Does anyone else hallucinate smells?

We typically think only of auditory or visual hallucinations.

But Olfactory doesn't get talked about much.


Me personally I hallucinate smells quite often... I can always tell when they are not real, the best I can say is they seem to be more "forward" in my nose, wheras a real smell goes on into my sinus cavities and sometimes stimulates my taste reflexes as well.

Right now I can smell melting wax.

Does anyone else hallucinate smells?

I do. In fact I was about to post then reconsidered. Honestly because the smells are generally unpleasant and figured it better not to invite criticisms of hygiene

As I said, generally unpleasant such as urine, feces, rotting meat, vomit. Though I have smelled pleasant smells on occasion.

The reason I decided to post this after all is that after I moved to a different section I was briefly assaulted by an odor akin to someone farting under my nose

Hallucination? I'm sure most would say, indeed, but for myself it seems to be something often there to attract my attention to something. I've associated the smells with sickness before.

reply to post by asmeone2


If I was hallucinating odors I would go see a doctor as soon as possile.

Well my mother can swear she smells something when no else can smell it.
I have been sitting around and all of a sudden smell say a strong odor of flowers when Im inside the house knowing there aint any around.
Never heard it called hallucinating smells.

umm, I think I smell a plate of cornbeef with m.potatoes and corn...oh, and rolls......

Heh, interesting...I guess we don't focus on them as much as auditory or visual because we have a weaker sense of smell?

One of my friends used to smoke pot quite a bit, and he'd sometimes get "phantom whiffs" of pot smoke (I mean, when he wasn't high).

As for me, I'd probably treat unexplained olfactory hallucinations like any other unexplained hallucination: it wouldn't take long before i'd have a doctor check it out. Not very spiritual of me, i suppose...

Originally posted by Vault-D
As for me, I'd probably treat unexplained olfactory hallucinations like any other unexplained hallucination: it wouldn't take long before i'd have a doctor check it out. Not very spiritual of me, i suppose...

But very sensible. Indeed it can be an indication of a very serious problem. For myself, I've seen doctors and had my head examined, physically and psychologically, so I'm not too worried for myself.

I don't hallucinate anything, unless this is all a hallucination. However, I have recently had a weird connection with smells around me. They have been bringing back memories for like a split second, but when the smell is lost the memory is lost again too. It's not a normal thing for me, until the past few weeks. And I hate it when I know I just remembered something from my past related to the smell and cannot, no matter how hard I try, get it back.

[edit on 15-10-2008 by cancerian42]

I have had them but rarely are they something that corresponds to a real odor. They can indicate a possible condition. I myself have been checked out and no apparent medical cause identified.

Phantosomia: What causes olfactory hallucinations?

[edit on 10/15/2008 by EnlightenUp]

Aside from possible medical reasons, clairolfactory, is one of the many psi abilities, often
at you smell things more often and more intensely since starting your studies.
Also called clairalience.

www.psychicandclairvoyant.co.uk...

Clairalience
From the French clair (clear) and alience (smelling), Clairalience refers to the ability to gain knowledge through an extra-sensory form of smelling. Like Clairaudience this could be an actual smell or the impression of a smell. Smelling a new perfume upon waking and then smelling it later upon meeting someone important is an example of Clairalience.

[edit on 15-10-2008 by mystiq]

I randomly smell pencil shavings, and often at the same place in town. I have no idea why that particular intersection should cause me to smell pencil shavings, but it does.

I smell it at other times as well but most often at this one particular place
And yes I am fully aware that I am weird!! lol

I get this as well. Usually vanilla, roses, and vile. I sometimes also get what I call thought smells. Which are a sudden thought so strong that you can smell it.

Be aware that there might be something stuck up your nose. lol

But seriously, I think you can smell things that are not there, just like you can see things, makes sense.

Originally posted by TravelerintheDark

Originally posted by Vault-D
As for me, I'd probably treat unexplained olfactory hallucinations like any other unexplained hallucination: it wouldn't take long before i'd have a doctor check it out. Not very spiritual of me, i suppose...

But very sensible. Indeed it can be an indication of a very serious problem. For myself, I've seen doctors and had my head examined, physically and psychologically, so I'm not too worried for myself.

But.. my white coat fever...

reply to post by EnlightenUp


Thanks for the link... kinda scary, but enllightening!

wow this is my first time hearing of this. did u ask a doctor about it?

that must be an interesting day-today for for you.

reply to post by mystiq


Hey thanks. I've actually experienced that before. On a couple of occasions I've smelled phantom cigarette smoke, then found that one of my friends or family memebers was smoking at that time--miles away.

Originally posted by lushyslushy
wow this is my first time hearing of this. did u ask a doctor about it?

that must be an interesting day-today for for you.

I didn't know what to call it until the other people here have posted terms for it.

I haven't of yet asked a doctor... I really don't even think abotu it much, except I happened to smell phantom wax (most of the time it's chemical smells) and thought I'd post for the rest of the community to see.

I can say yes I do.. And sometimes it brings back up bad times from when I was young and saw what I did at such a young age.

The stench of death is a very powerful order.
And there are times that i get this taste of death in the back of my throat.

Sometimes takes me a couple mins to shrug it off.
Or I go in and brush my teeth a couple times.. And try to shake off those old memories that no child should ever bear wittness too..

I get all sorts of different smells that hit me when something is triggered in my head..
Werid huh? Anyway thanks for making the thread!!

And not to get to graphic but my step dad was the Coroner of the city of Toledo.. I was young when I started working with them.. And being taken on some outtings with them I will never forget..
And the smells of those days sometimes hit me very hard..

[edit on 15-10-2008 by zysin5]

Originally posted by Soulstone
I get this as well. Usually vanilla, roses, and vile. I sometimes also get what I call thought smells. Which are a sudden thought so strong that you can smell it.

Yes I've had that too... mostly unpleasant for me... kind of nauseating, like scent-triggered illness during pregnancy.

reply to post by zysin5


You're welcome for the thread.

I can imagine it did make an impression... poor guy, seeing death when you're still coming into life... it sounds like yours is maybe a mild form of PTSD rather than a true hallucination.