Calling all people with a strong sense of smell...

[SomethingLessBoringInstead]

I live in an average sized semi. If I'm in my reasonably sized garden, I can smell my neighbours' shower gel when they showering their bathroom window is open.

I can smell the flavour of crisps being eaten by someone 3 rows in front of me at the cinema/theatre.

I can smell the personal scent of the person behind the bar (don't mean BO).

I can smell when a woman is on her period. Probably not always because I'd have no way of knowing! But sometimes I know.

Anyone else? I know I've got a strong sense of smell because I can often smell things other people around me can't but just wondered how common it is. And whether or not these are examples of it! Or whether they're things everyone can smell...

Love hearing about this! My sense of smell used to be pretty good but nothing like this. I seem to be congested a lot these days, so no bloodhound here.

I'm nowhere near as sensitive to smells as you OP, your smelling is seriously impressive! But I can smell people before I see them, eg. If I pop to my mums I'll say "ooh has my sister been here today?" as I'll smell her usual smell there for an hour or so after she's left. It's happened when shopping around town too, I've smelled somebody's usual body scent and had a look around and there they've been! I can only 'detect' people's smells I'm very familiar with though.

DH refers to me as a bloodhound! Having an acute sense of smell can be advantageous but also a pain in the arse!

I'm like you Op. My family know my sense of smell is my superpower. Mostly it's a curse though. A horrible curse.

I do. I can't bear bad smells too- it actually distresses me! I am autistic and have often wondered if there's a link for me.

I couldn't bear life like this all the time. I'm currently pregnant and can smell everything. I was like this with my first two pregnancies as well.

I could smell an overflowing drain on the motorway a mile before we passed it. Cooking certain things makes me sick because it smells so strongly whereas before it wasn't an issue.

Everything is heightened and it drives me insane. I don't know how you cope!

I was normal but since having my second 7 years ago it’s very sensitive. I can smell when my dad tonsils are flaring up, when my DH has had for lunch. I I have friends I love dearly but find their smell a bit off so can’t sit next to them anymore (I’ve never told them). I think all my other senses are average.

Me too.

Is not a great trait in a house of teenage boys

1 & 2 surely everyone can, these things have very strong aromas. 3 is completely subjective. 4 is complete and utter bullshit.

No 4 is not batshit at all. It's not the smell of blood so much just a distinctive smell.

Because this makes actual sense? Probably not always because I'd have no way of knowing! But sometimes I know. 😂😂

Yes me too, though I think it is a bit reduced now, ten years ago it was intense!

The bit I hate is when I smell a new unidentified smell and can't settle until I know what it is!

I have identified real problems (rotting joist, gas leak) when others have said they can't smell anything, they listen more now.

I have this too, I can also smell illness. I get smells of people walking past when I’m in the car. The weather, etc. I can’t smell all menstruating women though, unless they’re not keeping clean. It’s a curse to be honest as sometimes I heave a bit, especially breath and farts.

Same annoying superpower here! I became aware of it in early childhood when my mum expressed surprise that even slugs have a very strong smell to me, or that I could tell who had visited the house while I had been out at school. Most of the time it’s a nuisance. I don’t like being able to smell if someone has their period or is going to be ill in a couple of days time. Some coats/ clothes I won’t buy because they have a strong smell that I know I won’t be able to wash out. And I can’t set foot in one friend’s house without wretching at the smell of the litter tray right at the back of the house. But like others, it has been helpful for knowing whether or a house has a damp problem.

I have the same!

Can always tell what next door are having for dinner (luckily they're great cooks!) and have had to leave quite a few cafes before because I can smell a whiff of dirty dishcloth and makes me want to heave.

DH could never smell anything and thought it was in my head and really embarrassing to have to walk in and walk out again until once we were out with my MIL, were about to sit down when she mentioned the same smell that I'd been trying to ignore so I didn't look like a fussy DIL...now at least he believes me!!

Me! Even with my horrendous hayfever I can smell everything! I agree it’s a blessing and a curse!

Same, but not at your intensity OP. It really seemed to increase after pregnancy. I also have sharp hearing and poor eyesight.

I dont have a great sense of smell really day to day but I'm very tuned in to the smell of infection. I'm on a general surgery ward and we get heaps of ?appendicitis cases and I can always tell when it's a bad infection by their smell. I'm the same whenever my son is poorly, I know it's coming a day or 2 before.
The weird thing when I was pregnant was that I could smell wild garlic. I always knew when we were remotely near water because I could smell the wild garlic.

Erm were you on a beach yesterday per chance?

That must be a nightmare !! I don't have a very good sense of smell but I can't smell Bo and chip fat etc on people . I also work in retail and some of the customers returns stink .. I'm shocked that they don't know so their houses obviously stink too!!🤮🤮

I too have a strong sense of smell, my mum has none and all my childhood I was smelling things for her, I've said before I can smell the menopause, people heat when things are done, I can smell changes such as someone being pregnant or on antidepressants too

I have a good sense of smell too, but I've never been pregnant or had any kids. It has served me well i.e. not buying damp houses where nobody else could smell it. I always know if someone smokes, even if nobody else can tell. It is also infuriating at times because I am obsessed with if my house smells nice or not.

This is fascinating. I've definitely had a more acute sense of smell since my first pregnancy but it is around things that I think can cause harm (like a hard wired maternal risk detector).

I cannot bear any damp, mildew or mould smells at all. I was considered a bit of a pain in our work kitchen as I was forever chucking out cloths and sponges that smelled foul. One of my colleagues put her nose right into a cloth I was throwing away and insisted it was fine. I nearly gagged just watching her do it but she couldn't smell anything bad at all.

I can also smell illnesses. I can tell when the kids really need to be at home and resting or when they are trying to pull a fast one and are over exaggerating.
Unfortunately it also meant that I couldn't bear to stay close to a friend with terminal cancer. I found the smell in their room so repulsive that I had to steel myself to go in, even with the windows wide open. Of course I didn't mention this to my friend and stayed for as long as I could each time but I did mention it to some other visitors who didn't notice anything unusual at all. I don't think I could smell the tumour itself but the infections around their body. I still feel like a shit friend for not being able to hold their hand in the final few days.

cleaning products and air freshener smells also make me react badly.
I'm fine with natural scents like foods and flowers though, even when they are strong.

My eyesight and hearing are average.

To the best of my knowledge I've never smelled when a woman is on her period. And I hope no one has ever smelled me!

The period smell is quite metallic. Its different to an unclean period smell. Not 'bad', just noticeable.

It became stronger when I was pregnant but I've always had it. It's the biggest factor in attraction for me beyond anything else. I've been attracted to some very undesirable people and not attracted to some very decent ones as a result. I can't ig or it either - it's very off putting!

Erm were you on a beach yesterday per chance?

No. But I'm very curious about the question!!

As for it being normal to smell the neighbours shower gel, I'm currently sitting in the garden and, I'd estimate, around 70+ feet away from their bathroom window and I can smell it.

I only wear natural fabrics because the smell of man made is so strong.

I can also tell who's been in the house by the smell.

Ah it's good to know that there are so many of us! it is, indeed, a blessing and a curse.