Have you heard the term “aromatherapy”? If you haven’t, basically it is like the word would suggest – it is therapy based on smells. Typically the idea is that they are smells that are relatively pleasant, and they can help to soothe, calm, stimulate, etc. Lavender, vanilla, and citrus scents are some examples. A lot of times aromatherapy gets placed together with essential oils, since these can be used for aromatherapy. To me, essential oils is a somewhat different world. Depending on what is being done, people will ingest, vaporize/nebulize, or topically apply essential oils. There may be some overlap with aromatherapy, and it may all be in how you define it, but for me aromatherapy is all about the smelling.
Aromatherapy can be more than using essential oils – there are candles and potpourri, plus there are smells around you that can be soothing. For me, I love the smell of the ground after it has just started raining. I also love the smell of Worcestershire sauce. For many, certain foods have a smell that comforts and/or excites people. How about you? What smells do you already notice in your world that elicit a response from you?
I think aromatherapy is an interesting way to help people, especially in regards to emotions or mood. What a wonderful thought that by smelling something you can feel better or less tense. To me, that sounds better than taking a pill, if you can avoid it (of course, sometimes medications are necessary). As far as I know, there are relatively few side effects from aromatherapy, so I encourage you to think about how it might improve your life. What smells do you like? Are there some that are soothing to you? Some that inspire you? Some that motivate you? Have fun thinking about how smells can enhance or compliment your day.