[AngstyLady]

Most recently I've had trouble with imagined smells, of which was a thick stench of cigarette smoke that wasn't there. Very upsetting because I started having real symptoms of smoke inhalation- head ache, scratchy throat. etc. I was trying to pinpoint the source at first because I do have a neighbor who on occasion chain smokes and the smell drifts into my apartment. I went outside and the smell wasn't there. It wasn't in my bedroom. Just right in the middle of my living room. Usually when this happens it only last a few minutes, this was over an hour, and so I finally went for a walk. I had to leave my apartment for fresh air and I knew I was hallucinating because the small followed me, though not as strong and it eventually went away.

[Tsunamisurfer]

I know the feeling

[SillyKitty]

I smell flowers a lot. I swear I can smell cancer. It went away on Abilify 2mg for a little over a year, but then the dosage had to be upped to 5mg. I'm off Abilify now, and the smells have returned. I don't know how you feel about long term meds, but it might be worth asking your pdoc.

I smell badness off people, I get vibes. Even perfume can't hide it. Vanilla.

[SillyKitty]

Same with the cancer. It's like rubbing alcohol over what I imagine boiling sugar might smell like. Sickly sweet. It's a lot stronger when I'm manic. Like now.

[Moose72]

I once smelled burnt toast for blocks. It was a very strong smell, i was waklking.

I would smell cigarettes as well and a sweet smelling aroma. I don't smell much of anything anymore since taking Abilify 10 mg. But I do still feel like something is touching me.

Meds put the viel back over the third eye.

[Sinking Feeling]

I smell flowers when none are around, also perfume, when alone in my car (I'm a guy). I have also on occasion smelled death too. Death has a scent to it.

[AngstyLady]

well, after posting this I have talked with my bf whose mother is a spiritualist to say the least and he says that at times he does sense a presence in the apartment when he's alone- and very recently my upstairs neighbor friend admitted to me about how she thinks she has a spirit in her apartment . . . so perhaps that's the cause of the random smells . .. perhaps the presence moves around- she claims it comes and goes and like to knock things over in her apartment. . . I have't had a problem with weird smells in a long time but the other day something up on a high shelf randomly fell. . ..

Luckily it was nothing breakable.

When I first started to experience smells about ten years ago I would always smell cigarettes and hear my name called. That always made me think of my mother who was a smoker. I don't know if it was psychosis or if she was trying to reach out to me, but I would sense a presence too.

[AngstyLady]

Interesting, yes. my biological father was a smoker, something I only learned of shortly following my knowledge of his death (I never met him and my brother found his death announcement amidst his own search to get answers, something we were both doing unbeknownst to each other) So I had a thought it might be him, trying to see how I turned out. Or a complete stranger spirit I have also felt that perhaps my deceased grandma and Uncle were looking down at me at times- but perhaps that's just wishful thinking during times when I am doing things that remind me of them.

[jaynedough]

I don't have much of a sense of smell, but sometimes I have, I guess, olfactory hallucinations. When I was younger, I'd say I had a smell stuck in my nose. I've had the burning toast one. Lavender, which is supposed to be calming, is very unpleasant to me, sometimes making me wheeze. Some scented toiletries smell like something burning, which led to a bit of embarrassment when an employer changed after-shave. Some days I smell cigarette smoke very strongly in the house, even though it's been 3 years since anyone smoked here.

I also have some weird tastes. Like non-fresh onions tasting like soap. That turns out to be something "normal" folk have, too.

I know that some of our meds can alter the sense of smell. Also, I remember reading somewhere that the neural pathways associated with the sense of smell are close to the area of the brain associated with schizo-illnesses.

Originally Posted by jaynedough

...

I know that some of our meds can alter the sense of smell. Also, I remember reading somewhere that the neural pathways associated with the sense of smell are close to the area of the brain associated with schizo-illnesses.

That's really interesting! I'd like to read that. Do you remember where you read that and would you mind sharing?

[jaynedough]

Originally Posted by Thehours

That's really interesting! I'd like to read that. Do you remember where you read that and would you mind sharing?

I cannot remember where I read about the neural pathways; it was years ago. I just Bing'd it and came up with alot of hits, but my brain is kinda fuzzy right now. The medication angle came from my PDoc. I brought it up to all of my docs until I found an answer.

Originally Posted by jaynedough

I cannot remember where I read about the neural pathways; it was years ago. I just Bing'd it and came up with alot of hits, but my brain is kinda fuzzy right now. The medication angle came from my PDoc. I brought it up to all of my docs until I found an answer.

Hmm...I learned something new today. The imagined smells is called Phantosmia. This is so interesting. It's nice to have a name for our experience.

Phantosmia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Phantosmia is a form of olfactory hallucination. While most olfactory hallucinations are caused by a misinterpretation of a physical stimulus, such as in the case of parosmia, phantosmia is the perception of a smell in the complete absence of any physical odors. The odor can range from pleasant to disgusting. Although the causes of phantosmia are uncertain, it often occurs with neurological and psychological disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, Parkinsons disease, epilepsy, neuroblastoma, and frequent migraines.

[SDarbo]

Its my understanding that phantosmia, feeling presences, deja vu, and jamais vu are all potentially signs of problems with one's temporal lobes, sometimes even being indicators of temporal lobe epilepsy.

I think the above are common with bipolar and schizoaffective though based on my conversations with many people. My most common phantosmias have been a smell that is similar to peroxide poured on a wound and something that I have to describe as smelling like burnt metal.