AlmiraGulch Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I don't just mean that I can smell things others can't (even though I can). Rather, my sense of smell triggers such strong memory associations that at times it actually affects me physically or psychologically. For example, I just bought a new brand of hair conditioner. It's a Suave something or other that's supposed to be like Nexxus Humectris. I didn't think I'd ever used that particular Nexxus product, but I was wrong. When I took a shower this morning, the minute I put the conditioner on my hair I started to feel anxiety and my stomach actually knotted up. That's when I was immediately transported back to college, during a sort of dark time for me, when yes, I had indeed used that shampoo. I threw away the whole bottle. Another example is that I recently was dating a man who wore a particular cologne that not only makes me instantly think of another man (:001_huh:), but also causes a....umm...physical reaction in me, if you know what I mean. I've been seated on an airplane where the man next to me was wearing that cologne and it was all I could do to stay in my seat. Embarrassing, but true. I had to ask the man I was dating not to wear that cologne anymore, citing an allergy. I know several people who have strong responses like that to certain songs, but none I know of are physically and/or emotionally affected by a sense of smell. Am I a freak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Not quite like that extreme... but yeah. Although, vision can trigger responses as well...my dh and I joke about my not being able to watch disgusting (but not gory) scenes, especially having to do with food. I just get uncontrollable dry-heaves. And my children wonder how I can tell they aren't really "puking" (you know, when they are supposedly eating something that tastes... bad?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 YES!! I have the same issues. I know exactly what you mean. Along with the bad associations, I have a lot of really pleasant smell-related experiences. For instance, the smell of witch hazel sends me back to the beautiful whirlwind first few days of having a brand new baby because I used those Tucks pads "down there". So, no, you are not a freak. Or at least if you are, I am too, so that makes it okay. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Another example is that I recently was dating a man who wore a particular cologne that not only makes me instantly think of another man (:001_huh:), but also causes a....umm...physical reaction in me, if you know what I mean. I've been seated on an airplane where the man next to me was wearing that cologne and it was all I could do to stay in my seat. Embarrassing, but true. I had to ask the man I was dating not to wear that cologne anymore, citing an allergy. I know several people who have strong responses like that to certain songs, but none I know of are physically and/or emotionally affected by a sense of smell. Am I a freak? NO. Or, if you're a freak, so am I. Thankfully, Michael Jordan's "Airness" cologne is not on the market any more. That one triggers a reaction in me extremely similar to the one you describe :blushing: The smell of cattle and hay makes me cry for my uncle, who died 10 years ago. I can't eat Little Debbie Swiss Rolls without going straight back to high school. Ahhh, memories... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessedmom3 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Some people with a strong sense of smell have an increased dopamine in the brain which can increase even more under stress or caffeine . When the dopamine is elevated in the brain, it might cause schizophrenic episodes , stuttering or other problems , depending of the exact location of dopamine in the brain. I am NOT saying you have that , just what the dopamine might cause. You are maybe just "gifted"with a strong sense of smell which I am not sure it's a blessing after all :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Yes - oh lord - it can be horrible. Especially in crowds, airplaines, etc. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 I'm glad I'm not the only one! And elise1mds, for me it's Aqua di Gio. Gets me every time, and I swear sometime I think every man is wearing it. Blessedmom3....wow! I had no idea. I don't think I have those issues, but I had no idea of that connection. Thanks for the education! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Yes! Aussie hairspray makes me feel anxious because it takes me back to my teen years. A certain perfume reminds me of my mom so much it's scary. The smell of a mechanic makes me SWOON. (my dh was a mechanic when I met him, and the first 10 years of our marriage) And if the mechanic smell is combined with Drakkar...look out. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 So interesting! I think dh and ds are both this way. For me it's auditory. For a long time I had a hard time not bursting into tears when certain '80s songs came on the radio. That was a hard decade for me. But I am now in love with Irish folk music and Scottish drinking songs because that is what dh liked to listen to when we first started dating...lol... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 No, not a freak. I'm the same way. The most random smells will remind me of my Kindergarten best friend's kitchen, the lady's basement where I used to take ballet, the smell of my college textbooks from photography class, the strangest things. For me, it's always been pleasant and nostalgic, though the emotions you've described seem to be upsetting to you. I think it's completely normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 They're not all upsetting. Some are quite nice, actually! The conditioner thing this morning really did upset me, though. Even the cologne isn't really upsetting, just inappropriate! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I can both smell things others can't and my sense of smell triggers strong memory associations. It can be very inconvenient at times. Being pregnant was rough. The heightened sense of smell on top of already being more aware of smells than other people was enough to nearly drive me mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I inherited my Grandmother's cedar chest, which still has a faint smell of Grandmother;s house; upon opening it, I am immediately transported back to childhood when I would go to Grandmother's house. It is a happy memory. In high school many of the boys wore different brands of cologne. When you'd sit next to them you'd smell their cologne. To this day, when I smell those scents, I think of those fellows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Yep, I have bionic nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Some people with a strong sense of smell have an increased dopamine in the brain which can increase even more under stress or caffeine . When the dopamine is elevated in the brain, it might cause schizophrenic episodes , stuttering or other problems , depending of the exact location of dopamine in the brain. I am NOT saying you have that , just what the dopamine might cause. You are maybe just "gifted"with a strong sense of smell which I am not sure it's a blessing after all :) And elise1mds, for me it's Aqua di Gio. Gets me every time, and I swear sometime I think every man is wearing it. :lol: Love it. Blessedmom3, that is fascinating. It raises a lot of questions. I'll be researching that. Thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 You're not a freak. I experience this, too. For example, I get queasy if I smell the conditioner I was using when I was pregnant with dd#2 because I was extremely nauseated for the first few months of that pregnancy, and I associate that smell with that time. I am like this with music, too. Among many examples, certain Suzanne Vega songs can transport me back to times/places in high school and I can picture everything about the situation in detail, including what I was talking about with the person I typically hung out with while listening to this record. (Yes, an LP record! ;)) My dd16 is the same way with music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Yes...my family calls me a blood-hound.:blushing: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Another example is that I recently was dating a man who wore a particular cologne that not only makes me instantly think of another man (:001_huh:), but also causes a....umm...physical reaction in me, if you know what I mean. I've been seated on an airplane where the man next to me was wearing that cologne and it was all I could do to stay in my seat. Embarrassing, but true. I had to ask the man I was dating not to wear that cologne anymore, citing an allergy. Is it Drakkar Noir? I love that scent, but I can't stand it because my ex-dh wore it. That marriage ended 23 years ago, when my he (who smelled wonderful but was a total jerk) deserted me. But that cologne still brings such a wave of emotions in me that I can't be around it. A funny note: After my divorce I met a guy who was clearly hitting on me. I didn't care for him much, and wanted to send him on his way, but didn't want to be mean. Well, he happened to be wearing Drakkar Noir. All I had to say was, "You smell just like my ex-husband." I never heard from him again. :) My super-sensitivity is the smell of rancid oil. If I walk into a restaurant, and I smell it, I get sick to my stomach and can't even stay there, much less eat there. Generally, no one else smells it. Oh, and I can tell crackers are stale just from the smell. Ugh! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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