I have been lurking on this site for the past few months. I have been suffering from chronic halitosis for several years now...(so I thought, but we'll get to that later) People were always offering me gum/mints, people would always rub their noses when I talked to them or step away from me, people could smell me from several feet away, when I closed my bedroom door at night I would wake up to find that my room was filled with an awful stench, people said nasty things etc.
I have read so many stories on this board of peoples' frustration with this humiliating problem and I can relate to so many of them. But something interesting happened to me this past Sunday. I told my mom how I was suffering from horrible bad breath, of which I was sure she was already aware, and how it was completely ruining my life. She was flabbergasted. She told me that she never smelled my breath and could not believe that it was such a huge problem for me. I was shocked as well because whenever I talk to her she always holds her finger under her nose like the smell just drives her crazy, but I know my mom would never lie.
So, then I went to ask my dad and he said the same thing. But, then I started to thing about members of the forum who say that their families have said that they didn't have bad breath either.
So I decided to do a little investigating...I called up several friends and even my ex boyfriend. Everyone said the same thing! No I did not have bad breath! Even as I sit here and type this email, I feel like I have bad breath and I can even smell it myself! But everyone says that my breath is fine.
I know that many of you may not want to accept this but I think many of you are just like me and may be suffering from olfactory reference syndrome, halitophobia, or olfactory hallucinations. THe mind is powerful, and once you ascribe to a certain belief your mind will find ways of confirming it for you. (I have a degree in psychology and I know all about this) With that said, I encourage those of you who do not have any kind of illness that could be a possible source of bad breath, to ask some people around you if you have bad breath...your family, friends, and even those nasty co-workers. I know this sounds hard, but you may be in for the shock of your life. Just Please give it a try. God bless you all!
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People offer me mints/gum and say rude remarks all the time. I know I have it. My family tells me that I don't because they don't want to make me feel bad knowing that there is nothing that I can do about it. my husband won't admit it because he is probably embarressed that he married someone with it. So he is in denial. My kids tell me all the time that i have it. So it is not in my head, but thanks. I have tried thinking myself out of having it, but it's still there. ](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
I am def a prisoner to this social disease.
I am def a prisoner to this social disease.Re: EVERYONE PLEASE READ THIS
Then the first part of your story "I have been suffering from chronic halitosis for several years now" isn't correct. You should have wrote down "I have been suffering from halitophobia for several years". 
Unfortenately It was the other people who told me about my CH problem and not the other way around. I don't think I would ever find out about it if no one ever told me about it. I used to laugh and talk in everyone's faces so some people couldn't take it anymore and had no other choice but to tell me about it. I think they have even been discussing if they should tell me or not, because more people confronted me with it.
An embarrassing moment, pretty much the twist of my life.
THough I would like to know how it all started for you. Did you wake up one day and decide to torture yourself with thoughts that you have bb?
Unfortenately It was the other people who told me about my CH problem and not the other way around. I don't think I would ever find out about it if no one ever told me about it. I used to laugh and talk in everyone's faces so some people couldn't take it anymore and had no other choice but to tell me about it. I think they have even been discussing if they should tell me or not, because more people confronted me with it.
An embarrassing moment, pretty much the twist of my life.
THough I would like to know how it all started for you. Did you wake up one day and decide to torture yourself with thoughts that you have bb?
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halitosisux
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Hi busted,
Do you know for sure that you still have BB?
Cured7,
I do wonder sometimes..
when people seem to make such accurate descriptions on the slightest changes to their breath because of slight tweaks they make to their protocols etc, and then you read further on and then realise that this is all being gauged by the REACTIONS of others.
The only way you know if your breath smells is when people you trust can confirm it. It doesnt take much to cause halitosis, freshness of the breath is for most people a delicate balancing act that can swing either way between good and bad very easily. People become aware, for instance, of a concentrated area of odour within the mouth, such as the tongue, and become totally convinced their breath smells, yet in the air this odour is so weak its inperceptible.
TASTE is definitely NOT an indicator of bad breath, and the senses can play serious games with the mind. For instance, If someone is given orange coloured lemonade, they wont realise and think its orangeade - to the taste buds its the same thing, we cant smell the difference, but the eyes utterly fool the brain into thinking otherwise. Try it and see.
Another interesting thing is people who DO have halitosis and dont realise it - like a reverse situation of halitophobia. If we were able to know for sure for ourselves that we have halitosis, then people who DO have it, but are unaware of it, should be aware of it too, and the fact is that most people who DO have it - even the very worst kind of BB - are usually oblivious, unless others tell them so.
Do you know for sure that you still have BB?
Cured7,
I do wonder sometimes..
when people seem to make such accurate descriptions on the slightest changes to their breath because of slight tweaks they make to their protocols etc, and then you read further on and then realise that this is all being gauged by the REACTIONS of others.
The only way you know if your breath smells is when people you trust can confirm it. It doesnt take much to cause halitosis, freshness of the breath is for most people a delicate balancing act that can swing either way between good and bad very easily. People become aware, for instance, of a concentrated area of odour within the mouth, such as the tongue, and become totally convinced their breath smells, yet in the air this odour is so weak its inperceptible.
TASTE is definitely NOT an indicator of bad breath, and the senses can play serious games with the mind. For instance, If someone is given orange coloured lemonade, they wont realise and think its orangeade - to the taste buds its the same thing, we cant smell the difference, but the eyes utterly fool the brain into thinking otherwise. Try it and see.
Another interesting thing is people who DO have halitosis and dont realise it - like a reverse situation of halitophobia. If we were able to know for sure for ourselves that we have halitosis, then people who DO have it, but are unaware of it, should be aware of it too, and the fact is that most people who DO have it - even the very worst kind of BB - are usually oblivious, unless others tell them so.
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NYConfused
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Re: EVERYONE PLEASE READ THIS
Cured7, when did you conduct this "study" and have you since walked up to someone (a store clerk/stranger perhaps) and confidently talked directly into their face to gauge a reaction?
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halitosisux
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Halitophobia is a very real phenomenon. No one is implying that anyone is a halitophobic, but its a possibily for some people, and must be considered unless BB has been confirmed by trusted sources.
People can sense fear and insecurity in others, and mercilessly use that as a weapon of power further adding to it. I think people are capable of treating someone who thinks they have BB and shows the insecurity far worse than someone who really does have it. I've seen it happen. And not just in cases of BB but all forms of insecurity and lack of confidence.
People can sense fear and insecurity in others, and mercilessly use that as a weapon of power further adding to it. I think people are capable of treating someone who thinks they have BB and shows the insecurity far worse than someone who really does have it. I've seen it happen. And not just in cases of BB but all forms of insecurity and lack of confidence.
Busted- No I did not wake up one morning and decide to torture myself with thoughts of bad breath. I remember as a child both of my brothers made comments that my breath was smelly, lots of people have occasional bb so maybe they were commenting on that or they could have been just teasing me I don't know. But as I got older I became self concious about my breath and I noticed other peoples reactions even though I could not smell it myself. But, after a while I begin to smell it myself...
Elliott- I understand that you see the same people everyday and are aware of their reactions. But, I've asked some of the people that I see daily about my bb and they say I don't have bb. And these are the same people who have been 'reacting' to my supposed bb all of this time...I'm telling you guys the mind is powerful. But like I said this is MY personal experience. Perhaps some of you do have bb I don't know. But I am just asking each of you to just muster up enough courage to ASK THESE PEOPLE WHOM YOU ENCOUNTER EACH DAY WHAT THEY THINK. I dare you!
NYConfused I am actually going to the mall tomorrow morning. So I will be dealing with plenty of store clerks...I'll be glad to let you know what happens.
Elliott- I understand that you see the same people everyday and are aware of their reactions. But, I've asked some of the people that I see daily about my bb and they say I don't have bb. And these are the same people who have been 'reacting' to my supposed bb all of this time...I'm telling you guys the mind is powerful. But like I said this is MY personal experience. Perhaps some of you do have bb I don't know. But I am just asking each of you to just muster up enough courage to ASK THESE PEOPLE WHOM YOU ENCOUNTER EACH DAY WHAT THEY THINK. I dare you!
NYConfused I am actually going to the mall tomorrow morning. So I will be dealing with plenty of store clerks...I'll be glad to let you know what happens.
Cured7,
Be careful that you're accounting sufficiently for the fact that people close to you (family, friends) get used to your breath, even when it's bad after years they may no longer be able to detect it as bad even if they react to it.
Before I was cured of my problem, I would ask my brother and parents, people who had no reason to lie to me, whether they thought I had bad breath...even sometimes right after I'd see them jerk away from my face in obvious offense...and they would tell me straight to my face that I did not have bad breath though their actions just a few seconds before belied their words. I used to get angry, but recognized after a while that their brains had gotten accustomed to it and no longer associated it as 'bad'.
The only true gauge IMHO are strangers and the reactions they give, but unfortunately these people will never tell you straight up and will lie to you at all costs, so the only way to judge is by their physical reactions.
Halitophobia is real, but should be pretty rare. In general, people who truly have bad breath know it.
P.S.
Another possibility is that you used to have bad breath but no longer do.
Be careful that you're accounting sufficiently for the fact that people close to you (family, friends) get used to your breath, even when it's bad after years they may no longer be able to detect it as bad even if they react to it.
Before I was cured of my problem, I would ask my brother and parents, people who had no reason to lie to me, whether they thought I had bad breath...even sometimes right after I'd see them jerk away from my face in obvious offense...and they would tell me straight to my face that I did not have bad breath though their actions just a few seconds before belied their words. I used to get angry, but recognized after a while that their brains had gotten accustomed to it and no longer associated it as 'bad'.
The only true gauge IMHO are strangers and the reactions they give, but unfortunately these people will never tell you straight up and will lie to you at all costs, so the only way to judge is by their physical reactions.
Halitophobia is real, but should be pretty rare. In general, people who truly have bad breath know it.
P.S.
Another possibility is that you used to have bad breath but no longer do.
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halitosisux
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Cured i agree with you there,
Halitophobia probably starts from a real episode of true halitosis. The person then becomes fixated on the concentrated odours inside the mouth which they werent aware of before and become convinced that it causes halitosis and NOTHING can convince otherwise. Then, even when the true case of halitosis has abated, because its so hard to know your own breath situation, they still feel convinced they have it. This is a proven psychological fact in some who have been cured and definitely no longer have any halitosis.
Anorexia does the same thing to the mind, and cured7 explained it pretty well.
Reactions cannot be relied upon for proof. I hate being breathed on by anyone, good or bad breath.. does that person who breathed over me then go away and then assume they have halitosis? Im not saying reactions mean nothing, im just emphasising that BB can make us unrationally paranoid about certain gestures which can be completely innocent.
Halitophobia probably starts from a real episode of true halitosis. The person then becomes fixated on the concentrated odours inside the mouth which they werent aware of before and become convinced that it causes halitosis and NOTHING can convince otherwise. Then, even when the true case of halitosis has abated, because its so hard to know your own breath situation, they still feel convinced they have it. This is a proven psychological fact in some who have been cured and definitely no longer have any halitosis.
Anorexia does the same thing to the mind, and cured7 explained it pretty well.
Reactions cannot be relied upon for proof. I hate being breathed on by anyone, good or bad breath.. does that person who breathed over me then go away and then assume they have halitosis? Im not saying reactions mean nothing, im just emphasising that BB can make us unrationally paranoid about certain gestures which can be completely innocent.
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halitosisux
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halitosisux
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halitosisux- Yes I had a bad smell coming from the back of my tongue, but I can't say that my tongue was especially coated and I haven't really noticed a bad smell when flossing, no tonsilitis or anything either.
NYconfused- I went out yesterday and encountered several strangers and no one seemed to be especially bothered by my supposed bb. I also went out to eat w/ a friend and I noticed that he sat with his hands in such a position that seemed to be covering his nose...when I asked him about it he said that he wasn't even thinking about me having bb and that he wasn't even aware of what he was doing and he assured me that I did not have bb and that it has never been an issue...he even kissed me later on that night...so for me it looks like I have been suffering from halitophobia, olfactory reference syndrome etc. I don't know about you guys...but I just wanted to put my story out there so that I could help someone who may have been suffering from the same disorder unknowingly. Also, I will no longer be making any more posts on this site anymore. I am trying to forget about bb and move on with my life! For those of who you are truly suffering with bb good luck and God bless!
NYconfused- I went out yesterday and encountered several strangers and no one seemed to be especially bothered by my supposed bb. I also went out to eat w/ a friend and I noticed that he sat with his hands in such a position that seemed to be covering his nose...when I asked him about it he said that he wasn't even thinking about me having bb and that he wasn't even aware of what he was doing and he assured me that I did not have bb and that it has never been an issue...he even kissed me later on that night...so for me it looks like I have been suffering from halitophobia, olfactory reference syndrome etc. I don't know about you guys...but I just wanted to put my story out there so that I could help someone who may have been suffering from the same disorder unknowingly. Also, I will no longer be making any more posts on this site anymore. I am trying to forget about bb and move on with my life! For those of who you are truly suffering with bb good luck and God bless!
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emotional rescue
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guys,
halitophobia is for real
We all on this board have been suffering from halitophobia in more or less degree, added to a real bb problem or not, but our personal opinion is the less trustable on this subject.
The halitophobia, like any other phobia isn´t by any means recognised by the one who suffers it, (at least when you are in the denial stage of the disorder).
So yes, i think that confront people face to face about our bb would be a big step for all of us. Not one single question to a single or trusted person, but many persons.
And the fact that this is so hard to do for the most of us and it becames so big deal, it shows to me that we have this phobia in some levels and the sooner we accept this, the sooner we will get better....
good luck to all
halitophobia is for real
We all on this board have been suffering from halitophobia in more or less degree, added to a real bb problem or not, but our personal opinion is the less trustable on this subject.
The halitophobia, like any other phobia isn´t by any means recognised by the one who suffers it, (at least when you are in the denial stage of the disorder).
So yes, i think that confront people face to face about our bb would be a big step for all of us. Not one single question to a single or trusted person, but many persons.
And the fact that this is so hard to do for the most of us and it becames so big deal, it shows to me that we have this phobia in some levels and the sooner we accept this, the sooner we will get better....
good luck to all
