelming, see a GP. If you smell gas at home, leave and call the gas emergency line.

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

About me

Common questions

Is a fear of smells linked to migraine?

Sensitivity to smells can be part of migraine, and in that setting it is called osmophobia. That is a symptom rather than a fear. If smells regularly trigger headaches or nausea, see a GP.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Further reading: PMC: Interictal osmophobia and migraine · NHS: Migraine · NHS: Phobias

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

See all session options and prices