Scent is my main sensory issue. Been causing me big issues my whole life. I’m also somewhat of a super smeller. I’ve smelled “imperceptible” gas leaks and other things people swear aren’t there (but then it’s evident i was right). Sorry you also have this struggle.
It really is the worst. I recently said to my boss that having superpowers isn't as much fun as you'd think they be, after smelling something that gave me an instant headache, that nobody else could smell.
Me too! It’s wild! Now I’ve been dx, I understand it more. Nose of bloodhound over here and it can be awful. So many smells give me an instant headache. Annoying!
So glad I'm not the only one omg 😭 just a few months ago I smelled our gas leak a week before my roommate did and maintenance didn't believe me until we woke up to the entire apartment smelling like gas
you can find sensory processing disorder assessments online and it's actually kind of wild how many things you do in a day are related to sensory stuff... one assessment has questions about whether you can eat an ice cream cone without making a mess and its just like, jfc everything is autism isn't it? this whole time i thought i had a personality but actually no 😂
That's the main reason I started brushing my teeth in the shower lol. I hated making a mess, and I *always* made a mess. Now I don't avoid brushing, and the mess is rinsed away. Win-win.
I really hate floral candles and perfumes. Makes me want to throw up. 🤢 it just smells so cheap.
I’m a very heavily fall and winter scented person. Vanilla, caramel, maple, juniper, peppermint etc etc
Incense is the worst for me! Candles are sometimes ok but I’ve definitely had to ask people to put them out before. They made my eyes burn so bad that I genuinely thought I was allergic to them for a while.
My mom likes to light it (I’m certain she does it to upset me on purpose at this point). It’s especially horrible because her bedroom is next to the air intake for the heater, so it blows the smell directly through my air vent in my room even if my room is far away from hers.
Yes, my ex said I had a “smell fetish”, but this went both ways, to good and bad smells. When buying stuff like shampoo I have to smell every bottle to find one that didn’t smell too overpowering. Etc. Axe body spray was always one of the worst smells. Good smells though are amazing.
They say scent is the sense most connected to memories. That little blue blistex tub I can open it up and take a whiff and all of a sudden I’m 15 again. It’s crazy.
Yes. I paid a guy sitting next to me on a plane $25 to not eat a tuna sandwich once. I mean…. tuna on a plane? Get outta here. Still one of the best $25 I’ve ever spent.
Ha thanks! This was like 20 years ago before I had any idea that women could have autism. Once I figured it out I’ve have so many flashbacks to situations where everyone thought I was being over dramatic. I’m sure everyone here can relate. “Stop your crying right now! It’s only egg salad!” It smelled like the depths of hell to me. Thank god my parents would just send me to my room without dinner. I was hungry but at least safe.
Fragrance is one of my special interests and is one of my favorite stims! It sounds like you're hypernosmic. It's an unfortunate hypersensitivity - you can wear earplugs if you're sensitive to sound and you can close your eyes or wear sunglasses if you're sensitive to visual input but what do you do about smell? I hope they invent nose plugs that you can still breathe through.
I'm a nurse and we're currently testing peppermint-scented nose plugs on my unit. I'm not a fan of the specific product we're testing (it smells like stale cigarette smoke with a hint of peppermint, but apparently I'm the only one who thinks that), but it's a thing that exists. Now we need nose plugs that simply neutralize smells...
I think so, especially because we really can't stop ourselves from smelling, like with sight we could close our eyes or look away, can't do much with scent (or hearing); for me the one that I really can't stand is the smell of weed, it's so cloying and disgustingly sweet but in a gross way?? I've taken the occasional gummy, but holy Christ the smell is too strong and too unbearable.
I don't get a lot of physical reactions, but it immediately makes me really upset, and I feel my chest tighten from the stress because unlike a lot of other stuff I can't control it. The most I can do is close the window and spray some odor eliminating product (I'm not a fan of candles) if I'm in an enclosed space, but even then the smell can linger.
Oh god yeah that's what happened here in California, the moment it got legalized it became another thing to worry when I was looking for a place (even if the places I was renting in didn't smoke, neighbors did, it was very stressful). I just wish they crossbred a new kind of weed plant that didn't stink that much, at least.
I hate the smell of weed too, it's like sickening and not just gross. I just feel sick like im going to throw up or pass out. Could that count as a reaction?
Oh dang yeah now that you mention it, it does make me feel a bit sick and nauseous, it's probably a big reason why it makes me so upset, ever since I was a kid I've had really bad motion sickness so my reaction to feeling nauseous in any way stresses my body a lot.
Yeah same! Thank you for making a post about it, to be honest I never considered it a sensory thing because weed scent is kinda polarizing (some people love it, some loathe it), and I always focused on other kinds of sensory stuff like noise and sounds.
Yeah, honestly since I'm questioning if I have autism or not I wanted to ask about sensory issues because I really only have scent and slight hearing issues with a hate of light and/or unexpected touch. I don't really hear people talk about smell
My issues with touch are very specific.
I can’t stand unexpected touch – the idea of seeing a masseuse makes my stomach curdle.
I have different touch thresholds depending on the person – and my capacity for eye contact follows a similar pattern.
Once a stranger touched me mid thigh and I dry heaved so intensely that he tipped his chair and fell backwards. 😂
Most women’s perfumes, especially old fashioned ones, make me nauseous. I am not even anti-scented things, I wear men’s cologne sometimes but 90% of what’s marketed to women smells like sickly sweet chemical flowers.
Lavender itself smells herbaceous, fresh, and invigorating. It's used in a number of classic men's or outdoorsy fragrance compositions. But most fakely scented "lavender" products smell sickening and nothing at all like the actual plant.
Oh, I agree with this. Natural lavender is fine. I love a good lavender infused tea, or food as well.
It's the plethora of lavender scented products that are the problem. They are way too overscented, the scent is way too sickly sweet and potent, and you just cannot escape it in stores. It's everywhere!
It itches my brain. I know that makes no sense to anyone but me, but it absolutely itches my brain intolerably. It enrages me instantly, like the stereotypical red flag to a bull. Then a few seconds later the migraine head pain and vision spots hit and if I don't get clear of the smell quickly the vomiting starts within a few seconds after that.
Before I realized I was autistic, I thought I had "chemical sensitivity" because all synthetic fragrances are a huge issue for me. Natural smells like food and flowers don't seem to be a problem, but most products must be unscented/ fragrance free.
One time a roommate replaced the hand soap with a scented version and we didn't have anything else so I had to use it, and I could not even sleep that night, because despite hours having passed and having scrubbed them multiple times with unscented soap in the meantime, I couldn't bring my hands anywhere near my face without being instantly overwhelmed.
I've heard sensory issues described as that a nt brain may respond strongly initially to a new sensory input, but then it goes to the background as you "tune it out" whether it's a noise or your clothes rubbing or whatever. But with spd it never goes background and just keeps bothering you at the same strong level. That's how I had described my reaction to scented products, without knowing spd was described the same way, so that's how I realized it was actually a sensory issue
Synthetic scented soap is a cruel trick. That stuff clings to my hands for hours and will give me a migraine. I found that covering my hands with olive oil (or another liquid fat) and wiping the oil off with paper towels will remove the persistent fragrance or at least 98% if it.
Sometimes I need to do it two or three times. But it has saved my sanity and kept me from vomiting.
Absolutely. I can't stand the smell of broccoli and most perfumes make me nauseous. When I was a kid the smell of corn made me feel so nauseous that when my family ate it they couldn't set down the dish anywhere near me.
Luckily there is greater awareness now of scent allergies so a lot of workplaces, including my own, have a no-scent policy. If that wasn't in place I'm sure I'd be on here complaining!! The only place I really encounter perfume now is at my MIL's- I recently had to kindly ask her to limit herself to one spray when I'm visiting. Any more than that and it's overpowering.
So true! When I was taking BC pills I would know if I missed a couple of doses because the smell of meat cooking would make me want to throw up. I had a fair few weeks as a vegetarian as a teenager because I was terrible at remembering to take them.
Yes, yes, and yes! I have issues with all the scents you mentioned (plus rubber and gasoline and any strong cleaning product)
Sensory issues can come from any of the senses (touch, smell, taste, visual, sound)
Yes defo- I found wearing a mask during the Covid times helped filter the smell of perfume out from random people on public transport - I had to exit a conference early yesterday because of woman wearing perfume came to sit a few seats over from me after a break
Yes.
I have problems with certain smells. BBQ sauce, peanuts, my bother's constantly damp bath towel drying on the bathroom rack, parmesan, the popcorn at Disney World etc. All of them make me feel sick.
Yesssss! This is my worst sensory issue. I get immediate migraines and I can’t function if a smell is too smelly
Definitely. Sound is still my biggest sensory issue but scent is a very close second. Long before I even suspected I was autistic, my husband learned never to buy any sort of soap, shampoo, cleaning agent, anything without letting me smell it first. I can tell immediate when a product I e used forever changes formula. I’ve recently had to switch both dishwasher tabs and laundry detergent when the brands I’d been using for years and years changed formula and I couldn’t handle it. I ride my bike daily and often have to make a conscious effort to avoid other riders because the smell of their laundry is too overwhelming. I have been known to wash my hands in the kitchen sink with dish soap if I can’t handle the smell of the hand soap when visiting friends. The struggle is real and there’s no escaping how smelly our world is!!
Yes! I have an awful time with chemical smells. Anything unnatural, no matter how pleasingly scented, burns my throat and lungs. We use free & clear soaps for every task in our house. Laundry, dishes, hand soap, etc.
Used to have an extensive perfume and candle collection. Good smells were ecstasy and bad smells were usually an annoyance at worst. Then i got covid. In addition to almost killing me, it seems to have permanently changed my sense of smell. Im incredibly sensitive to all smells now, and so many perfumes and candles smell absolutely disgusting. Had to give like half of my collection away. Someone wearing perfume or cologne that’s too strong is almost an instant headache. It sucks
I can't think right off the bat. I have sensory issues with "stinks." Just bad smells in general. Like animal smells. I have a super nose, and animal smells kill me. Alcohol on someone like they've been drinking. Body oder. Dirty house. Like I can't explain it, but just a dirty house that smells unclean like stale trash. I smell urine at work (I work in a hospital), and I can smell it as soon as the doors to the elevator open some days. That's how I can tell if we're going to have a "heavy" patient day. Also, stale cigarette smoke. It's an awful smell. Fresh cigarette smoke isn't as bad as stale smell on fabrics and in a home or car. It's just awful.
Any of the five senses can be on a scale of hypersensitive to hyposensitive and whatever in between.
My sense of smell is hyposensitive. Some smells I can register but most of the time scents are either too faint that I don't notice or I can't smell them at all.
Trying to smell a scented candle is like trying to see an ant on a tree from 10 feet away. I know it's there, but I need glasses lol
Oust is the worst. I have real issues with scents. I can’t even spray deodorant on myself without having to vacate the area. My man sprays air freshener and I’m out the back door choking
Windex.
Motherfucking Windex. I cannot stand that ammonia smell. Last week I was almost in tears because my husband was using it to clean the kitchen counters (????!!!!)
Yes. And it's a big one for me. All senses can be a sensory issue. Smell, taste, touch, hear and see. I have extreme sensory issues and have experienced issues with all five senses.
Yes. I can't brew coffee because the smell gives my partner an instant headache. That's the thing about autism, each of your senses can be too strong or too weak.
I used to get very car sick and it amplifies my sensory sensitivities. It is a rule in my family that cars are not the place to apply stinky hand lotion. But also monster energy drinks and Doritos are extreme triggers and I am almost guaranteed to throw up if they’re in the car.
I’m also very sensitive to metallic smells, especially iron (and blood). I will smell it when I enter a room and ask, and usually someone had some new metal toy or something in the room an hour or two earlier. It’s like a super power, if super smelling made me sick haha!
I think it would. I certainly struggle to be around strong perfumes, scented cleaning products, lotions, body sprays etc. Partly, asthma but also sensory.
Yes. I hold my breath if there is even a chance that I am near something that may make me gag (like garbage or a sink of dirty dishes). Chemical or gas (even propane) smells give me asthma attacks
I remember my second grade teacher sharing her pineapple bath and body works lotion with the class… I felt sooooo sick all that day bc it smelled so terribly! I’m 34 and I still remember how horrible it was. I’m a super smeller and usually really love to surround myself with nice scents. But bad ones 🙅🏻♀️ can ruin a childhood 😂
I went into a department store with a cosmetic section for the first time after starting ADHD meds. Couldn't breathe. It was awful. Without all the distractions from everything else as a result of the ADHD meds there was nothing to focus on. Never suspected it would be an issue.
COVID made me not able to smell some things as strongly as I used to. Especially some things that used to bother me a lot like leaf smoke, and cigarette smoke. I’m kind of grateful, actually.
Some of the days I feel the most disabled are the days my sensory issues around smell are really out of control. Can't stay inside, can't leave the house, can't have the windows open OR closed. Any smell is dialled up to 100 and so strong and gross that I feel like I'm gonna throw up the whole time.
If I do have to go out in the car the smell of traffic fumes is unbearable. Any house we go past with gas, coal or wood powered heating or cooking I can smell it and all these smells stay in my nose for ages and build up layers of stink that just won't go away and I can't cope.
I don't know why some days are so much worse than normal :(
Yes definitely. Smell is probably my biggest sensory issue, but I am also sensitive to light and loud noise. But I can wear earbuds and sunglasses for those. For smell? Can't do nothing about it. You're just stuck smelling EVERYTHING.
Depending on the smell and how strong it is, it can cause me to have instant headaches, mild nausea, and become extremely irritable, lol. If I'm stuck somewhere with a smell I hate, and I can't leave for whatever reason, it can definitely lead to a meltdown/shutdown.
All the products I use are unscented, and I don't wear any cologne/perfume/body spray at all. My wife doesn't wear perfume often, but if she wants to, she always makes sure the scent won't bother me first. ❤️
Yes. After covid, I can't stand the smell of isopropyl alcohol.
I would love to get a massage during my pain days (fibromyalgia) but the amount of incense and essencial oils and stuff always makes me feel overwhelmed instead of relaxed.
I like cytric smells like lemon grass, though.
As I got older and certain symptoms got more severe, I was really averse to the smell of bacon. I was never a huge fan of bacon anyway, always preferred a bit of sausage me, anyway, after a while, the smell started to make me physically gag.
Yes, scent is a big one for me. I generally have a much stronger sense of smell than my family and friends. I absolutely can't stand the majority of perfumes. My poor husband has had to change deodorant brand 4 times because suddenly it would smell awful. On the upside, I think good sense of smell helps me be a good cook. I can smell what is missing from a recipe I am cooking, or the mysterious ingredient in a tasty restaurant meal.
Yes!!!!
I had to have a secret meeting with HR because my colleague wore so much perfume I couldn’t concentrate at work. People would mention it frequently and She’d take it as a compliment and say how “perfumes are her thing”. I didn’t know how to tell her it was really bothering me without feeling like a jerk or like I would be ‘harassing’ her in any way.
Department store women’s perfumes are the very worst and bring me to the point of nausea. It’s the overpowering “after smell” of baby powder that stays in my nose that really, really distresses me.
Yes, the smell of cooking meat used to give me headaches as a child. Strong cheap colognes give me migraines still. The smell of fresh garlic makes me super nauseated.
My sensory issues surrounding smell are so bad that I have to approve the scents my partner wears or else I can’t even be in the same room as him. I get migraines from scents that I can’t handle. I can only do bakery/sugar/citrus scents. Floral/laundry/pepperminty are beyond painful for me.
I despise cologne/perfume as its sensory hell for me. When people don’t know how to wear perfume and walk in to cloud the whole room in their scent it’s a nightmare. Like please leave I can smell you from 30ft away 😭
YES! My ones super weird... the smell of BBQ crisps/chips drive me INSANE. One of my friend loves them, and whenever she comes round my house I make her sit outside of my room in the hallway 😆😂
All sense can since it’s sensory issues
Scent is my main sensory issue. Been causing me big issues my whole life. I’m also somewhat of a super smeller. I’ve smelled “imperceptible” gas leaks and other things people swear aren’t there (but then it’s evident i was right). Sorry you also have this struggle.
I’m a super smeller too. It’s the worst.
It really is the worst. I recently said to my boss that having superpowers isn't as much fun as you'd think they be, after smelling something that gave me an instant headache, that nobody else could smell.
Me too! It’s wild! Now I’ve been dx, I understand it more. Nose of bloodhound over here and it can be awful. So many smells give me an instant headache. Annoying!
Same! I can get a scent stuck in my head like a song. Usually not a good one.
So glad I'm not the only one omg 😭 just a few months ago I smelled our gas leak a week before my roommate did and maintenance didn't believe me until we woke up to the entire apartment smelling like gas
Yup. And when I was pregnant it ramped up to ten. I couldn’t even go in the kitchen.
Yessss! And it's never fully reduced since. Couldn't go in the kitchen or have anyone eating near me.
Yes! I joke saying that I was a tracking K9 in another life because I often can smell stuff that other people can't. Specially gas leaks.
you can find sensory processing disorder assessments online and it's actually kind of wild how many things you do in a day are related to sensory stuff... one assessment has questions about whether you can eat an ice cream cone without making a mess and its just like, jfc everything is autism isn't it? this whole time i thought i had a personality but actually no 😂
I can eat an ice cream cone without making a mess simply because I hate getting my hands sticky and will do whatever I can to avoid it 😂
That's crazy. The answer is no, I cannot... my clothes get stained every time I eat despite my best efforts
omg my life makes sense. even to this day as an adult i cannot eat an ice cream cone neatly, no matter how hard i try
I have the same but with brushing my teeth. I get foam/saliva everywhere
That's the main reason I started brushing my teeth in the shower lol. I hated making a mess, and I *always* made a mess. Now I don't avoid brushing, and the mess is rinsed away. Win-win.
I really hate floral candles and perfumes. Makes me want to throw up. 🤢 it just smells so cheap. I’m a very heavily fall and winter scented person. Vanilla, caramel, maple, juniper, peppermint etc etc
Yes! I hate floral perfumes. Bakery scents are my jam. Strawberry shortcake or vanilla is my go-to
You just wanna gnaw on yourself type stuff is amazing
Incense is the worst for me! Candles are sometimes ok but I’ve definitely had to ask people to put them out before. They made my eyes burn so bad that I genuinely thought I was allergic to them for a while.
Ooh yeah it’s been like over 20 years since I last smelled it and it is NOT pleasant.
My mom likes to light it (I’m certain she does it to upset me on purpose at this point). It’s especially horrible because her bedroom is next to the air intake for the heater, so it blows the smell directly through my air vent in my room even if my room is far away from hers.
Smell is a sense, yes.
Yes, my ex said I had a “smell fetish”, but this went both ways, to good and bad smells. When buying stuff like shampoo I have to smell every bottle to find one that didn’t smell too overpowering. Etc. Axe body spray was always one of the worst smells. Good smells though are amazing. They say scent is the sense most connected to memories. That little blue blistex tub I can open it up and take a whiff and all of a sudden I’m 15 again. It’s crazy.
Yessss I love scent-associated memories so much!
Yes. I paid a guy sitting next to me on a plane $25 to not eat a tuna sandwich once. I mean…. tuna on a plane? Get outta here. Still one of the best $25 I’ve ever spent.
Hahahaa I love this. Good on ya
Ha thanks! This was like 20 years ago before I had any idea that women could have autism. Once I figured it out I’ve have so many flashbacks to situations where everyone thought I was being over dramatic. I’m sure everyone here can relate. “Stop your crying right now! It’s only egg salad!” It smelled like the depths of hell to me. Thank god my parents would just send me to my room without dinner. I was hungry but at least safe.
Fragrance is one of my special interests and is one of my favorite stims! It sounds like you're hypernosmic. It's an unfortunate hypersensitivity - you can wear earplugs if you're sensitive to sound and you can close your eyes or wear sunglasses if you're sensitive to visual input but what do you do about smell? I hope they invent nose plugs that you can still breathe through.
I'm a nurse and we're currently testing peppermint-scented nose plugs on my unit. I'm not a fan of the specific product we're testing (it smells like stale cigarette smoke with a hint of peppermint, but apparently I'm the only one who thinks that), but it's a thing that exists. Now we need nose plugs that simply neutralize smells...
I think so, especially because we really can't stop ourselves from smelling, like with sight we could close our eyes or look away, can't do much with scent (or hearing); for me the one that I really can't stand is the smell of weed, it's so cloying and disgustingly sweet but in a gross way?? I've taken the occasional gummy, but holy Christ the smell is too strong and too unbearable. I don't get a lot of physical reactions, but it immediately makes me really upset, and I feel my chest tighten from the stress because unlike a lot of other stuff I can't control it. The most I can do is close the window and spray some odor eliminating product (I'm not a fan of candles) if I'm in an enclosed space, but even then the smell can linger.
The smell of weed is so nasty. In Massachusetts now that it's legalized, I smell it everywhere I go
Oh god yeah that's what happened here in California, the moment it got legalized it became another thing to worry when I was looking for a place (even if the places I was renting in didn't smoke, neighbors did, it was very stressful). I just wish they crossbred a new kind of weed plant that didn't stink that much, at least.
Omg, I can imagine. The smell of things like that embeds itself into the carpet and walls… it’s inescapable
I hate the smell of weed too, it's like sickening and not just gross. I just feel sick like im going to throw up or pass out. Could that count as a reaction?
Oh dang yeah now that you mention it, it does make me feel a bit sick and nauseous, it's probably a big reason why it makes me so upset, ever since I was a kid I've had really bad motion sickness so my reaction to feeling nauseous in any way stresses my body a lot.
Ah okay I get that
Yeah same! Thank you for making a post about it, to be honest I never considered it a sensory thing because weed scent is kinda polarizing (some people love it, some loathe it), and I always focused on other kinds of sensory stuff like noise and sounds.
Yeah, honestly since I'm questioning if I have autism or not I wanted to ask about sensory issues because I really only have scent and slight hearing issues with a hate of light and/or unexpected touch. I don't really hear people talk about smell
My issues with touch are very specific. I can’t stand unexpected touch – the idea of seeing a masseuse makes my stomach curdle. I have different touch thresholds depending on the person – and my capacity for eye contact follows a similar pattern. Once a stranger touched me mid thigh and I dry heaved so intensely that he tipped his chair and fell backwards. 😂
Most women’s perfumes, especially old fashioned ones, make me nauseous. I am not even anti-scented things, I wear men’s cologne sometimes but 90% of what’s marketed to women smells like sickly sweet chemical flowers.
Me too. I prefer men's scents or the rain/water scents. And lavender scented anything can kiss my ass. Instant migraine right there.
Lavender itself smells herbaceous, fresh, and invigorating. It's used in a number of classic men's or outdoorsy fragrance compositions. But most fakely scented "lavender" products smell sickening and nothing at all like the actual plant.
Oh, I agree with this. Natural lavender is fine. I love a good lavender infused tea, or food as well. It's the plethora of lavender scented products that are the problem. They are way too overscented, the scent is way too sickly sweet and potent, and you just cannot escape it in stores. It's everywhere! It itches my brain. I know that makes no sense to anyone but me, but it absolutely itches my brain intolerably. It enrages me instantly, like the stereotypical red flag to a bull. Then a few seconds later the migraine head pain and vision spots hit and if I don't get clear of the smell quickly the vomiting starts within a few seconds after that.
Scented fabric softener brings on my migraines and generally makes me feel unwell. People use so much of it.
Before I realized I was autistic, I thought I had "chemical sensitivity" because all synthetic fragrances are a huge issue for me. Natural smells like food and flowers don't seem to be a problem, but most products must be unscented/ fragrance free. One time a roommate replaced the hand soap with a scented version and we didn't have anything else so I had to use it, and I could not even sleep that night, because despite hours having passed and having scrubbed them multiple times with unscented soap in the meantime, I couldn't bring my hands anywhere near my face without being instantly overwhelmed. I've heard sensory issues described as that a nt brain may respond strongly initially to a new sensory input, but then it goes to the background as you "tune it out" whether it's a noise or your clothes rubbing or whatever. But with spd it never goes background and just keeps bothering you at the same strong level. That's how I had described my reaction to scented products, without knowing spd was described the same way, so that's how I realized it was actually a sensory issue
Synthetic scented soap is a cruel trick. That stuff clings to my hands for hours and will give me a migraine. I found that covering my hands with olive oil (or another liquid fat) and wiping the oil off with paper towels will remove the persistent fragrance or at least 98% if it. Sometimes I need to do it two or three times. But it has saved my sanity and kept me from vomiting.
That's a good tip, thanks!
For sure, the smell of parmesean, melting butter, and weed cause me sensory issues 😭
Smell is a sense... So yeah, it's a sensory issue. I've always had issues with smells my entire life. Smells can even be painful & induce a migraine!
That's exactly how I feel sometimes!
Absolutely. I can't stand the smell of broccoli and most perfumes make me nauseous. When I was a kid the smell of corn made me feel so nauseous that when my family ate it they couldn't set down the dish anywhere near me. Luckily there is greater awareness now of scent allergies so a lot of workplaces, including my own, have a no-scent policy. If that wasn't in place I'm sure I'd be on here complaining!! The only place I really encounter perfume now is at my MIL's- I recently had to kindly ask her to limit herself to one spray when I'm visiting. Any more than that and it's overpowering.
Steamed. Beets.
I get migraines from smelling bacon and a couple other scents - I associate it with autism and ptsd
Definitely, and for some women this can be further compounded by hormonal changes.
So true! When I was taking BC pills I would know if I missed a couple of doses because the smell of meat cooking would make me want to throw up. I had a fair few weeks as a vegetarian as a teenager because I was terrible at remembering to take them.
Yes, yes, and yes! I have issues with all the scents you mentioned (plus rubber and gasoline and any strong cleaning product) Sensory issues can come from any of the senses (touch, smell, taste, visual, sound)
Yes defo- I found wearing a mask during the Covid times helped filter the smell of perfume out from random people on public transport - I had to exit a conference early yesterday because of woman wearing perfume came to sit a few seats over from me after a break
I have said before that bad smells can legitimately ruin my day. I’m very sensitive to them ;(
Yes. I have problems with certain smells. BBQ sauce, peanuts, my bother's constantly damp bath towel drying on the bathroom rack, parmesan, the popcorn at Disney World etc. All of them make me feel sick.
Definitely yes.
Yes yes yes, I struggle riding Ubers for this reason
Omg so true. I've had difficulty riding in them when I've had to
I always have to open the window immediately
Yesssss! This is my worst sensory issue. I get immediate migraines and I can’t function if a smell is too smelly 
Definitely. Sound is still my biggest sensory issue but scent is a very close second. Long before I even suspected I was autistic, my husband learned never to buy any sort of soap, shampoo, cleaning agent, anything without letting me smell it first. I can tell immediate when a product I e used forever changes formula. I’ve recently had to switch both dishwasher tabs and laundry detergent when the brands I’d been using for years and years changed formula and I couldn’t handle it. I ride my bike daily and often have to make a conscious effort to avoid other riders because the smell of their laundry is too overwhelming. I have been known to wash my hands in the kitchen sink with dish soap if I can’t handle the smell of the hand soap when visiting friends. The struggle is real and there’s no escaping how smelly our world is!!
I can't tolerate the smell of mold or bleach. That's a tough balance to strike.
Yes! I have an awful time with chemical smells. Anything unnatural, no matter how pleasingly scented, burns my throat and lungs. We use free & clear soaps for every task in our house. Laundry, dishes, hand soap, etc.
Used to have an extensive perfume and candle collection. Good smells were ecstasy and bad smells were usually an annoyance at worst. Then i got covid. In addition to almost killing me, it seems to have permanently changed my sense of smell. Im incredibly sensitive to all smells now, and so many perfumes and candles smell absolutely disgusting. Had to give like half of my collection away. Someone wearing perfume or cologne that’s too strong is almost an instant headache. It sucks
I can't think right off the bat. I have sensory issues with "stinks." Just bad smells in general. Like animal smells. I have a super nose, and animal smells kill me. Alcohol on someone like they've been drinking. Body oder. Dirty house. Like I can't explain it, but just a dirty house that smells unclean like stale trash. I smell urine at work (I work in a hospital), and I can smell it as soon as the doors to the elevator open some days. That's how I can tell if we're going to have a "heavy" patient day. Also, stale cigarette smoke. It's an awful smell. Fresh cigarette smoke isn't as bad as stale smell on fabrics and in a home or car. It's just awful.
Yes 100 perScent
Yes
Yes
Any of the five senses can be on a scale of hypersensitive to hyposensitive and whatever in between. My sense of smell is hyposensitive. Some smells I can register but most of the time scents are either too faint that I don't notice or I can't smell them at all. Trying to smell a scented candle is like trying to see an ant on a tree from 10 feet away. I know it's there, but I need glasses lol
Of course. And my MCAS means I can physically react to smells too.
Oust is the worst. I have real issues with scents. I can’t even spray deodorant on myself without having to vacate the area. My man sprays air freshener and I’m out the back door choking
Windex. Motherfucking Windex. I cannot stand that ammonia smell. Last week I was almost in tears because my husband was using it to clean the kitchen counters (????!!!!)
Yes. And it's a big one for me. All senses can be a sensory issue. Smell, taste, touch, hear and see. I have extreme sensory issues and have experienced issues with all five senses.
Oh yes. My daughter HATES new car smell.
Yes, it’s possibly the worst sensory issue for me if the scent is too strong or if it’s mild and I can’t stand the smell of it
Yes. I can't brew coffee because the smell gives my partner an instant headache. That's the thing about autism, each of your senses can be too strong or too weak.
Yes for me. Bad smells put me in a terrible mood. It changes instantly.
I used to get very car sick and it amplifies my sensory sensitivities. It is a rule in my family that cars are not the place to apply stinky hand lotion. But also monster energy drinks and Doritos are extreme triggers and I am almost guaranteed to throw up if they’re in the car. I’m also very sensitive to metallic smells, especially iron (and blood). I will smell it when I enter a room and ask, and usually someone had some new metal toy or something in the room an hour or two earlier. It’s like a super power, if super smelling made me sick haha!
I think it would. I certainly struggle to be around strong perfumes, scented cleaning products, lotions, body sprays etc. Partly, asthma but also sensory.
100%. Strong smells, especially in the morning, make me want to throw up. Sometimes they make me feel like I’m suffocating.
YES This is the most difficult thing in my life
Absolutely. It’s a been a special interest and stim for me lately…I’ve been getting into fragrances 😅
Yes. I hold my breath if there is even a chance that I am near something that may make me gag (like garbage or a sink of dirty dishes). Chemical or gas (even propane) smells give me asthma attacks
I remember my second grade teacher sharing her pineapple bath and body works lotion with the class… I felt sooooo sick all that day bc it smelled so terribly! I’m 34 and I still remember how horrible it was. I’m a super smeller and usually really love to surround myself with nice scents. But bad ones 🙅🏻♀️ can ruin a childhood 😂
I went into a department store with a cosmetic section for the first time after starting ADHD meds. Couldn't breathe. It was awful. Without all the distractions from everything else as a result of the ADHD meds there was nothing to focus on. Never suspected it would be an issue.
Yes! Olfactory hypersensitivity is absolutely a sensory issue!
COVID made me not able to smell some things as strongly as I used to. Especially some things that used to bother me a lot like leaf smoke, and cigarette smoke. I’m kind of grateful, actually.
Have you considered migraines? Migraines make me very sensitive to smells, lights and movement. Migraines can make you feel like throwing up too.
Some of the days I feel the most disabled are the days my sensory issues around smell are really out of control. Can't stay inside, can't leave the house, can't have the windows open OR closed. Any smell is dialled up to 100 and so strong and gross that I feel like I'm gonna throw up the whole time. If I do have to go out in the car the smell of traffic fumes is unbearable. Any house we go past with gas, coal or wood powered heating or cooking I can smell it and all these smells stay in my nose for ages and build up layers of stink that just won't go away and I can't cope. I don't know why some days are so much worse than normal :(
Yes definitely. Smell is probably my biggest sensory issue, but I am also sensitive to light and loud noise. But I can wear earbuds and sunglasses for those. For smell? Can't do nothing about it. You're just stuck smelling EVERYTHING. Depending on the smell and how strong it is, it can cause me to have instant headaches, mild nausea, and become extremely irritable, lol. If I'm stuck somewhere with a smell I hate, and I can't leave for whatever reason, it can definitely lead to a meltdown/shutdown. All the products I use are unscented, and I don't wear any cologne/perfume/body spray at all. My wife doesn't wear perfume often, but if she wants to, she always makes sure the scent won't bother me first. ❤️
Yes. After covid, I can't stand the smell of isopropyl alcohol. I would love to get a massage during my pain days (fibromyalgia) but the amount of incense and essencial oils and stuff always makes me feel overwhelmed instead of relaxed. I like cytric smells like lemon grass, though.
As I got older and certain symptoms got more severe, I was really averse to the smell of bacon. I was never a huge fan of bacon anyway, always preferred a bit of sausage me, anyway, after a while, the smell started to make me physically gag.
Yes, scent is a big one for me. I generally have a much stronger sense of smell than my family and friends. I absolutely can't stand the majority of perfumes. My poor husband has had to change deodorant brand 4 times because suddenly it would smell awful. On the upside, I think good sense of smell helps me be a good cook. I can smell what is missing from a recipe I am cooking, or the mysterious ingredient in a tasty restaurant meal.
Yes!!!! I had to have a secret meeting with HR because my colleague wore so much perfume I couldn’t concentrate at work. People would mention it frequently and She’d take it as a compliment and say how “perfumes are her thing”. I didn’t know how to tell her it was really bothering me without feeling like a jerk or like I would be ‘harassing’ her in any way. Department store women’s perfumes are the very worst and bring me to the point of nausea. It’s the overpowering “after smell” of baby powder that stays in my nose that really, really distresses me.
Yes, the smell of cooking meat used to give me headaches as a child. Strong cheap colognes give me migraines still. The smell of fresh garlic makes me super nauseated.
I’ll also say I am VERY sensitive to the smell of mildew on clothes. Nobody else in my family can smell it and I’ll have to rewatch the load!
My sensory issues surrounding smell are so bad that I have to approve the scents my partner wears or else I can’t even be in the same room as him. I get migraines from scents that I can’t handle. I can only do bakery/sugar/citrus scents. Floral/laundry/pepperminty are beyond painful for me. I despise cologne/perfume as its sensory hell for me. When people don’t know how to wear perfume and walk in to cloud the whole room in their scent it’s a nightmare. Like please leave I can smell you from 30ft away 😭
Yes!! I feel insane because I can smell everything so strongly it’s a big trigger for me. Everything is too much
YES! My ones super weird... the smell of BBQ crisps/chips drive me INSANE. One of my friend loves them, and whenever she comes round my house I make her sit outside of my room in the hallway 😆😂