I am so happy I finally found people who relate to me!! I have congenital anosmia, and when I was younger I thought I was normal, and that all people could smell as little as me (nothing), and so I pretended I could smell when people asked questions like "doesn't this soap smell amazing?". But some years ago I learned that I have anosmia, because I told my mom "I think I lack the sense of smell", and she and my grandpa tested if my theory was true by blindfolding me and sticking a whole onion up to my nose. When I still didn't smell it, they believed me. Since then I've been searching for other people with the same condition as me. I'm open about my condition, but I find that lots of people don't understand, asking for example "is that possible? but can you taste?" and other things. I am so happy I found you, and thank you for what you are doing!
You're welcome! It's difficult to explain the confusion of first realizing it, and always nice to find others who can share in that. I'm glad the video helped!
ever since I was 13 I've had occasional episodes of phantosmia (phantom smell) it's always the smell of cigarettes. it's usually triggered by things like stress or lack of sleep (sometimes even thinking about it brings it back). I saw a neurologist about it a while ago and after they did some tests and figured out that I wasn't having seizures or anything, the answer I got was basically: "yeah, sometimes our brains are weird like that. we might never know for sure what causes that" it's interesting how all of that works out
Apparently the smell of rain isn't from the water itself, it's from the soil releasing a scent in reaction to the water. Also, once when I was cutting onions the smell didn't make my eyes water at all. It was the chemicals in the air that stung my eyes
Congratulations! I'm glad you got it back! Not everyone that gets COVID seems to be regaining their sense of smell, so I'm glad it's worked out for you.
I also have congenital anosmia and I always get excited when I find people on the internet in the same boat! I relate to so many things in this video. Did you know that Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry's, has congenital anosmia? That's historically why there are big chunks of ingredients in their ice creams. Because we rely more heavily on texture when tasting food.
I too am anosmic! I wasn't diagnosed until my late teens. After eating a fish-flavored bean boozled jellybean and being unaware (while everyone around me talked about my fish breath) I realized just how bad my sense of smell must be. It's so funny to hear you have a similar experience with those jellybeans!
Yeah, I've felt so wierd when found out that SMELL is actually a sense that I'm lack of. before I use to fake it but now I try not to pay attention to it, at least i can live with it.
I have the same condition! I think i found out that i didnt have a sense of smell when I was 11. I thought I was weird but im glad to find someone who has the same experience
When he mentioned jelly bean, I remembered when my siblings asked me what's my favourite mentos flavour and I'm just like 'aren't they just taste the same ?' 😂
no wonder all of his cp music rocked! his ears are super ears to make up for his nose!! youtube has now put 2 videos of yours in my recommendations in the last 24 hours. i decided to sub and binge watch every video you have! looking forward to listening to and watching more of your content!
I pretty much have the opposite situation going on for me. I can smell the scent of more things that most people seem to be able to. It’s not that I can smell everything better/experience everything stronger, but that I can smell more scents. It’s as if there’s a few more scent variable that most people don’t have. It’s inconvenient, because sometimes things stink when everyone else doesn’t mind, but some things have good smells that no one else seems to pick up. (Also, my mom and one of my sisters seem to also have the same thing, so it’s probably genetic related.)
Insightful video; thank you for making this! When I went to Thailand, there were many places that actually prohibited Durian because of its incredibly strong smell, hotels and taxis to be specific. I kind of enjoy the Durian candies, and my science teacher actually loved them when I shared some. I would like to see your experiment with the Durian; I think it would make an interesting video, especially from someone with anosmia. It would be a very cool scientific learning experience.
Yeah, I've heard about how people will rent out temporary places just so that they could enjoy durian without having to deal with the smell later. I'm probably going to have to give it a shot this summer.
this is interesting. and is also making me self conscious about my sense of smell because I don't normally think about it and makes me want to make the most out of it.
Oh my! Finally! For the longest time found someone whom I can totally relate too. I was exactly your age when I had conclusions that I am missing one out of the senses. I had worst and funny moments when I was a kid and up until now . I was scolded by my dad often times when he is in the kitchen cooking and he ask me to watch over the food he's cooking while he skip out for a moment then I forgot that he asks me that, when he's back the food is already burnt. When I'm also asked to baby sit, my dad always gets mad because I never change their diapers and he always tells me " for once can you try to change their diapers even when your not told" hahaha. And when I'm outside playing I always stepped on 💩and me not bothered about it till someone told me. That was way back then but now I can pretty much handle it but still fails sometimes hahahaha . Also weird things is I have trouble knowing foods that are left overs, till it has worst taste then I would not eat it but I'd say I love leftover foods but apart from that is normal and I'm a food lover. Hahaha
I had a coworker that survived a housefire when he was maybe 8 years old. Apparently the super heated air seared the the part of his nose that detects the particles. He was rejected from the military because at his physical he volunteered that he had no sense of smell.
I’m not able to smell, and never have been able to. I can relate to these questions so well! Except for most food items taste pretty much the same, sweet things just taste more or less sweet and same with salty, it’s honestly quite odd and I’m only 14.
Chris Hendricks I actually recently have! I would agree that is anosmics have a sort of superpower when I comes to that game. I can never tell if I got a bad flavor because they all taste the same
I don’t have a sense of smell either and this was super relatable. If I had a penny every time someone asked me if I could taste... I’d probably only have a few dollars but still. Also, I didn’t actually know that car tires smell. I know one thing that really surprised me was that sex apparently has a smell or at least an after smell. I’ve always wondered if it smells good or bad.
I have been born with respiratory problems and i have a funnel chest(my chest is turned inside instead of outside)i get tired quickly so i cant do any exercise but the point here is that i cant have a strong sense of smell,i only feel the really strong odors or when i am close to them.I live my life like any other person,having an low sense of smell doesnt really interfere with school socializing or anything,its just a little extra.
As an anosmic myself I've had some stupid questions. The dumbest one was when a friend told me "have you tried sniffing really hard?" Body odour is a concern. I'm paranoid about that. Also when people say it smells like it tastes. That makes no sense to me. I've also had food poisoning a lot.
I have no sense of smell & I literally discovered Jelly beans all taste the same when I tried playing that game 🤣 Literally everything you covered in this video I’ve thought about & ive never felt so understood
Even though that one guy lost his sense of smell for most good things but not for most bad things, it's still good to have because if there's a gas leak in their house they might still be able to smell it. It could still save their life
I actually don't have a sense of smell. It was lost when I was essentially waterboarded by gasoline. Funny enough I use to sell cologne and perfume (successfully) with no sense of smell just pretending to have one. The question I get most often is about my sense of taste. I actually warn people not to eat from my plate of food, not that I mind but its probably over seasoned. My sense of taste is present but definitely dulled. Smell is an odd sense to be missing and no one ever remembers. So sometimes I just humor people, sniff what the present and pretend to agree(I live in Colorado where everyone shoves weed in your face and its easier to pretend with a smile/nod, than an explanation to how I lost my sense of smell). I know exactly what you mean about jelly beans tasting the same, I also have the same reaction to skittles. This was a very interesting video, as I haven't met anyone else who doesn't have a sense of smell.
Thank you Chris for your video! I also have congenital anosmia and have had very much the same questions throughout my life as you. I highly appreciate this video!!!
I have some strange things with smells. I like a lot smells what other people might not (gas, cheese, fish) but hate like almost all flowers and citric fruits or even cucumber.. Actually most veggies too smells weird for me. That is why I don't want to eat them but I'm also picky with food and I can tell mainly by the smell if I would like to eat it or not. Also I found that weird how I'm not too sensitive to some bad smells but to other bad smells what most people can tolerate, I just can't. And also with again tastes, I'm really sensitive to strong tastes. I can't stand mint, menthol stuffs or any spicy food. Also can't co-op with sparkling water or any other bubbly drink. It's too much for me, kind of hurts and also blokes my tasting abilities XD
Not a question but more of an answer, a lot of things other than fruit have smells. It’s not usually a strong smell, but stuff like fabric and metal even have smells. Pretty much anything has a smell, but it’s not like something you’d be able to smell from a distance. You’d have to get your face right up to it.
Ah thank you for the video. I'm glad there's other people who had the same issue with me in term of smelling ability. It really relieves me that I'm not the only who are 'disable'
Well, from the future, ever since i got corona, i have lost my sense of smell, and it has been a year or 2, it had not recovered, i guess i can't really smell forever, but i don't often think about it actually, so, i'd say, this isn't all too bad actually to not be able to smell, but curiosity surely raises.
Please do the durian test!! We'd love to see if you like it... I like the taste and don't think the smell is bad so I don't know what the fuss is about hahahaha
Hi, I to have congenital Anosmia. For me, I love to ask people to describe what they are smelling to me as a color.. It seems to help me relate to it more I guess. I also like to ask people to smell themselves and describe their smell to me as a color. I don’t want an answer like, simply blue or pink. I like it when people really think about it and say like a more descriptive color like sandalwood or light pink with hint of pale purple.
Do a durian and sürstromming smell test, ive never really thought of that before, like I never thought of maybe some people cant smell, its such a subtle sense. To me, rain doesn’t smell unless it went from sunny to raining then back to sunny. If its still raining i wont smell it
@@ChrisHendricks Now I imagine how it was "Chris you should put deodorant, you ... stink" "Is this related to the sense of sme-" "Yes it is" *Chris has left the game*
So Chris, I've had anosmia since 1994 when I was the victim of a crime and my head was injured. In 1998, I accidentally mixed bathroom cleaners together and the other 2 in the apartment passed out from it. Fire department came and everything and they were SHOCKED that I was 100% unaffected by it. I was wondering if anything similar has ever happened to you. Everyone was fine in the end, just so you know.
My grandmother lost the sense of smell 20 years ago after a nervous disease. She says the biggest upside is that outhouse in her country home is no longer a hellhole. And the biggest downside is that she misses the smell of her rose garden and coffee. Apparently, to her the appeal of coffee is 80% smell-based
Yeah, outhouses and porta-potties have never been particularly problematic for me. They're like almost any other bathroom, except a bit dirtier and no good way to wash your hands afterward.
omg I haven't had a sense of smell since I was a kid and I literally always said jelly beans taste the same and that all seltzers do too. I relate so much to this video.
I have no sense of smell, my fertility doctor told me mine was called Kallman Syndrome, and that it is why I can't have children. I've always felt like it's hard for people to believe that I can't smell. Sometimes they look at me sideways. Sometimes I just act like I can to avoid what feels like scrutiny. Drives me crazy when someone says their sinuses are stopped up "too"? Arg! Anyway, thanks for the video! I might make one too.
reminds me of a guy who was on my cross country team. we ran past a giant pile of manure and everyone was covering their nose except for him, and he then explained that he doesn't have a sense of smell which in this case was definitely to his benefit.
I liked the video there are many things that I came to knew too because I have no sense of smell, too. And the little stories are similar to some things that happened to me.
That natural gas part reminds me of the Simpsons episode Black Widower. Sideshow Bob uses the information that Selma doesn't have a sense of smell (from an accident) to his advantage to try to kill her in a room full of natural gas cause she can't smell it. When ever she would supposedly light a cigarette in this scheme, kaboom!
Coming Soon™ Screenshog becomes an story time animator Coming not so Soon™ Screenshog starts a lets play Coming in the future™ Screenshog becomes a funk star Coming in the far future™ Screenshog created club penguin the movie and becomes president
At least you'll never know what it's like working with colleagues with terrible hygiene or sewer water. I assume people with this condition are super strict when it comes to expiration dates on food packages as well? I also think I'd be showering literally every day if I had no sense of smell, my paranoia over smelling like death would constantly be on the back of my mind lmao.
Yeah, I've actually had coworkers that became friends for a while who had horrible body odor, and the fact that I couldn't smell it helped me get to know them! As for showering, I don't really know what a bad smell is like. I do shower daily, but I don't really know how bad it can be.
I just lost mine. My tounge works so I can still taste sour sweet salty and bitter....it makes it possible for there to be a slight taste profile for onions olives and garlic. But with no comparison to actual flavor .... you have no idea what your missing. No idea.
I'm 14 and haven't been able to smell as long as I remember and I still don't know if I had a head injury or just from birth. If it was from birth then I'm %4 those people which is cool but not cool
Wow, I didn't know that you can't smell, haha. I'm able to remember Memories when I listen to Music. Every Soundtrack, Cover or Remix is like a Data-Card for me ;P Okay a serious Question: If it's possible in the Future and when the Doctors improve their research to restore important Human Abilities, would you like get your Sense of Smell back or not? ;P
So my question is which one of your sense is then heightened? Since you are completely missing your sense of smell is your sense of hearing heightened? Considering that you make music and all.
Yes! I have similar experiences from driving with others. (Honestly, I don't know how people can drive WITH a sense of smell, with how often I hear about the horrible smell from some building or diesel truck.)
