Hi, Affliction, It's a good thing to stay away from products that have fragrances and perfumes in them. Reason being is the chemicals and fragrances I've found in my case seem to magnify and increase the odors coming from my body. The more natural and chemical free a product is, the better it is for our disorder I truly believe this. Case in point: Have you ever smelled someone who "stank" so bad that you could smell the cologne or perfume that they used try to mask their
Body Odor with!?...It's enough to make you gag and pass out!...So I try to see myself in that same scenario. Anything with fragrances, a lot of chemicals, and I say alot of chemicals because some "natural" products might have a few chemicals and
preservatives in them, anything with perfumes in them I try to avoid. You have to be a LABEL reader :). Affliction, I'm smiling as I type this message, because I know you don't have to live your life as a hermit in isolation. I smile because I had the same feelings you have. I wanted people to stay away frm me and I wanted to stay away from them. Not so much that I might offend them, but I stayed away so I would'nt come out of a serious "gang banger bag", get mad and hurt someone with my words or worse with something else. Now since I've become a christian and changed my way of thinking, my attitude, disposition, actions and since took on a new, fresh outlook on life, my life has been changed for the better....I now concern myself with NOT OFFENDING others with this depressing disorder...so I work hard at trying to keep my odors at bay. Affliction, you know what I do to do that; you've seen my posts. I've made up in my heart and mind that this is my lot in life at this point; so now what am I gonna do about it? I have chosen to take charge and do what I can....
Also, do not leave GOD out of the equation, for He is the main ingredient when it comes to us sticking to our goal of not giving up and dealing with this "thing" so that we are not to overwhelmed and saddened.
Affliction, hang in there, keep your head and chin up and do not give up so quickly or yield to isolation. That is the worst thing you can do. Stop what you are doing right now and go take a good long look at yourself in the mirror. Tell yourself or say to yourself as you peer into that mirror, with all the gusto you can muster up and say: "Affliction, You are not giving up to the point of being a hermit!, I am NOT going to isolate myself from others because Im gonna do what it takes, short of hurting or endangering my health, to lick this thing! I'm a good person and I deserve to enjoy life too. I know I will have down times and life will be a huge bowl of lemons at times, but I'm determined to make lemonade out of those lemons and move on. I will not give up in my search in remedying my problem!".
Affliction say these things to yourself while looking in that mirror and keep those words in your heart and mind. That's what I do to keep myself focused so that I don't drown in self-pity and then give up on enjoying my life whether people want to be around me or not, whether they say mean nasty things about me. I have scriptural reasons for having a hope and bright outlook on the future, for being optimistic about life in general, plus my close relationship with GOD helps to steady me and anchor me during my sad times. Take care.