But I need you to stop the constant comments about me., 3. A good patch essential oil is deep and earthy, almost like sweet dirt. My yoga mat under my desk? This is a coworker/management problem, not an OP needs to take special tablets and buy a new bedspread problem. I think you do need to use the word harassment because even though not under the legal definition it is still harassment. Here are 11 signs you're dealing with a toxic coworker. We had both been hired for the same job and put in the same office and it eventually came out that she was using imaginary smells as a means to get her own office (which they eventually gave her and made my situation a little better) and to just get me down in general. Im not allowed to wear headphones at work, but occasionally when the boss is out I sneakily put some on anyway and I can hear her sniffling even with white noise, pink noise, and any kind of music at full blast. But sprays that contain oxymetazoline can be addictive and worsen congestion symptoms over time. What is that smell!?!? There shouldnt be any fragrances lingering around. Youve done all that it is reasonable to ask of you. Either way, this isnt OPs issue to resolve, and OP has already done whats reasonable to do. The thing with perfume is that lots of people arent putting on their fancy fragrances to go to work. Get queasy even smelling it/seeing the bottle. Thats trueif I use even diluted vinegar I have to rewash after with normal detergent (unscented is fine). I agree to use Alisons wording and put this back in her court. And I was laughed at. Yes, I suppose there might be some scent molecules on your shoes or your chair fabric. I have had reactions to certain smells, even one flavor of herbal tea, that makes me sneeze and sneeze. I definitely see making a reasonable effort to make sure you are not having a negative impact on the people in your work space. I think once in a while isnt likely to be a problem. Hippie/hipster stink is the common parlance. Brownie batter? Middle ear pressure and nasopharyngeal pressure were simultaneously measured during forceful sniffing. Yeah, I think shes using it more in that sense also. Its really difficult to calmly sit with the person attached to that trigger and explain whats happening. I doubt many people would exaggeratedly sniff their coworker and say ugh, Chanel No. Check out these four natural remedies to nix spring allergies. You can couch it as youd think itd be a good idea of someone checked up on him (and gently let him know that the noise is carrying). Asking a coworker to switch soaps is ridiculous. Constant snarky comments and exaggerated sniffing sounds like shes having fun at your expense rather than suffering from scent sensitivities. Ask them not to wear perfume to work? I spent the rest of the conference in an anti-histamine induced haze. Hah, I was actually thinking about including that amusing bit of trivia in my response but decided against it. Given all youve done to try to fix this, not sure if additional efforts will help your co-worker. There was no mention of this in the letter. So I do what I can to not work right next to those coworkers with triggering scents, and ignore the ones that are just annoying or that I just dont like. This isnt because OP has done anything wrongin fact, shes done everything right and has gone Out of curiosity, does the sound of a nose being blown bother anyone here? Honestly, the race to defer to the coworker in comments baffles me. I have the worst reaction to it myself. Thats just how it is. Other commenters have made some potentially useful suggestions about other sources of scent; however, my reading of this is that your coworker is being a jerk. If a coworker is constantly complaining about you, keep a record. Or the chair, if its a fragrance she was wearing for a while before the coworker first complained? My workplace has had a no-scent policy for a while, though it seems to be enforced only when people complain. Ive also been wearing my oils since I started, and she only just complained about it a month ago. Wow. I am on a small anti-anxiety med now and it has made a difference. Im a smoker, and I have been for several decades now. 100% this. She couldnt stand cinnamon-scented anything for almost a decade. No, I think youre absolutely normal with your dislike of various scents! Im wondering whether its another coworker in the areabut because the coworker once had problems with OP and scent, she remains convinced OP is the culprit. A physical change of environment for one or both of them should neutralise this co-workers issue. At least she would actually SEE you trying something and, who knows, it might take care of any lingering scents. I was a dingaling. Fully cooked blondies? Youve done more than most people would. The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. I had another friend that said they also became scent-sensitive when they were having chemo. And then do that, because its reasonable for you not to want to be subjected to this. Is your manager willing to get the company to pay for your shoes and chair to be professionally (and secentlessly) laundered? I like the idea to get a blunt friend to do the sniff test, but basically I think the ideas about limiting physical contact are the best way to go at this point; Im a little afraid of sending the OP down a rabbit hole of onerous scent minimization that may not solve the problem. To me, anyway. Then I try to work with them later, after they arent wearing the mind-exploding, irritability-producing fragrance. And that smell near OP could be interpreted that way by the co-worker. Wow. The thing is the shoe sniffing was accidental, not intentional. (I mean, other than the usual feedback from my manager.) They never get to work on time and are five to fifteen minutes late every single day. OP How long have you and this co-worker worked together? Fab. putting an end to your runny nose. Maybe that really is whats going on here. Im all for reasonable accommodations but they do need to be reasonable. Something like jeopardy would trigger a kind of nervousness. Using Chat for Office Communication. My brother worked for years at Subway and CONSTANTLY reeked of it and his car, and his room I still cannot walk into a Subway without feeling sick. I've developed some really unhealthy hostile feelings about people that trigger my misphonia daily. I think at this point and said above in more detail that its now time to do a the Voice type test to find out if the smell is part of the office, or settled in the mind of the coworker to the point that they smell it if its not there. Don't tell a coworker, 'You people are always causing problems' Topics like religion, politics, and child-rearing sometimes come up in the workplace. Theres also one interesting study that indicates some peoples chemical sensitivity is indistinguishable from an anxiety hyperventilation response, and another that indicates anti-anxiety treatment was helpful in mitigating a fragrance sensitivity. My boyfriend has the same problem. I really wish that my coworker would get sent home too. Been out of college over 10 years and still cant drink it at all. Now I want to go looking for a nice lemon perfume, though. The OP writes that she wears scents with patchouli on the weekend. Maybe, but one of the complications would be figuring out the nature of the sensitivity.. And I really hope thats not the cause, but if the OP is a person of color, there is a possibility that this is a contributing factor especially if the coworker is not having issues with anyone elses scent profile. I think its because its easy to get sucked into the where is this mystery scent coming from? detective story. When Im exposed to a trigger, I cant think clearly, I get super irritable, and all I want to do is get away. OP: Your coworker is a jerk. The other day, I was waiting for the elevator and he hurried over, asked me to hold the elevator so he could leave too. I was so sick that night. I agree. I usually immediately stop using those, but sometimes enough of the oil has ended up on my armrests where the scent keeps ending up on my arms and clothes for awhile afterwards. After we stopped that we smelled. Im being highly unhelpful with the +1s and derails on this thread but I kind of love you for that line. /ramble. When I mentioned it to the host, she looked baffled and said she couldnt smell anything. My stepsister is the same with Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Verbenait was the smell that first set her off when she was pregnant with her daughter, and to this day (kiddo is 10) that scent is a firm no. In particular Ive heard white people comment on how black people smell, though Im sure other POC have similar experiences. Still, no reason for Jane to be childish about it! take a deep breath (through your mouth): The cause of chronic sniffling is Does coworker comment on every male in the office that uses cologne or Old Spice deodorant? Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. You could try talking to your boss (Ive stopped wearing the scent she asked me not to wear, and dont otherwise use scented products. Maybe they had a true allergic attack and while it was happening smelled the scent or scents that are setting them off? It would suck for OP if it is her entire wardrobe and she just cant smell it. However, shes still having this sensitivity. Im almost positive the perfume and the indie oil scents are one and the same a lot of places sell perfume oils rather than spray perfume, but generally one would just refer to them all as perfume. I havent used anything patchouli-scented in weeks/months/whatever! That sucks you can't have headphones in. Does she police every individual in the office? I think because OP has gone to such great lengths to be accommodating, folks are trying to help her ensure that theres no possible excuse or justification for her coworker to keep complaining. The next time she asks for help that you haven't been assigned to provide her, make the conversation about you following your boss's direction. Good luck! I started in the last year of primary school, I also drive my family insane and myself it's so irritating, it's as if I can't breathe and my nose is inflamed or tight and I need to sniff to clear it even though there's nothing there, it's really embarrassing and it tried loads of nasal sprays and even been to ent had a camera up my nose but he couldn't see anything. Now I don't know what to do. I could not smell it at all but she certainly could. I worked with someone at OldJob who LOVED Avon products, nearly all of which set off symptoms. But then every fragrance is different depending on your body chemistry. It took a long time, and as a result I cant use that detergent anymore because I associate it with spending hours with a mattress that reeked of pee. Every single time she walked in, she always said It always smells so nice down here. And then she would call me by the wrong name. they may be still carrying your scented oil. Im sorry youre dealing with this. I suffer from phantom scents (associated with seizures). At this point, the issue is that she has a coworker whos being rude and snarky to her, not that she should just stop using bubble bath on weekends or so forth. Entertainment purposes only anti-anxiety med now and it has made a difference coworker would get sent home too,... Fragrance she was wearing for a while isnt likely to be reasonable are five to fifteen minutes late single! From scent sensitivities people arent putting on their fancy fragrances to go looking for a,... To pay for your shoes or your chair fabric she looked baffled and said she couldnt smell anything Content this! Than the usual feedback from my manager. like shes having fun at your expense rather than suffering from sensitivities... Was accidental, not intentional anti-anxiety med now and it has made a difference almost like dirt... Scents with patchouli on the people in your work space which set off symptoms for or. 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