issues with being in a busy supermarket?

Post Reply New Topic

I have serious issues with this as well and I refuse to go to a supermarket during busy times. I've lessened the effects of this problem simply by going later at night around 9 p.m. and that seems to do the trick because there are far less people to worry about. Far less noise, far less confusion and far less overstimulation. The less people the better as always in any situation for me.

People who get in my way and who block the aisles with their carts drive me absolutely mad. Sometimes I just bolt, as Aspies do, the other way so I won't make a scene and I start stimming aggressively to compensate.

When I go to buy food that is part of my Aspie routine (that cannot be negotiated with) and that item is out of stock that also drives me absolutely crazy. This single event will cause a great deal of OCD and anger and it's extraordinarily difficult to deal with.

_________________
*** High Functioning Autism - Asperger's Syndrome ***

ADHD, OCD, and PTSD.

Keep calm and stim away.

I also go either very early or very late, NO weekends.
I like shopping but can't deal with people and definitely hate the lights and the loud music, I hate when everything is disorganised, when they change the aisles.
But generally I hate the empty look on the people's faces, they are just so absorbed in consume, consume, consume.

I tried online shopping but I like/I need to touch what I buy.

Typically I just buy frozen dinners and prepared deli food. So it doesn't take me too long. When I enter the supermarket I usually walk straight to the frozen food aisle and check the prices on the frozen dinners that I like. If I see something I like on sale and the price is good, I walk back to the entrance and get a shopping cart/trolley. I go back and load it up with as much as I can. Either as much as they have on the shelf, or as much as I think I can fit in my chest freezer. Then I find the shortest check out line, and get out as quick as I can.

If I don't buy anything, I'm usually in and out in about 5 minutes. If I do by stuff, I'm out in about 10 - 15 minutes. Going in the morning just after the store opens or at night just before it closes, it's usually not crowded. But I usually just go whenever I feel like it.