Olfactory reference disorder
A disorder characterized by persistent and distressing preoccupation with emitting an unpleasant body odour that is not perceptible to others or is minimal. The person engages in repetitive checking behaviors and may avoid social situations, misinterpreting others' reactions as evidence of the smell.
Symptoms
- Belief in own unpleasant body odour despite lack of confirmation (also: belief of unpleasant body odour, body odour delusion, belief of bad smell, smell obsession, fear of body odour)
- Frequent checking of own smell (also: frequent checking of smell, monitoring smell, obsessive checking of smell, frequent sniffing, checking body smell)
- Excessive use of deodorants, perfume or hygiene products (also: excessive use of perfume or hygiene products, excessive use of perfume, obsessive use of deodorant, excessive hygiene, frequent use of cosmetics)
- Seeking reassurance from others that smell is not detectable (also: asking others about smell, asking if they smell, seeking confirmation of smell, checking others' opinion of smell, asking others about body smell)
- Avoidance of social contacts due to fear of smell (also: avoidance of social contacts, social isolation, social withdrawal, avoidance of relationships, avoiding people)
- Interpreting others' behaviors as confirmation of unpleasant smell (also: interpreting others reactions as evidence of smell, over-interpretation of others reactions, misinterpretation of behaviors, interpreting reactions as confirming smell, delusional interpretation of reactions)
ICD-11 diagnostic criteria
- przekonanie o wydzielaniu nieprzyjemnego zapachu
- powtarzające się sprawdzanie zapachu
- unikanie sytuacji społecznych
- istotne cierpienie lub pogorszenie funkcjonowania
How to recognise
In the ICD-11 framework, the core symptoms taken into account when recognising Olfactory reference disorder are:
- przekonanie o nieprzyjemnym zapachu ciała
Differential diagnosis
When diagnosing Olfactory reference disorder, the following ICD-11 disorders should be considered in the differential diagnosis:
Synonyms and related terms
belief of unpleasant body odour, body odour delusion, belief of bad smell, smell obsession, fear of body odour, feeling they smell, belief of unpleasant odour, thinks they smell bad, afraid they smell, feels they have bad odour, obsessed with smell, believes others can smell it, afraid of body odour, frequent checking of smell, monitoring smell, obsessive checking of smell, frequent sniffing, checking body smell, compulsive smell checking, analysing smell, constantly checks if they smell, sniffs clothing, checks body smell, controls whether they smell bad, constantly sniffs themselves, checks smell, excessive use of perfume or hygiene products, excessive use of perfume, obsessive use of deodorant, excessive hygiene
Frequently asked questions
What are the symptoms of Olfactory reference disorder?
Symptoms associated with Olfactory reference disorder (ICD-11 6B22) include: Belief in own unpleasant body odour despite lack of confirmation, Frequent checking of own smell, Excessive use of deodorants, perfume or hygiene products, Seeking reassurance from others that smell is not detectable, Avoidance of social contacts due to fear of smell, Interpreting others' behaviors as confirmation of unpleasant smell.
How is Olfactory reference disorder diagnosed according to ICD-11?
According to ICD-11, the diagnostic criteria for Olfactory reference disorder (6B22) include: przekonanie o wydzielaniu nieprzyjemnego zapachu; powtarzające się sprawdzanie zapachu; unikanie sytuacji społecznych; istotne cierpienie lub pogorszenie funkcjonowania.
What disorders are in the differential diagnosis of Olfactory reference disorder?
The differential diagnosis of Olfactory reference disorder (6B22) includes: Zaburzenie dysmorficzne ciała (6B21), Zaburzenie obsesyjno-kompulsyjne (6B20).
WHO ICD-11 source
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