Aromatherapy
Buying things is a common way to relieve stress. Although many people wear perfume for its amazing scent, there’s more behind it. Perfume can actually be therapeutic—and not just as retail therapy.
Perfumes can enhance a person’s mood in multiple ways. For example, comforting scents, including lavender and chamomile, can reduce stress and anxiety levels.
Lavender oil specifically has been found to reduce headache pain, calm the nervous system, and lift one’s mood.
Even citrus has been found to have antidepressant effects. As a result, aromatherapy, the use of essential oils from plants to stimulate parts of your brain to influence physical, emotional, and mental health has become increasingly popular.
Perfumes can also trigger memories. Dr. Herz, a neuroscientist specializing in the psychological science of smell stated, “As soon as we smell something, our amygdala, where emotion and emotional memory is processed, is activated before any other part of the brain, so you get an instant initiation of an emotional response.” As a result, perfumes can evoke certain memories that cause positive emotional responses.
A diagram of where the amygdala is located in our brain.
Surprisingly, perfumes influence one’s self-perception. For some people, wearing certain perfumes can boost confidence, leading to a more positive image. Additionally, one scientific journal stated that the use of fragrance extends beyond masking yourself, as people will choose scents that interact well with their own natural odor.
Although not well known yet, perfumes do have therapeutic effects. It’s important to be cautious: due to widespread commercialism, perfume’s therapeutic value can be overestimated. While it can supplement other forms of mental-health care, it should not replace them.
As Tynan Sinks once said, “A scent you love can truly become a part of you, an extension of yourself,” so don’t hesitate on going on the journey to find the perfume fit for you!
