Hey,
22, Male.
This problem is literally ruining my life.
Basically, I'm pretty damn sure I smell, but there's no reason why I should as I am very hygienic. The reason I suspect I do is the way people are around me sometimes. They rub their noses, comment on bad smells, stand an unusual distance from me in a queue etc etc. I've had people struggleing not to laugh when they stood in front of me on the bus, move away from me even though they had a free seat anyway etc. It's so humiliating, and I am NOT dirty.
I have at least 1 bath a day, often 2 using Cidal antibacterial soap, washing everywhere thoroughly. I wear clean clothes, brush teeth twice a day, wear Sure anti-persprint deodorant (not excessively) etc etc etc. I am genuinely more hygienic than most people are.
This all started when I was 15, a young girl (about 14) said on the bus "He stinks" after I sat down behind her. I may have stunk then, as I wasn't as hygienic back then - but I am GENUINELY hygienic now. I also know this isn't all in my head (Though I am willing to concede I am hyper vigilant) - I am not misinterpreting peoples reaction, I obviously emit some kind of odor.
I've been thinking it for a while, just the ways people seem around me in public, though it's always been speculative - but the other day I'm pretty certain I did stink - bad. Everyone seemed to be smelling something I wasn't and I hadn't even been sweating really. I overheard people getting on the bus saying to each other it stunk and someone even moved away from me. One fella screwed his face up as he approached me as if he had smelt something bad. I went to the coffee shop and one of the Baristas behind the counter said to the other "What's that smell?" and the other said "I know, don't know where it's coming from" - this was as I was there and given my experience on the bus I'm pretty sure it was me. I just went home even though I had other stuff to do. I went home and had a really good sniff of all my clothes and body but they smelt absolutely fine to me and there was no dog **** on my shoes either. Even my ****ing arse smelt fine.
Its seriously affecting me, I don't want to go out anywhere and it's reduced my confidence to nothing. I went through this a few years ago and I got severely depressed and started becoming obsessive to the point I actually ripped the carpet up in my bedroom as I was sure that was stinking and making my clothes stink.
I have asked my mother if I smell and she is adamant that I don't, but its a bit pointless because we live in the same house and are probably used to each others smell. Besides if it's our house that stinks (it's quite clean though) then we probably both have the same problem but she says this never happens to her.
My life has been ruled by this for years, I am literally crippled by this idea that I stink.
What the hell is going on! Please help! Literally any ideas, I am desperate.