Sense of Smell and Mental Health

By wakening up your senses, you can support your mood.

Why: Inhaling different scents can stimulate or soothe your system and provide a way to come alive in new and different ways.
Specific action:

• Take just one minute daily to focus on smelling something that you enjoy. Give your full attention to the smell and notice how your system responds. Not sure what to smell? Try an aromatherapy product), a flower, fruit, or another natural element.
• In using the sense of smell to reduce stress remember to combine it with pleasant visualizations. For example, the smell of cinnamon reminds me of a cozy fire on a cold night. Each person has their own set of associations that come in the form of pictures and memories.

What are your pleasant associations between certain fragrances and happy mental pictures?

COMING SOON: “Stress & Identity”

It’s one of Change to Chill’s missions to help teens form a better understanding of who they are and to feel positive and accepting of themselves.

We acknowledge the existence of inequities related to race, gender and other social identities and recognize the need to create a more inclusive and equitable society. We also know that these topics are complex and sometimes difficult to talk about. Change to Chill is continually addressing these topics with intention. Stay tuned for more!