Feel so depressed and paranoid - I think people think that I smell

Mental health
1

I'm in my mid-twenties and am female. I have suffered with anxiety and depression since I was a teenager, tried CBT and Fluoextine and Citalopram. Came off Citalopram at the beginning of the year, and have been anti-d free since.

Everything has been going great, I started a new job, have been exercising lots and eating healthily, and my mental attitude has been much better and I have been feeling positive about myself and life.

At my last job, where I'd been for many years, there was often a weird musty smell around a space about 12 foot square, and my colleagues always joked it was an elderly coworker. People sitting immediately around me were forever sneezing, sniffing and complaining of a bad smell. No one ever told me it was me or hinted or anything, and I am a clean person so thought it couldn't be me. An outspoken girl said it smelt "unpleasant" and like "sweaty salmon" on a few occasions. One time she sprayed deodorant into the air. She sat about 8 foot from me.

I started my new job and over the past few weeks I have noticed a weird smell near where I sit but only when I walk away and come back a few minutes later. To me it smells like an onion-y smell. People walking past my desk constantly sniff literally as they walk past my desk.

Yesterday a colleague said it smelt like gone off food, and today she looked at me, called another colleague over and whispered but I heard the words "smells"and "pi55" and she asked the other girl if she could smell it too and she agreed.

About a week ago, the other girl was talking about someone using the communal toilets and leaving urine all over the seat and she said how "that person must be getting lots of it on themselves too". Again, I didn't twig as I never leave urine on the seat and always make sure I clean myself thoroughly.

I use public transport to commute in to work and people on the train around me constantly sniff. Last week an elderly man sat behind me and sniffed literally every five seconds for the whole journey. I thought it must be because I smell and I was getting so paranoid and hurt, I wanted to turn around and punch him (I would never do anything like that).

Last week my manager asked me how I found the "hygiene" in the office which I thought was strange and then elaborated that he meant my commute. That made no sense but at the time it didn't click.

I shower every morning, wash my hair daily and use antipersperant and deodorant. I apply Perspirex nightly and use body spray and perfume. I clean sweaty areas regularly and carry change of underwear and wipes etc with me, I am so paranoid about my personal hygiene. I also started taking Chlorophyll supplements and reducing caffeine.

I do have greasy sebhorreic dermatitis but I'm treating it.

I think I do tend to be quite a sweaty person and my crotch does get sweaty but only usually when I work out, in which case everywhere else gets sweaty too.

Am I being paranoid?! No one has outright said that I smell, ever. This is making me so depressed, I feel humiliated, but I am a clean person. I feel suicidal. Please help me, I am really at the end of my tether, I am so unhappy. I don't feel like my family want to help, and I don't really have any close friends to talk to. This post is 100% serious.

2

As long as u know the truth, that's all that matters. My sister introduced a deodorant to me, it's dove underarm cost about a fiver it's in a box, and my god it's good. Try and get some strong perfume that last Alday. Britney Spears midnight, Gucci. There's loads of solutions. If Rhodes girls think it's you, then your obivously shown them your weaker side and they know it. Laugh it off with them, they using that to get to you. Being sniff on the train all the time just one of them things or they might just have colds. Think your being abit paranoid there. Your be fine. Your not alone. Feeling down about things we all in the same boat.

Chin up, tomorrow's a brand new day! X

3

this is litterly me.

i'm in middle school and i am 13 years old.

idk if i smell bad or something but people alwayssssssssssss sniff around me. like i use body spash every passing period, idk if i use too much or if i just smell bad. this has been going on ever since 6th grade. i just always feel horrible about it and i've been depressed about it for a long time. i feel like everyones talking about how bad i smell. ive been to the doctor about this issue and he said that i dont smell. my parents also said that I didn't. and I don't know what to do. i ask all my close friends and they say no i dont smell.... im so confused i dont know what to do.

4

From what you say I think it is unlikely that the problem is due to poor hygiene. There are medical conditions that cause persistant body odour, such as trimethylaminuria or fish malodour syndrome. Get your GP to refer you to a specialist to get this checked out. It is almost certainly not your fault!

5

I really do not think that the smell is coming from you. When you're alone, do you smell anything strange or out of the ordinary? Because if you don't, then you have to know that the smell is not coming from you. Also, people sometimes are just heavy breathers and it may seem as if they are sniffing something unpleasant but they really are just breathing or maybe have a cold.

There is a disorder called Olfactory Reference Syndrome, and patients suffering from this disorder constantly believe that they are emitting a foul or offensive odor and other people are taking notice. They mistake others' actions as being a confirmation that they smell bad. These actions could include sniffing, touching their noses, opening a window, etc. These actions do not confirm a malodorous smell but patients with the disorder believe it is a confirmation and experience debilitating anxiety and paranoia because of it. 

Perhaps you should just ask someone who works with you if you are emitting an odor. As uncomfortable as that is, it would give you much relief to know that the smell is not coming from you. If someone tells you that you are emitting an odor, then you can take the necessary steps to solving the odor (it could very well be a dietary issue or an imbalance of your intestinal flora). 

I wish you all the best

6

It can be very hurtful, to think that other people think you smell. I have personal experience of this ...

From what you say, I think that it may well be a case of you over-thinking it! So, it may well be paranoia. Now that you think there's a problem, you're interpreting other people's comments in such a way as to reaffirm the problem! But it's probable there's no problem in the first place. As you say, no one has ever actually said you smell. If you did smell, it's likely that someone would have directly commented on it. The fact that some people sniff when sitting near you means nothing.

But, if you want to be sure, why not ask your GP? You mention that you're clean - but being hygienic doesn't mean that there might not be an underlying physical issue ... If there is, and it's causing you to smell, it's probably something that can be sorted out quickly.

However, I doubt that you actually smell.

7

I understand completely where you are coming from. Its been this way for me since 8th grade,i am 21 now. I have asked a few people if I do,they said I don't. I still don't understand though. I have ocd so cleanliness is must for me everyday. Its impacted my life greatly. I use to be outgoing,funny & friendly. Now I basically work & stay home cause it emotionally effects me that bad. I am thankful I found this site & forum because I felt alone on this. Any advice would be appreciated.

8

Heyy im also a female and  21 years old . i do feel paranoid that people are saying exactly the same thing ( it did happen to me at work aswell) you have written down. I do take showers in the morning and at nights and also do put on antipersperent and deodorant. Also i do use body spray and perfume. ( also feel that i am paranoid because what happen to me at work was exactly the same thing as what happen to you) 

9

Hi, I feel you.

I had the same problem and I did a few things that made things better.

First off, I took probiotics in the morning (50billion, 4 strains) and yeast probiotic in the evening. I suspected I had a candida and yeast overgrowth that had taken over my body due to unhealthy eating habit for a long time and various antibacterial treatments for my acne ( I took accutane for a long time). Both situations depleted the good yeast and bacteria in my body and the bad virulent ones took over and invaded my system. The result was that each time I sweat, or ate food (especially sweet food) for that matter, I fed the parasites and the by-product of their metabolisms would make my body stink. 

those remedy helped a lot. I also started using an anti-perspirant at night and after a week, I no longer was sweating in my armpit.

You should also go see a doctor if you can and explain that you sweat profusely, you have a foul body odor and you suspect there is some underlying condition causing all of your symptoms. Ask to be checked for diabetes, hypothryroidism, etc.

Hope you get better. It sucks to be singled out like this and to hear nasty comments all day long everyday. Hang in there, it WILL get better!

xoxo

10

I actually what your talking about.   "sweaty salmon" that actually means like the smell of fishy sex.   But thats not important.   The important smell is the musty one,  and its kinda sickly sweet.     I get it when I smoke too many cigarettes.  Im fully paranoid about it too.  I feel that I have been a bit of a stinker,   I imagine if you go to hell,  some places of it reek of it.   It gets really strong sometimes,  but often I smell it,  walk out of the room, come back,  and its gone.

11

know.

12

I feel this post ...

I also suffer from it. No one really tell me it's me except one lady who said every time I pass by you you smell like poop. I also clean my self, I bring wet wives when I go to bathroom etc.

I have taken a consider amount of antibiotics before. I wonder if that's the cause of my smell (I can't smell it but they can). I have found the 50 billion probiotic you take in my local GNC store. Could you please let me know what is the Yeast Probiotics you take every night . Please share so I can also get better! Thank you!!!!

Email me:

Thank you again

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13

Hi ,

I currently am suffering from this?! Have you cured/ treated this?! If so, what have you done/take. Please help me too. Thank you!

14

Nah,you probably have a body odor issue.If it's not since always it might have been caused by the medication you took for your anxiety,also the medicine that is sayd to reduce sweating might actually increase it in time.THis things are happening to me aswell just that my oversweating/body odor is so bad washing doesen't help at all,neither deodorant,antiperspirants etc...ppl sniff and make weird noises if i go with the train or bus aswell etc...Don't use antiperspirants with aluminium chloride they are extreamly dangerous!

15

Haya

I'm a 16 year old girl,and I also suffer from this.I thought I was the only one,and felt so alone until now.Ever since an year and a half ago I started starting seeing this brown discharge on my underwear and though how weird,then a few months later it started giving off a foul odor that continued worsening.I found my classmates snickering and when people walking by me coughing and sneezing,some of my family not wanting to sit too close,but my grandparents and mom and dad say I don't smell??My friends also say I don't smell.When I exercise it gets so strong I have to quit,but nobody else smells it?i may be paranoid or have high anxiety issues ?...idk but schools starting back tomorrow and I'm super scared someone's gonna say something even tho nobody has ever said anything.

16

I know exactly how u feel.

For me this started about a year and a half ago and I'm very clean as well. No one in my family or friend group has told me I smelled and when I ask they tell me I do not so I don't understand why my Co workers treat me like I have the plague. I work with my sister and she seems to work with me just fine but customers naturally gravitate towards her. She says it's because I give off this "don't touch me. Don't come near me" kind of attitude and I do only because I know what's going to happen and I never want to see their reaction to me. I don't smell anything on myself and that's what makes it so hard is that I do take care of myself and it seems like all my efforts that never used to be efforts are in vain. People say and do the meanest things. But maybe it is only our head convincing us that this is what's happening. Our thoughts and words hold so much power and maybe we really are just paranoid. I know it's been a while since you posted this but thank u for telling ur story. None of us are alone and I know that we are all going to get through this extreme hardship. Has anyone in this post had any clearance of symptoms or breakthroughs lately?? I'd love to read about anything on this subject.

17

Hi haya, 

me too. I feel same as you. I feel that im the only one that face this problem. Im 17 and i never had body odor before. But after turning 16 years old i feel like im smelling. I don't know why? I have no ideas what causes me to smell? 

I work at my parents' bakery in the morning and then change clothes and go to the lecture at university. And then my classmates whenever they sit next to me, they touch their like i smell bad. But when they sit next to someone else they don't touch their nose at all. I feel deeply depressed and stress myself so much about this problem. Im thinking of to give up everything and tend to lock myself in a room. Im serious here. I really understand you. I feel you because i experience it since i was turning 16 and now nothing change. 

However sometimes i don smell at all. I have to wake up early to go to work at bakery so i shower in the morning eventhough its winter (freezing)  but once i start doing sandwiches and then serve customers- almost 60% of them touch their nose. I know its because of smelling but i want to get rid of it. I don know how can i get rid it of me. I shower twice a day. Wash hair every single day, brush teeth. I do everything clean.  

18

i am in my early 20's and just started expeirincing this aswel. im so glad im not alone. but this is really wearing me out. i have contemplated suicide, sometimes i still do. i dont see the point in living when i cant even go out in public without having a panic attack when i see others reactions.

it started maybe a couple months ago, maybe even sooner then that but thats when i really began to notice. My family, girlfriend, and some friends all tell me i dont smell bad when i ask them. they all know how many times i shower a day, brush my teeth. and all that. i get hints all the time everywhere i go tthat i just stink. I see peoples reactions to my smell. I used to be a very social, people were often able to spark conversation with, always met friends randomly, had a lot of friends and went out a lot.

but now it is as if people steer away from me in public. almost like society rejects me completely no matter what the scenario is. getting in cars with people. going to the grocery store, anything close quarters.  None of my friends hit me up anymore. i smell the odor sometimes, but not all the time. i spend most of my time in my room all day now, all week. and when i leave my room and come back i sometimes can smell it in the trapped air in my room. it can fill up rooms i guess.  when i see people uncomortable, discomforted by my smell, and offended, it makes me terribly anti social. i dont go anywhere anymore. i used to go everywhere, doing everything, always out with friends. this has really f*cked up my life entirely.

Please if anybody has been through this and has found a solution or a cure to this problem we all seem to be having, please help us.

19

I feel so so sorry for you. Just over the past 4 months I've been diagnosed with Manic Depression Illness. From age 21 to 32 I had SUPER SUPER HIGH anxiety over my smell also. Over 11 years that's a lot of strength to stay strong. It was VERY VERY difficult. Even today after being diagnosed with Manic not on proper medication I STILL WORRY SO MUCH about how I smell. I feel sorry for you so much I know exactly how you feel. 

20

holy crap so glad i found this discussion.

no one close to me has ever said that i smell and i have tried explaining it to a couple people but was so embaressed to talk about it because i thought NO ONE would posibly understand and i was the only one who got a anxiety about how they smell or posibly only think they smell. wow this will make it so much eaiser to talk to a doctor about. a part of me thought if i told a medical profession about it and i actually dont smell id be locked up in a hospital as a crazy. i might be a paranoid and OCD about cleaning and hygine bu not rifgt off the deep end and im not the only one and that feels good. however my fear about smelling bad and noticing others reactions only begun after i started to use an illiegal street drug. is this the case for anyone else??