Medscape (6/2, Cassels) reported that, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting, olfactory reference syndrome (ORS), “a rare but serious mental illness causing individuals to falsely believe that they omit an offensive or foul body odor, is associated with significant increased risk for attempted suicide and psychosocial impairment.”
In a study of 20 patients with ORS, researchers found that 32% of them “attempt suicide and 68% have suicidal thoughts.” Moreover, “these patients have significant rates of psychiatric hospitalization, they avoid social situations, and many become completely housebound for significant periods.”