To ask if anyone else feels unwell/confused in shops and supermarkets?

[hatetheshops]

Nearly every time I go shopping I seem so find myself feeling really unwell and confused. It's hard to describe but I feel dazed and disorientated like I can't focus on what I'm doing. I'm young and otherwise healthy... I first noticed it happening in large supermarkets/shops like Tesco, B&Q, Costco. But now it seems to be every shop. I'm wondering if it's anxiety, although I don't think that I feel anxious in shops and there's other situations I find a lot more anxiety-provoking that don't cause the same effect?

Does anyone else relate?

I believe it is something to do with the flicker rate in fluorescent lighting.

Yes most definitely, it is overwhelming.
I feel as if I'm stupid and walk about with a daft grin on my face as if to signal that I know what I'm doing, its hard to describe.I forget half the shopping too, so now I have a lovely Morrisons delivery every 10 days or so.
You're not alone.

There's a particular aisle in my local Sainsbury's where the lighting suddenly becomes weirdly orange tinted. The floor is also quite uneven. The first couple of times I went down that aisle, I thought I was having some strange medical episode. DH doesn't seem to even notice it.

I can get quite overwhelmed in supermarkets and do get that disassociated feeling.

I feel disoriented. This seemed to happen when I had stopped going regularly then went again. When I do go now I'm a bloody menace to everyone else as I get in their way as I'm trying to look at everything

Yes, and I’m probably autistic

Could it be related to chemical allergies or sensitivity? Some people with sensitivity to laundry detergent chemicals or perfumes find it hard to go near the detergent aisle.

Another autistic here who has the same thing! About 20 minutes in i notice myself becoming panicky and have to start deep breathing. I feel overwhelmed and emotional, sometimes close to tears. The worst one was when my big Tesco introduced video advert screens in aisles. I have also had this when being with a colleague in a supermarket and them seeing me be unable to think clearly and panicking around choosing something to eat. It was so embarrassing being like that in front of someone else that I actually got a sunflower lanyard specifically to wear in supermarkets.

Yes, but only since having Long Covid. It's definitely sensory overload. I can't think straight and my brain just goes into 'freeze' mode. There is too much noise, light, people, colour, pictures of goods, signage, etc. DH says I look at list and am then baffled by 'beans' for eg. I spend ages staring at Heinz, Branston, own brand, trying to work out prices and wondering if there is much difference in taste. I can't make a decision.

I only shop in local shop with a short list now. Big shops are done online or in person by DH.

I'm so relieved to know other's feel like this too! I avoid going in the supermarket alone as before I have nearly had to just walk out and leave my shopping.

Interesting that a lot of you who have similar experiences are autistic. I'm not autistic as far as I'm aware but I do have autistic family members so it's something I have always wondered about for myself (for other reasons than this). I had heard of sensory overwhelm but had never really thought what that actually looks/feels like.

I'm also reading about PPPD and finding that very interesting. I do struggle with walking down aisles and looking left and right, and I get a similar weird dizzy feeling when looking down for long periods of time (e.g. looking down at my phone rather than bringing it up to eye level). I am also very clumsy and will seem to always lose my balance when standing still and have to grab onto a wall or something to stop myself falling.