Im sad I cant relate to most anosmia related topics, discussions, videos etc. They are mostly about losing your sense of smell, not never having it at all.
I lost my sense of smell after routine sinus surgery. As I was healing, the dr. downplayed my remarks that my sense of smell and taste were fading. 2 yrs later, I went to an expert at UCSD's medical training hospital. He was angry when he saw what the surgeon had done to me. He explained that too much tissue had been removed. I'd never smell again. He gave me a hug and listed what I needed to do to be safe in a world without smell. I'll never feel safe again in what is now a 2 dimensional world.
I’ve been this way for my entire life. I’ve never smelled a skunk or body odor, but it also means that I’ll never be able to smell a gas leak or a house fire, etc. I’m pretty sure that I taste things differently than somebody who can smell, too. For example, if you hand me a piece of gum, I’ll be able to tell you that it’s fruity, but not which fruit it’s supposed to be.
I have congenital anosmia and like people have said in some other comments it is a different experience than those who become anosmic later in life so I couldn't identify with everything that was said in the video. That being said, thank you for addressing one of the biggest misconceptions about anosmia (congenital or otherwise) and that is that people with anosmia generally can taste foods. I know there are some that can't but from what I've heard most can.
I have congenital anosmia, it is an symptom associated with a hormonal condition called Kallmann syndrome which affects puberty. I was being treated as a "late bloomer" or "late developer" even when I was 22. I then met an endocrinologist who asked if I could smell. No doctor had ever asked me that before and I had never thought about mentioning it to a doctor. At first glance there seems to be no link between failure to start puberty and having anosmia but there is. I think I have done most of the things that most people with anosmia would have done at some stage, including drinking sour milk, making sandwiches with bread that has spots of mould on it and forgetting to the oven off when cooking.
its a gift, and its a curse, i never had one and i never knew why, but to be honest i never cared about that, and i know it may be pretty sad to have one good sense of smell and lose it, but if you are just without one as ever as you can remember yourself alive you just wont care, but sometimes i wonder "what is like to smell something, what is the feeling"? the sad thing is that my parents dont know about it cuz i never told anyone, i never tought its important.
I've never been able to smell, and I'm kind of surprised the film-makers couldn't find (or didn't try to find) any congenital anosmics to round out this film.
I thank everyone who has watched and commented on this video over its 10 year run, because you've done something I can't: which is watch this video. This was a student film I made and I can't bring myself to get past more than 20 seconds of my awful narration. I sound like I'm asking for money for children starving in Africa. Anyway, thought I'd post a little update. I still can't smell, and unlike the woman who I interviewed, it has been my choice. Since my two surgeries as a kid I haven't tried anything to fix my sinuses. I'd say there's a 50% chance that if I spent the time to have another operation or similar treatment that my sense of smell could come back. But I can't bring myself to go through the work of finding the right doctor and taking time off my job to go through the procedure. Being an anosmiac has been part of who I am for 25 years. Being able to breath through my nose like a normal person would be cool, but I kind of like my lack of a sense of smell. It has provided me with a very peaceful life, free from the unwanted intrusions of stench. The only time it becomes a problem for me is in the diagnosis of different types of burning. In my job it his helpful to tell the difference between an electrical fire, or dust that's burning, but I'm always working with other people who can smell it for me. Obviously this is just how I feel. I don't mean to lessen the experience of others.
i too have congenital anosmia, and it would be interesting to see a video about that, instead of people who had smell, then lost it. still a great video though.
@lizhantilmag .... im the same way, it will be a year next month that i lost my smell. i thought i would always remember the major sents like the ocean, a fresh cut lawn, or camp fire, but its been so long i can't even remember those now.
I have hyposmia which is a reduced sense of smell. I can smell almost everything but sometimes it isn't as detailed. My doc says that it is caused by my anxiety disoer/depression. Your state of mind can influence your sense of smell too.
There have been a bunch of annoying adds for herbal remedies in the comments of this video. I've removed them. As an update, I do have a moderate sense of smell now due to a relatively new medication. I'm not going to say what it is here because I'm not pushing products. But if you've had nasal polyps your whole life and surgery didn't work for you, there are other alternatives out there now. Alternatives that weren't available to me as a kid, or when I made this video.
I was just born almost entirely without being able to smell.. never thought about it much, until recentelly..I was just thinking I never tryed hard enough or was to lazy to pay attention to the smells; but the truth is I just could not. And it makes you insecure. I change my clothes thousand times a day and always take showers whenever can. I don't use parfume bacause I don't know how it smells and I'm afraid I would be bothering other people, because I don't know what amount to use and when. I'm insecure about my own smell and I never felt how I or anyone else smell. Also spoiled food, fire smoke, natural gas etc. I'm afraid of those.
ever since the beggining I couldn't smell. people thought I was lying. but I knew I couldn't. one time I was walking into lush with my sis and mum and my mum was like "woah! that's a strong smell" I was like "nope.... not for me" its annoying how many people want u to smell certain things and u say I can't 😐😐😐😐😐
i either born anosmiac or got anosmia before age 12 i do not smell berries oranges people dog-doo when people told me of smelling oranges, berries, i was SHOCKED! but i eat & enjoy food all too well (before learn to eat only healthy food & drink mostly water,;, my size 16 pants getting tight,; but now (depending on the make i wear between size 3 and size 10 pants, ;,; mostly size 6 pants) i like berries, dark chocolate, tamarind, spicy foods do NOT like soggy foods, greasy foods, for me Tofukey sausage is truly better than "real" sausages Texture is important Very important! for me 100% whole-grain bread pasta etc truly better & NOT mushy soggy raw veggies dipped in mayonnaise are good Natural coconut candies made mostly of coconut are good many falafel stands are good those made-as-you-choose-salads are good for health i avoid dairy products, refined grains, beer , booze, opioids, cigarettes, soda, Kool-Aid, bologna, smoked cured meats, i do NOT starve, puke, weigh/measure foods, force-feed, gastric-bypass surgery , do Atkins/Low-Carb, take magical anti-fat pills i mainly drink water i consume mainly whole grains, vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs spices, nuts seeds, some cage-free boiled eggs small bits of meat 90% vegan or ovo-vegetarian diet you can have anosmia and still have a GOOD LIFE
curious how you can tell that it is only in one nostril. For that to happen, there would have to be a permanent obstruction in the first inch or so of the nasal passage. After that, they merge. The issue with anosmia is that either the odor particles do not reach the receptors (which are in one spot as opposed to one for each nostril), or that the message from that is not reaching the brain due to damage to the receptors or the nerve.
Lost it due to brain injury when 1. I never think about smell because I've never smelled before(or have no memory of when I could) so it's no big loss to me.
When i was in highschool, i used to smoke pot. I always had trouble about the smell, since i didn't want my parents to find out, but i couldn't tell if i smelled, poeple got kinda annoyed with me asking all the time, "hey, do we/i smell?"
I have anosmia too. I've had it all my life and I've never been able to smell a thing. I'm not being an attention seeker, I've been professionally diagnosed
I have found I probably have hyposmia - reduced sense of smell. One thing I dont get though is how people can join taste and smell together. I smell my perfume (one of the few I can) it doesnt smell like the way anything tastes - dad says it smells like applesand/or flowers. Some go, ughh, manure! whereas I think manure smells sweet. is my condition is a little different? One theory is that my brain processes the messages from the little smelling I can differently from tasting. any ideas welcome
wow.. i never thought there is a name for this condition. i even thought i was the only one having this condition.. mine is congenital as well. wonder how its like to smell things..
I lost my sense of smell a year ago after having a serious cold. Doctor said it would never come back, I might end up with anosmia in my entire life..That's so cruel. But I've become used to moving on. But sometimes..I can't help but feel just so sad......Is there any treatment to cure it? I never gave up the hope like a woman do in the film. Maybe some day.
Ok I've never smelt anything as far as I can remember, I've haven't been to a doctor or anything about it so I don't know if it's something like blockage that can be fixed or if it's incurable, but really I think this video over dramatises it, it's not like being blind or deaf come on.
waverley carr it isn't over dramatic. Smell is an incredibly important sense like the rest of them. Just because it isn't visual doesn't mean it's not important. I've had anosmia all my life (I'm 14) and I was professionally diagnosed when I was 8 or 9. I've never smelt a thing, but coming from these people that used to be able to smell, they're really quite upset that they no longer smell. Before you start criticising people with anosmia, get yourself professionally diagnosed first
soooo over dramatic! just be happy your alive, there's much worse out there! I lost my sense of smell but I'm counting my blessings... the sense of smell is the least important of the 5 senses! :)
Thank you for youf comment. I want so much to be like you. My problem is that my smell and taste come back very occasionally, and I get obsessed about getting them back. I really need to get over this some how, because as you say there is sooooo much else to live for. Guess I really needed what you said, instead of the over dramatic stuff. Thanx
Im sad I cant relate to most anosmia related topics, discussions, videos etc. They are mostly about losing your sense of smell, not never having it at all.
Congenital anosmia here too. Never have smelled anything before in my life.
I was born with none of the nerves that slowed me to smell
Lance Dacey same
Lance Dacey yep my life too
I cant smell either. Never have before. I dont like it considering i always wantwd to be a chef. Which makes anosmia a huge hinderance
I also never been able to smell either i have never known anyone who has the same problem as me untill i saw this video
I lost my sense of smell after routine sinus surgery. As I was healing, the dr. downplayed my remarks that my sense of smell and taste were fading. 2 yrs later, I went to an expert at UCSD's medical training hospital. He was angry when he saw what the surgeon had done to me. He explained that too much tissue had been removed. I'd never smell again. He gave me a hug and listed what I needed to do to be safe in a world without smell. I'll never feel safe again in what is now a 2 dimensional world.
Seriously those who are born with it need a video too :( Completely different experience....
thanks for this interesting video. It helped my thesis for Sensory Marketing A LOT!
I’ve been this way for my entire life. I’ve never smelled a skunk or body odor, but it also means that I’ll never be able to smell a gas leak or a house fire, etc.
I’m pretty sure that I taste things differently than somebody who can smell, too. For example, if you hand me a piece of gum, I’ll be able to tell you that it’s fruity, but not which fruit it’s supposed to be.
I have congenital anosmia and like people have said in some other comments it is a different experience than those who become anosmic later in life so I couldn't identify with everything that was said in the video. That being said, thank you for addressing one of the biggest misconceptions about anosmia (congenital or otherwise) and that is that people with anosmia generally can taste foods. I know there are some that can't but from what I've heard most can.
I have congenital anosmia, it is an symptom associated with a hormonal condition called Kallmann syndrome which affects puberty.
I was being treated as a "late bloomer" or "late developer" even when I was 22. I then met an endocrinologist who asked if I could smell. No doctor had ever asked me that before and I had never thought about mentioning it to a doctor. At first glance there seems to be no link between failure to start puberty and having anosmia but there is.
I think I have done most of the things that most people with anosmia would have done at some stage, including drinking sour milk, making sandwiches with bread that has spots of mould on it and forgetting to the oven off when cooking.
"Can you taste things as well???"
YES, I CAN TASTE THINGS!!!!!!!!!!
its a gift, and its a curse, i never had one and i never knew why, but to be honest i never cared about that, and i know it may be pretty sad to have one good sense of smell and lose it, but if you are just without one as ever as you can remember yourself alive you just wont care, but sometimes i wonder "what is like to smell something, what is the feeling"? the sad thing is that my parents dont know about it cuz i never told anyone, i never tought its important.
I'm comforted to know others were born with anosmia. I felt pretty alone growing up.
did it come back!?
When you take Zicam nasal spray
thank you so much for this documentary.
I've never been able to smell, and I'm kind of surprised the film-makers couldn't find (or didn't try to find) any congenital anosmics to round out this film.
Oh. My. God. I love this video soooo much. I thought I was the only one who couldn't smell. I was born without a sense of smell... :c
Imagine having your parents not being able to smell you would be able to smoke some loud in your house 😂😂😂
I thank everyone who has watched and commented on this video over its 10 year run, because you've done something I can't: which is watch this video. This was a student film I made and I can't bring myself to get past more than 20 seconds of my awful narration. I sound like I'm asking for money for children starving in Africa.
Anyway, thought I'd post a little update. I still can't smell, and unlike the woman who I interviewed, it has been my choice. Since my two surgeries as a kid I haven't tried anything to fix my sinuses. I'd say there's a 50% chance that if I spent the time to have another operation or similar treatment that my sense of smell could come back. But I can't bring myself to go through the work of finding the right doctor and taking time off my job to go through the procedure.
Being an anosmiac has been part of who I am for 25 years. Being able to breath through my nose like a normal person would be cool, but I kind of like my lack of a sense of smell. It has provided me with a very peaceful life, free from the unwanted intrusions of stench. The only time it becomes a problem for me is in the diagnosis of different types of burning. In my job it his helpful to tell the difference between an electrical fire, or dust that's burning, but I'm always working with other people who can smell it for me.
Obviously this is just how I feel. I don't mean to lessen the experience of others.
i too have congenital anosmia, and it would be interesting to see a video about that, instead of people who had smell, then lost it. still a great video though.
@lizhantilmag .... im the same way, it will be a year next month that i lost my smell. i thought i would always remember the major sents like the ocean, a fresh cut lawn, or camp fire, but its been so long i can't even remember those now.
I have hyposmia which is a reduced sense of smell. I can smell almost everything but sometimes it isn't as detailed. My doc says that it is caused by my anxiety disoer/depression. Your state of mind can influence your sense of smell too.
There have been a bunch of annoying adds for herbal remedies in the comments of this video. I've removed them. As an update, I do have a moderate sense of smell now due to a relatively new medication. I'm not going to say what it is here because I'm not pushing products. But if you've had nasal polyps your whole life and surgery didn't work for you, there are other alternatives out there now. Alternatives that weren't available to me as a kid, or when I made this video.
I was just born almost entirely without being able to smell.. never thought about it much, until recentelly..I was just thinking I never tryed hard enough or was to lazy to pay attention to the smells; but the truth is I just could not. And it makes you insecure. I change my clothes thousand times a day and always take showers whenever can. I don't use parfume bacause I don't know how it smells and I'm afraid I would be bothering other people, because I don't know what amount to use and when. I'm insecure about my own smell and I never felt how I or anyone else smell. Also spoiled food, fire smoke, natural gas etc. I'm afraid of those.
ever since the beggining I couldn't smell. people thought I was lying. but I knew I couldn't. one time I was walking into lush with my sis and mum and my mum was like "woah! that's a strong smell" I was like "nope.... not for me" its annoying how many people want u to smell certain things and u say I can't 😐😐😐😐😐
i either born anosmiac or got anosmia before age 12
i do not smell berries oranges people dog-doo
when people told me of smelling oranges, berries, i was SHOCKED!
but i eat & enjoy food all too well
(before learn to eat only healthy food & drink mostly water,;, my size 16 pants getting tight,; but now (depending on the make i wear between size 3 and size 10 pants, ;,; mostly size 6 pants)
i like berries, dark chocolate, tamarind, spicy foods
do NOT like soggy foods, greasy foods,
for me Tofukey sausage is truly better than "real" sausages
Texture is important
Very important!
for me 100% whole-grain bread pasta etc truly better & NOT mushy soggy
raw veggies dipped in mayonnaise are good
Natural coconut candies made mostly of coconut are good
many falafel stands are good
those made-as-you-choose-salads are good
for health i avoid dairy products, refined grains, beer , booze, opioids, cigarettes, soda, Kool-Aid, bologna, smoked cured meats,
i do NOT starve, puke, weigh/measure foods, force-feed, gastric-bypass surgery , do Atkins/Low-Carb, take magical anti-fat pills
i mainly drink water
i consume mainly whole grains, vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs spices, nuts seeds,
some cage-free boiled eggs
small bits of meat
90% vegan or ovo-vegetarian diet
you can have anosmia and still have a GOOD LIFE
curious how you can tell that it is only in one nostril. For that to happen, there would have to be a permanent obstruction in the first inch or so of the nasal passage. After that, they merge. The issue with anosmia is that either the odor particles do not reach the receptors (which are in one spot as opposed to one for each nostril), or that the message from that is not reaching the brain due to damage to the receptors or the nerve.
I´m Daniela, from Portugal and i never smelled anything in my life too before.
Lost it due to brain injury when 1. I never think about smell because I've never smelled before(or have no memory of when I could) so it's no big loss to me.
same here! people think im weird because of it. they dont understand, but i personally think its awesome! im glad im not like the only one.
I've had anosmia since birth! And I'm a film maker. Its on my to do list :)
When i was in highschool, i used to smoke pot. I always had trouble about the smell, since i didn't want my parents to find out, but i couldn't tell if i smelled, poeple got kinda annoyed with me asking all the time, "hey, do we/i smell?"
I have anosmia too. I've had it all my life and I've never been able to smell a thing. I'm not being an attention seeker, I've been professionally diagnosed
I have found I probably have hyposmia - reduced sense of smell. One thing I dont get though is how people can join taste and smell together. I smell my perfume (one of the few I can) it doesnt smell like the way anything tastes - dad says it smells like applesand/or flowers. Some go, ughh, manure! whereas I think manure smells sweet. is my condition is a little different? One theory is that my brain processes the messages from the little smelling I can differently from tasting. any ideas welcome
wow.. i never thought there is a name for this condition. i even thought i was the only one having this condition.. mine is congenital as well. wonder how its like to smell things..
Me too. This is a relief.
I lost my sense of smell a year ago after having a serious cold. Doctor said it would never come back, I might end up with anosmia in my entire life..That's so cruel. But I've become used to moving on. But sometimes..I can't help but feel just so sad......Is there any treatment to cure it? I never gave up the hope like a woman do in the film. Maybe some day.
I was seriously ill as a baby and that's what caused my anosmia
whoever you are lady you are the best mom in the world , so put anosmia on the back burner.
I have anosmia. Never knew I couldn't smell, personally... I just thought things smelled... Like nothing.
People tell me i'm lucky too, I don't get why people think it's lucky not being able to smell...
Ok I've never smelt anything as far as I can remember, I've haven't been to a doctor or anything about it so I don't know if it's something like blockage that can be fixed or if it's incurable, but really I think this video over dramatises it, it's not like being blind or deaf come on.
waverley carr it isn't over dramatic. Smell is an incredibly important sense like the rest of them. Just because it isn't visual doesn't mean it's not important. I've had anosmia all my life (I'm 14) and I was professionally diagnosed when I was 8 or 9. I've never smelt a thing, but coming from these people that used to be able to smell, they're really quite upset that they no longer smell. Before you start criticising people with anosmia, get yourself professionally diagnosed first
can drug abuse( snorting) cause it?
I can't smell a damn thing, never have. Runs in my family. I believe I taste just fine. Perhaps better than everyone else.
I've never been able to smell.
Born with it out it!
i have never been able to smell... im trying to make people know about anosmia by doin my Gr. 7 speech on anosmia
Born without it!
soooo over dramatic! just be happy your alive, there's much worse out there! I lost my sense of smell but I'm counting my blessings... the sense of smell is the least important of the 5 senses! :)
Thank you for youf comment. I want so much to be like you. My problem is that my smell and taste come back very occasionally, and I get obsessed about getting them back. I really need to get over this some how, because as you say there is sooooo much else to live for. Guess I really needed what you said, instead of the over dramatic stuff. Thanx
same
Me too c: