Smell and other senses.

I've recently gotten myself out a depression (finally!) and I think (based mostly on my sleep and desire to go out and DO things and agitated that there's nothing to do) that I'm heading in to a hypomania. Not really sure as I've never paid direct attention to them before.

And the last few days the smell of my cat's kitty litter is DRIVING ME INSANE. There's been no changes. It's the same brand, I clean it with the same frequency, my cat is healthy and so no changes like that, the temperature in the flat's been steady...

There is literally nothing at all in that environment that could be making the smell intensify.

It was driving me absolutely nuts last spring too... and that was I think around the same time that I was on the sertraline and was TOTALLY up there.

So I am thinking that the heightened sense of smell might be part of my hypomania.

Anyone else have their senses get stronger?

Oh yes. All of my senses get dialed up and I notice everything---how bright the colors are, how things smell and taste, what things feel like and all sorts of sounds that I don't pay attention to when I'm at baseline. That's the lovely part of hypomania. When I tip over into mania, however, those things all become highly irritating and overstimulating, not pleasant anymore. So yes, I do know what you're talking about.

Kitty litter is the worst smell in the world!

When in depression my sense are dulled, so coming up to baseline again I notice that all my senses are improved. Especially taste.

When hypomanic my senses are heightened, more joyful I supposed. The colours are wonderful and the feel of even the clothes on my skin is pleasurable. I tend to stroke things when I am hypomanic because they feel "so awesome". Depending how high I am I can see more - auras, particles in the air etc. My hearing is hyper alert.

I'm with BipolaRNurse.

Yes hypomania does this to me too! Sometimes its one or two heightened senses, if its more though, its like sensory overload and I can't stand it, because it makes me very agitated.

Sight is horrible for me because lights are brighter which leads to headaches, and also touch, I can't stand heightened touch because my skin feels like its on fire, anything that touches me makes my skin feel raw. I'm also not a fan of heightened hearing because it grates on my nerves. I have given away every single wrist watch I own because I can hear those tiny motherfkers even when boxed and hidden in a drawer. Drives me up the wall!

But nice smells are wonderful and taste? Omg eating is like having a tastegasm!

defenetly

especially hearing for me, actually

So funny!! This has happened to me several times, and still does. I would not have linked the two. Well at that time I didn't know I was bipolar either.

This makes a lot of sense to me. Somethings just overwhelm my senses. Normally it's sound that I notice first. Touch when it gets overwhelming it's enough to drive me crazy... But I do understand I'm happy I'm not the only one that gets like this.

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Yeah... I'm fairly sensitive to sight, sound and smells normally. Well touch too but in a way that is like.. I'm easy to burn and easy to bruise and easy to tickle (sometimes). I don't think my sensitivity to sight changes at all, but sound bugs me more often sometimes but who knows.

But smell is definitely heightened. Today at worked I asked my students if any of them were wearing any cologne part way through the morning. They were all like "no.....". Then I saw that there was someone's parent further down the hallway. Guess it was them!

They say we have only five senses, but it's a lie! My extra ones are strongest in winter due to seasonal changes in particle activity.

I agree with the others. During an up swing in mood, everything becomes like a brand new shiny penny.

Me, too. At one time, sound was the worst and drove me up the wall. Also, I could not watch TV, all of it seemed evil and scary. So darned weird. At the time, something in my life had scared me to death, so............ I was treated for PTSD and it all went away. All better now. My only experience like that ever in my life and I hope to never have it occur again!