I have a weak sense of smell, uncommon for aspergers?

Page 1 of 2 [ 22 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Alexender
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Jan 2012
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,194
Location: wrongplanet

04 Jan 2012, 7:02 pm

Noise, touch, and sometimes light can bother me but i don't have a very good sense of smell. If I do smell something it is after other people do or it is not as strong.



cathylynn
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 13,045
Location: northeast US

04 Jan 2012, 7:27 pm

my smeller isn't that sensitive either.



questor
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Apr 2011
Age: 63
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,696
Location: Twilight Zone

04 Jan 2012, 8:32 pm

I too, have a poor sense of smell. I can't smell anything strongly. I can smell some foods, flowers, and perfumes. However, I can't smell wet dog, natural gas, or skunk! One of the dogs I once had, had two encounters with skunks. I was the only one who could stand to be with him until he was bathed. Even after bathing with tomato juice, he still had a somewhat skunky odor to the other family members, but I never smelled any of it. I do have a carbon monoxide/smoke detector in the kitchen because of the gas range and the nearby gas furnace, and I also have smoke detectors in the other rooms, so they serve as my fire smellers.

I am sensitive to loud, and sometimes to frenetic noise, bright lights, and I really, really don't like being hugged. I can stand some touching, but hugging and kissing are not my thing. Unfortunately, I have to go through that stuff with my elderly father because it would hurt his feelings if I rebuffed him. And, no, he is not the "funny uncle" type. It's just normal to him to hug family members, and give a quick kiss when saying hello or good bye. At his age (mid 80s) most of his friends and family are dead, or are sick so they can't visit, or are too young to hang out with.

I force myself to endure polite hugs/kisses in circumstances like this. I also managed to give my older brother's then fiancee a hug when her dog died, even though I can't stand her, and for good reason. They're married now, and now my older brother can't stand her!--Also, for good reasons. :-D

I wonder how common this weak smeller issue is among people on the spectrum?

Remember, we on the spectrum are all:

A Different Drummer

If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
However measured or far away.

--Henry David Thoreau



timewaster
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 3 Jan 2012
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Posts: 79

04 Jan 2012, 8:38 pm

As i understand it, there are things like smell that can go either way with people with aspergers, either extreme sensitivity or the complete opposite.

Same with other things, some aspies hate being touched, some love being hugged. I kinda like being hugged although i'm very selective with who, the pressure just feels really nice. Most people i'd slap off if they tried to touch me though.



Diamorphine
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 28 Jul 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 97

04 Jan 2012, 9:06 pm

I have AS, my sense of smell is a little weak, I can smell fine but some people smell things more strongly than I do. As for being touched, I love being hugged/hugging people. Cuddling with my girlfriend is fun :D



LtlPinkCoupe
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Dec 2011
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,044
Location: In my room, where it's safe

04 Jan 2012, 9:19 pm

I don't have a particularly keen sense of smell, either - I can smell certain things, particularly if they're very strong...like chocolate, garlic, some kinds of flowers, and strong perfume scents.


_________________
I wish Sterling Holloway narrated my life.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" "Life isn't fair, Calvin." "I know, but why isn't it ever unfair in MY favor?" ~ from Calvin and Hobbes


JoelBenjaminGriffin
Emu Egg
Emu Egg

User avatar

Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 3
Location: Little Elm, Texas

04 Jan 2012, 10:17 pm

Post edited.



Last edited by JoelBenjaminGriffin on 10 Jan 2012, 10:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Padraig
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 27 Jul 2011
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 28

05 Jan 2012, 2:45 am

I would say that my sense of smell is generally less acute than the average person, but with certain specific things, much more acute. For example, usually when someone asks "Can you smell that?", I cannot or not well, but I can smell the change (usually the change in humidity) in the atmosphere as a prelude to weather changes (such as rain).

My hearing is more acute than average (I have problems with this), my visual acuity is less than average because my eyes are less able to focus correctly, however abundant and vivid colours, textures, and shapes can make me feel a bit overwhelmed. I also have a problem with touch, where most of my clothing is extremely uncomfortable and irritating. I problably should stop there so I don't keep rambling on about my senses, haha.



League_Girl
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 27,205
Location: Pacific Northwest

05 Jan 2012, 2:53 am

My sense of smell sucks. Other people seem to smell better than me. I wonder if it's because my sense of smell is broken or is it just hyposensitive?



lostmyself
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 4 Dec 2011
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 333

05 Jan 2012, 3:32 am

sinus prob.. blocked nose.. can't smell unless I have a decongestant. I think otherwise my sense of smell is very good.



Lady-ivy
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 28 Sep 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 382
Location: cailfornia

05 Jan 2012, 4:20 am

I have who has autism too and she can not smell



9of47
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 125
Location: Body in Melbourne, mind is far beyond the stars

05 Jan 2012, 7:58 am

My sense of smell is not very good. My other senses tend to counteract it to various extents.



Unspecified
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

User avatar

Joined: 4 Jan 2012
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 207

05 Jan 2012, 9:05 am

I quit smoking for a couple of years once, and got a significantly improved sense of smell.
This was NOT a good thing. Most things smell bad. Sweat, perfumes, garbage, piss, mould... Yuk.
If you have a weak sense of smell, count it as a blessing. :)



hanyo
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 30 Sep 2011
Age: 49
Gender: Female
Posts: 4,302

05 Jan 2012, 9:16 am

My sense of smell is too sensitive. Sometimes I smell faint things that bother me and give me panic attacks.

I'm glad I moved. I'm very sensitive to the smell of gas and am always the first to smell even the slightest gas leak, even ones that aren't in my apartment. It gives me panic attacks and makes me dizzy and ill. In my old house over the years there were various gas leaks from the stove and furnace and when I moved the furnace had been leaking gas every day and the landlord didn't seem to be able to smell it or know what to do about it.

In my new place I never smell gas even though we have gas stove and heat like the old house (but radiator heat in the new house, the old had forced air).

In my city recently a house blew up from a gas leak which I was worried would happen in my old house.

Smelling people cooking outside annoys me. I think charcoal smells bad. I also don't like smelling people's fireplaces. It smells like a house is burning down.

I can smell warm from the radiators in my house and could smell it in my other house but I don't know where it came from there.

My mother sometimes gets annoyed when she sees me sniffing the air because she knows I'm probably smelling something faint that bothers me that she can't smell.



LennytheWicked
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Oct 2011
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Posts: 545

05 Jan 2012, 9:54 am

I have a strong sense of smell, but a poor recognition of what it is I'm smelling.



Aharon
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Dec 2011
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Posts: 745
Location: Kansas

05 Jan 2012, 10:09 am

My diet has a strong effect on my sense of smell. I'd say on average it's so so, but if I avoid refined carbs and eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables for a few days in a row, I can smell everything! It's weird.


_________________
We are not so different from potted plants in that, if given everything we need to be properly nourished, the outcome can be incredibly contrary to when we are not. A flower won't grow in flour, and neither can we.