There have been some studies conducted on the potential benefits of exposure to other people’s sweat for the treatment of social anxiety disorder.
The study involved having participants smell either a synthetic sweat odor or a control odor while they completed a speech task. The results showed that participants who smelled the synthetic sweat odor reported lower levels of social anxiety compared to those who smelled the control odor.
However, it is important to note that this study was conducted on a small sample size and further research is needed to confirm these findings. Additionally, exposure to other people’s sweat may not be a suitable treatment option for everyone and should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
The research suggests that sniffing other people’s body odor can help manage social anxiety.
Swedish researchers collected armpit sweat from volunteers who viewed either happy or frightening film clips, and then used the samples in conjunction with traditional mindfulness therapy to treat social anxiety.
Some 48 women with social anxiety were exposed to clean air, while others were exposed to body odor.
The research discovered that mindfulness was more effective when combined with body odor sniffing.
The social anxiety of patients who participated in a mindfulness session while exposed to body odors decreased by 39%. There was a 17% decrease among those with no body odor.
Although more research is required to confirm the link between body odors and social anxiety, researchers have found that something about human sweat affects the response to treatment.
Sky News quoted Elisa Vigna, the lead researcher at the Karolinska Institute, as saying, “It’s possible that simply being in the presence of another individual has this effect, but we need to confirm this.”
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by anxiety or fear in social situations. Patients have a persistent and intense fear of being observed and evaluated by others.
Antidepressant drugs, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and guided self-help are currently available treatment options for depression.
