Phantosmia (phantom smells)

For About 2 years now, on and off, I smell a kerosine like smell where there is no such thing present. I'm not even sure if it's a kerosine smell but smells like kerosine or some sort of pungent gas. It only lasts a few seconds but is very distinct. I have smelt it in my room, I have smelt it at random places outside where there is no chance of kerosine being present. Over the couple years I have changed places twice (for other reasons) but the smell comes on and off. It's usually only once or twice a day, and lasts only a few seconds but it's very distinct. Then for a few weeks or even couple months it would go away and then come back.

I searched for it online and smelling smells that aren't present in the environment is some kind of olfactory hallucination (no drugs involved) and the reasons a google search gave me ranged from allergies to brain tumour and everything in between.

Why do I smell this? What's going on?

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It could be from a past life. Perhaps you smelled kerosene before dying in your last life, for example. What we experience as we die can stick on our souls in some way. Or perhaps your home in your last life was lit by kerosene lamps and it made an impression on you for some reason.

Besides it being an imprint from a previous life, it could be something involving kerosene you experienced in your youth. A simple memory, feeling etc. can invoke smell, taste, hearing & feelings from a time long past. Its a similar thing to dejavu but it incorporates different senses.

For example if you got injured as kid during a fireworks show and you tasted blood (iron) during this time, you might get to taste iron every time you are watching a fireworks show long after you have forgotten about what happened in your youth.

It could be from a past life. Perhaps you smelled kerosene before dying in your last life, for example. What we experience as we die can stick on our souls in some way. Or perhaps your home in your last life was lit by kerosene lamps and it made an impression on you for some reason.

Very interesting, maybe a past life regression meditation is due for me.

For About 2 years now, on and off, I smell a kerosine like smell where there is no such thing present. I'm not even sure if it's a kerosine smell but smells like kerosine or some sort of pungent gas. It only lasts a few seconds but is very distinct. I have smelt it in my room, I have smelt it at random places outside where there is no chance of kerosine being present. Over the couple years I have changed places twice (for other reasons) but the smell comes on and off. It's usually only once or twice a day, and lasts only a few seconds but it's very distinct. Then for a few weeks or even couple months it would go away and then come back.

I searched for it online and smelling smells that aren't present in the environment is some kind of olfactory hallucination (no drugs involved) and the reasons a google search gave me ranged from allergies to brain tumour and everything in between.

Why do I smell this? What's going on?

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Here’s a link on phantom smells, it happens. I’ve had some off things happen because of allergies and migraines, tinnitus causes ringing. Tinnitus is sometimes stress related.

Don’t worry about anything serious, maybe get it looked into.

For About 2 years now, on and off, I smell a kerosine like smell where there is no such thing present. I'm not even sure if it's a kerosine smell but smells like kerosine or some sort of pungent gas. It only lasts a few seconds but is very distinct. I have smelt it in my room, I have smelt it at random places outside where there is no chance of kerosine being present. Over the couple years I have changed places twice (for other reasons) but the smell comes on and off. It's usually only once or twice a day, and lasts only a few seconds but it's very distinct. Then for a few weeks or even couple months it would go away and then come back.

I searched for it online and smelling smells that aren't present in the environment is some kind of olfactory hallucination (no drugs involved) and the reasons a google search gave me ranged from allergies to brain tumour and everything in between.

Why do I smell this? What's going on?

Show more...Show less...Show more...

The smells are very similar, it is possible that you feel a different smell, which you mistake for the smell of kerosene.

I am a person who feels and distinguishes smells very well and can smell things that other people cannot smell.

could it be the clothes you wore the day you smelled it or your shampoo?

Have you smelled it before in your childhood or something?

I remember before my grandpa passed away, he would smoke a distinct type of cigarettes that would give away a specific smell and when I wouldn't be present near him or when he died, I would randomly smell that specific cigarette smell, usually during holidays or on my birthday or during random events. It would always bring me comfort.

So maybe this is similar?