Anxiety about self checkout barriers

[fansareon]

I have had social anxiety for many years and for a long time I didn’t leave the house but now I live in a busy city where nobody knows me I feel ok to go to the shops as I’m just an anonymous person in a strange city, usually with Dh but this time I went alone.
However I don’t like any sort of confrontation and today I was in a supermarket my baby was crying and I was trying to pack my bags and I missed the prompt asking if I’d like a receipt before it vanished off the screen.

I walked towards the exit and the alarms went off and the barrier didn’t open so I panicked as I could feel everyone looking at me I waited a sec but nobody came over so I pushed the barrier as my anxiety was through the roof by now and I just wanted to get out of there and I felt trapped so I forced the barrier open and walked out with louder alarms going and a man shouting you’re not allowed to do that, everyone staring.
I know I made matters worse for myself but with anxiety it’s just fight or flight and not wanting confrontation I went into flight mode.
I am now massively back to square one and thinking of moving again as I never want to leave the house again.
I just feel like the world is such a humiliating place and that going shopping shouldn’t be confrontational. I just want to be able to go to the shops without alarms and barriers and a scene.

I can sympathise, OP, but the world doesn’t need to adapt to alleviate these types of anxieties. You need to take charge of your own mental health and take steps to improve. Especially because you have children.

I am fortunate not to suffer from the issues you do. However I look at the self service barriers and issues as being problems that shops have created...get rid of staff on check out and shop lifting increases. It's not you at fault here. You did nothing wrong, it's their system.

If you can face it could you perhaps pop to a small local store or an express store and use the cashier there just to 're build your confidence. I

I know it's difficult, but I can honestly say no one thought you were in the wrong...they were all thinking "those bloody tills".

Online shopping? Or break down into a script how you’ll act if the alarms do sound.

Shop online next time.

Op huge hugs, things fall apart quickly in supermarkets with babies crying. Hope you get the feet up and a good cuppa this evening x

Which supermarket? If they are going to put barriers in, then making receipts optional on a screen that gives you very limited time to accept the option is shit customer service. The only supermarkets in my town that do this don't have barriers. The ones that do issue a receipt automatically. Staff can obtain the receipt for you if you miss the option, you just need to wait by the machine and ask for the staff member to use their code to get it. . Take back your power and email a complaint, their system is flawed.

Are you getting professional help and support? It does sound distressing for you.

I’ve had CBT and I’m a lot better than I was.

I suffer the same thing and I don't go out unless it's to take the children to school in which case I arrive dead on time so I can be quickly in and out, I have massive understanding of how you felt in this situation, I have only recently managed to go to my local shop with my husband and he stood with me while I bought things and even that was a massive thing, what you have done is brilliant that you managed to go alone to a supermarket, I'm still working upto that so be proud of yourself, only someone who understands can see what a big deal that is