[Icare dixit]

The smell of freshly baked bread, the smell of freshly ground coffee beans, of tea leaves, of flowers. Hmm. Sigh.

Can smell alter or does it influence your mood?

Honestly, I don't know.

Not even sure whether how I perceive smells, the intensity maybe, is influenced by mood changes, apart from illusions/hallucinations.

[Standup2me]

Smell intensifies, for me, pre mania.
Sometimes the smells of people will make me gag.
Smell brings back memories, sometimes good, sometimes bad, which does impact my mood.
The smell of lavender is calming for me. Surrounded by the scent, I feel safe and
sheltered.

Tea...mmmm...the smell of a hot cup of black-currant tea... Heaven!!

Yes. I have some stress relieving aroma therapy but the smell is so bad (to me) it makes me anxious. I have perfume which can soothe. Smells have an effect on me.

[Nammu]

I smell and taste things that aren't there. Mother oil, horse ****, dry dust has nothing to do with my moods tho.

[pirilin]

Are we talking smell or stench. As in perfume or pestilent gases.

[Ellie_jo]

I see smells. They can definitely affect my mood, especially if they are pretty or ugly. Coffee and bread are comforting, but while I love tea, the leaves have a very ugly smell.

Originally Posted by Nammu

I smell and taste things that aren't there. Mother oil, horse ****, dry dust has nothing to do with my moods tho.

i was about to say something to that affect.

it depends what the original poster means

if it's regular, no. smells have no affect on my mood really

but if it's because i'm helusinating something, and i smell something related- than naturally it intensifies the feeling of what ever it is actually being their

[BastetsMuse]

My favorite smell is lavender oil... it puts me into a trance and I can really relax. I just love it.

[cmorales]

This is an interesting topic. I was born without a sense of smell :| , so I'm interested to see people's responses.

[Icare dixit]

I do mean any smell, nice or some stench, also those hallucinated or illusions (extreme intensity, scary/alarming, maybe nice).

Interesting posts.

I do agree tea leaves have a, let's say, distinctive and strong smell, not typically what you'd call nice, maybe, but I do like it.

Synaesthesia is also very interesting. I can't imagine seeing smells. Is it like wearing tinted glasses or colourful/coloured fumes/smoke in the air?

Lavender oils smells really nice, yes!

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by cmorales

This is an interesting topic. I was born without a sense of smell :| , so I'm interested to see people's responses.

Would you say (if you can at all tell) whether you can still enjoy food the same way as most? Does it matter at all?

[olivia4]

Originally Posted by cmorales

This is an interesting topic. I was born without a sense of smell :| , so I'm interested to see people's responses.

I can't smell or taste but every 6 weeks or less. I can't stand it. No life living like this. So empty. Everything.

I'm not really sure, but I'm leaning toward "no".

lavender and vanilla are relaxing to me, however

[Septembersrain]

I think smells can help influence my moods for good or bad.

Freshly cut grass, after it rains, premium gasoline, Apple cinnamon, Japanese cherry blossom, orchids mixed with vanilla, some of my happier smells.

Coffee, hospitals, diesel trucks with exhaust leaks or intentional mods, pesticides, mold/musty, etc are some that can sour my mood or cause temporary unhappiness.

Sent from my iPad Mini 3 using Tapatalk.

[cmorales]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Would you say (if you can at all tell) whether you can still enjoy food the same way as most? Does it matter at all?

I enjoy food just fine. Then, I don't know how everyone else experiences food. Some of us taste just fine and others not at all. But again, our taste may very well be less/different than most... most likely is, but it's never had a negative impact on my life.

Originally Posted by Septembersrain

I think smells can help influence my moods for good or bad.

Freshly cut grass, after it rains, premium gasoline, Apple cinnamon, Japanese cherry blossom, orchids mixed with vanilla, some of my happier smells.

I love all those smells, including gasoline (which is weird because I didn't think anyone else liked the smell)

I also love smelling Expo markers. I have one in my desk at work that I smell from time to time lol

[Nammu]

Originally Posted by Septembersrain

I think smells can help influence my moods for good or bad.

Freshly cut grass, after it rains, premium gasoline, Apple cinnamon, Japanese cherry blossom, orchids mixed with vanilla, some of my happier smells.

Coffee, hospitals, diesel trucks with exhaust leaks or intentional mods, pesticides, mold/musty, etc are some that can sour my mood or cause temporary unhappiness.

Sent from my iPad Mini 3 using Tapatalk.

I love all these smells too but they only affect the surface emotions, not my BP moods.

[Icare dixit]

I don't think my mood is affected much either. But I don't know: maybe.

Freshly cut grass is also one of my favourites. Just thinking about it brings back memories. Happy memories, so maybe it's just that: you notice it more when not depressed and more when manic.