Can you stop smelling on command + throw up on command…?

[CalIie]

A bit of a gross one!

Potential trigger warning for anyone with an eating disorder

Sooo…. I recently discovered that not everyone can turn on and off their sense of smell. I thought everyone could do this, so I would always get confused as to why people made a big deal about bad smells.

I only discovered yesterday when visiting a fishmongers with a friend, that perhaps this is an unusual “skill”. She was complaining that the smell made her want to be sick, so I asked her why doesn’t she turn off her sense of smell. She looked at me all confused… I’ve asked a few of my friends and family and they also thought I was weird. However, it turns out my father can do it too and always assumed everyone else could (he is 71!).

Another thing our conversation revealed, that apparently makes me abnormal, is that I can vomit on command. Again, I’ve always been able to do it and it has never been part of an eating disorder or anything. As a kid would use it to great effect to get out of classes I didn’t like or exams I hadn’t revised for

My mind had been blown that other people I have spoken to can’t readily do these things.

Not exactly great talents but oh well!

Poll:

My POV: YANBU - these are common “skills”.
My friends POV: YABU - wtf this is so weird.

Erm how? How do you turn off your smell??

Well I certainly can't and haven't heard anyone else who can!

I can stop smelling if I want to, but can't vomit on command.

I can't but I'm greatly intrigued as to how you do it

I can vomit pretty much whenever I want. I can't switch off my smell, but it's lousy anyway. Everyone in my house can switch off their hearing.

Vomit, no. But smell yes! I actually find it more natural to breathe without smelling most of the time. I think it stems back to my brothers teasing for me singing through my nose when I was younger which made me really think about how I sang/breathed and I somehow learnt to switch my nose off.

Surely you just stop breathing through your nose to stop smelling?!

The vomit thing is weird I guess but it's not something I've ever tried to do so who knows!

I don't think you can 'turn off' your sense of smell but you can certainly not be a drama queen about smelling things you don't like.

@IWillBeSeeingYou I am not exactly is going on physiologically, but it feels as though I close the flaps in my nasal passage

I can't switch off my smell, but I can vomit whenever I want - it's like tensing certain muscles in my stomach and it all comes up!

How?? I can breathe through my mouth but then I taste the smell so I’m assuming you don’t mean that? You breathe through your nose and don’t smell?

Will you use this skill for good or evil?

Incredible skills. You should be putting them to better use. I’m trying to come up with a job that combines both skills but can’t. You can turn if your sense of smell!! Amazing!
I can blur out my vision, is it like that?

How long can you switch off your sense of smell? The only way I can "switch it off" is by not breathing... although if something had a particularly revolting smell then even holding my breath doesn't help tbh.

@3luckystars

Crime scene cleaner! Smell isn’t an issue, vomit on command somewhere appropriate if needed!

@Chichimcgee Evil.

I shall enjoy watching people suffer changing dirty nappies or picking up dog poop hehe.

Yes I can switch my smell of. It's hard to explain i can move my nose holes shut at the back of my nose. Other people i explain this to think I'm mad.

@MyChemicalMummy

Yes I can switch my smell of. It's hard to explain i can move my nose holes shut at the back of my nose. Other people i explain this to think I'm mad.

Ergo, breath through your mouth?

Surely we can all do this and "switch off"'our sense of smell?

Just when you think you've read all the crazy stuff on MN ...

I can pretty much vomit on command but I can't turn off my Sense of smell unfortunately! That would come in handy if I'm honest in ridiculously sensitive to smells so much do I end up with a headache.

[quote CalIie]@IWillBeSeeingYou I am not exactly is going on physiologically, but it feels as though I close the flaps in my nasal passage[/quote]
Yes, so breathing through your mouth instead?

Everyone can do this.

I can guarantee all nurses and vet nurses can.

There are flaps in your nasal passage?

How do you nose breathe if they're closed?

Mouth breathing just makes you taste the smell.

Nasal flaps...

I can sort of stop smelling by breathing through my mouth? I can vomit by bending over and contracting my stomach muscles but that's only because I have been bulimic for 17 years so my body is used to vomiting and basically fucked up

I could vom whenever I think but can't turn off my smell

[quote CalIie]@IWillBeSeeingYou I am not exactly is going on physiologically, but it feels as though I close the flaps in my nasal passage[/quote]
YES! It's like closing flaps, and you have to breathe through your mouth because your nose is blocked.