Researchers in Sweden have just published a study on the impact of Covid-19-related smell loss on people’s social interactions.
In “Sensing Sociality: Disruptions of Social Life When Living with Chemosensory Dysfunctions After COVID-19,” Nicklas Neumann et al. investigate the many ways that lives are altered without this vital sense.
The research involved 30 semi-structured interviews with people experiencing long-term effects on their sense of smell. The researchers found that some adaptations made by the interviewees, such as avoiding certain foods, come at a social cost. These changes can mean that they are no longer able to participate in normal social interactions.
The authors refer to smell loss in this context as a “biographical disruption,” a term borrowed from research on people with rheumatoid arthritis. It is truly life-changing and alters how we think about ourselves and our internalised narratives. This is especially the case for those with Long Covid, who experience a range of emotions such as anxiety, rage, sadness, and hopelessness.
The interviews are wide-ranging and cover social experiences like shared mealtimes, holidays, and intimacy. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of shared enjoyment in social settings. Being excluded from this “circle” of shared experiences can be emotionally debilitating.
The article is freely available to anyone, and has quotes from many of the interviews. A wonderful piece that adds to what we understand about the non-clinical effects of olfactory loss.
Read the article here Click the button in the upper right that says “full text link”
A similar article can be found here, written early in the pandemic and contributed to by Chrissi Kelly
