1. The Science Of Smell And PTSD
War isn't just dangerous whilst you're in it and with PTSD presenting a serious problem in both veterans and civilians caught up in conflict, scientists are looking at ways to better understand it. We understand now that smell is incredibly strongly linked to memory formation and recall, particularly involuntary memory recall. In a warzone, exposure to strange smells in conjunction with high-stress situations can cause the brain to form a strong link between a traumatic experience and certain smells. These smells can then trigger panic attacks and other trauma symptoms when they're encountered in the future, and the sufferer might not recognise them as the trigger, making the attack seem to come out of nowhere. For example in one Vietnam vet that associated the smell of diesel with the memory of witnessing the deaths of his fellow soldiers. This research is being used in a variety of ways to combat PTSD. Firstly, the military can use it to desensitise soldier before deployment, by regularly exposing them to scents such as garbage, burning rubber, explosives, and even foreign cooking and spices during training exercises. We can also use these smells in therapy for veterans, by exposing them them to them in a comforting environment in an attempt to break the traumatic associations.
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