The deep effect of scent on your psyche
Luckily, mental health has garnered much more attention and importance in the last couple of decades, as the stigma over discussing depression and other mental health illnesses has slowly been disappearing. Sadly, that doesn’t mean the discussed matter is at a brilliant state. We are facing a mental health epidemic: in 2018, one in nine adults (11%) on average across EU countries had symptoms of psychological distress. It can often be difficult or expensive to access healthcare for mental health problems, and while the self-help and wellness industries have exploded in recent times it’s not necessarily possible to find a single and instantaneous cure for depression.
However, I believe there are always small and easily implementable acts that can help you get through each day. Ready?
Kim Gerlach dripping cedarwood natural on a paper strip. By © Elisa O'Clock
Even if they don’t work for you each time, finding ways to ground yourself and enjoy moments of happiness can bring incremental improvements that will initiate mood changes more long term.
As mentioned in a previous post, scents send signals to the limbic system which is intrinsic to mood, emotions and memory, and scientific research has found some evidence in animal models that odours can reduce depressive behaviours.
three ways to use essential oils: topical, inhalation, ingestion
Natural oils are concentrates from raw materials like fruits, flowers, grasses and leaves. These oils, also known as essential oils, can relax or stimulate the brain. There are a number of ways to use them:
massage into the skin, so they enter your body through the bloodstream
inhale them through a diffuser, scented candle, room spray or tissue that has been rubbed with the scent, so they enter your body through your lungs
applied on your hair or mixed into skincare products
Perhaps there are particular odours that take you to a happy memory in the past, or a scent that you really adore. Starting each day with a ritual involving that particular scent could turn your day towards a more uplifting mood. For example, using your beloved body moisturiser after a shower, consciously smelling it while you massage it into your skin, and speaking a couple of affirmations or mantras may have a surprisingly uplifting effect.
If you have time to delve into the world of essential oils, you could find a particular concoction that works to foster a certain mood, or to combat stress. Here are some essential oils for combating stress that you can purchase in a shop:
Lavender
Clary Sage
Roman Chamomile
Ylang Ylang
Mandarin
Geranium
Sandalwood
Those stimulating “happy scents” can help you when you’re triggered, anxious, or sad from a difficult phone call or seeing your therapist for example. Sniffing some of these notes before the task may subconsciously influence your feelings and diffuse the negative ones.
Another brilliant tool I really love is scent conditioning, a practice that receives more and more scientific research. This phenomenon shows how scent can be associated with emotionally significant events (e.g. amazing birthday party, vacation mood, quality time with friends) and can then be used to positively influence conscious human behaviours. For example, if a smell is linked to feelings of success, this smell can be produced in other circumstances to encourage you to reach for success again.
So darlings, good mental health is an incredibly important part of our existence, and it is often influenced by factors that are out of our control. However, just like finding triggers that worsen mental health problems, finding actions or experiences that help can be of immense help. If this piques your interest, perhaps try out one of the essential oils listed above, or buy a clean candle of a trusted quality brand that includes one of the scents.
