¶ … Wearing Too Much Perfume May Indicate Depression

Science Daily (Jan. 8, 2008)

In this article, the researches pose the idea that the loss of one's sense of smell, especially in women, may also go hand in hand with depression. While at first this may seem an unlikely paring of criteria, they go onto explore the possibility that depression has basically biological roots. That depression itself may even be an immune system response to certain physiological cues from the environment. It has been noted that Lupus sufferers and those with Alzheimer's Syndrome often suffer from the loss of the sense of smell. The researches also note that when exposed to pleasing smells those with depression are often alleviated of the symptoms, further suggesting that there is a biological basis for depression itself.

This article begs many questions about other psychological symptoms besides depression. What other organic links may there be to other psychological maladies, attachment disorder perhaps or chronic anxiety? There are certainly grounds for this conclusion based on the number of pharmacological agents that help to alleviate many symptoms of a vast amount of psychological disorders. One has to wonder whether it is the physical symptom, in the case of the article the loss of the sense of smell, that is the cause of the depression or is it the other way around?

Another interesting point that the article brings up and is directly related to psychology is the idea that smells can influence mood. Gong farther than aromatherapy, advertisers and apparently even banks, have begun to use "smell marketing" to influence customers to buy more or invest more by sprinkling their office with the appropriate scents. This could be similar to subliminal advertising that was used a few decades ago. Our subconscious relates the smell to an experience of say trust, and without consciously being aware of it we trust this financial advisor with more of our portfolios than we originally intended. The unconscious is certainly at work on a more biological level, but it would seem that our conscious mind could be psychologically manipulated by it without our awareness.

Works Cited

Tel Aviv University. "Wearing Too Much Perfume May Indicate Depression." ScienceDaily 8 January 2008. 18 February 2008 .