Ever since I started dealing with mold toxicity, I have become EXTREMELY sensitive to artificial fragrances. Like the second someone cracks open a bottle of Tide, I'm an emotional wreck, bawling my eyes out.
I thought I was going crazy until I learned about multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) from Dr. Neil Nathan's book, Toxic. For a person experiencing mold toxicity (or lyme or other chronic illnesses), those scents trigger a chemical reaction in the body because their nervous system is being hypervigilant.
Reactions can include having a headache, fatigue, brain fog, seizures, weakness, nausea, and anxiety and can last for hours or days.
Thousands of people living with MCS have to choose whether to stay at home as much as possible to protect their health and well-being or venture out into the world and risk being triggered.
A few examples from my life the last couple of weeks:
I needed to go shopping for a pair of pants and it turned into an ordeal as I quickly became overwhelmed by the smell of the dye from the clothing.
A quick stop in TJMaxx for organic turmeric left me feeling anxious and worn out the rest of the day because the candles two aisles over assaulted my senses.
Sunday in church, I felt overwhelmed by all the perfume that was around me. By the end of the service my head was congested, my nose was running, and I felt like I couldn't think clearly.
It's a tough decision to make…
…weighing every outside interaction with how many chemicals and fragrances I will encounter and deciding if it's worth the exposure or not. And, most people are so desensitized to fragrances that when I tell them it's overwhelming, they don't even smell it. This only adds to the isolation of MCS.
I'm grateful that as I heal, I become less affected by artificial fragrances. We all deserve clean air though so please, consider ditching your artificial fragrances when going out in public.
Have you heard of MCS before? Are you or someone you know dealing with it? Let me know in the comments.