I cant find things in stores!

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When I was younger I never had to worry about finding anything in a store, I would just follow my parents around. But now that Im older and I can go in stroes myself, I realize that finding things is really hard. When I first walk into a store I have a pretty good idea of what Im looking for. But when I start looking for it thats when it gets confuseing. Theres so many colors and products to choose from! I just feel so confused and stessed out. Luck for me Im only 15 and its not up to me to do all the shopping. But every now and then my parents will tell me to run to the store to get some thing real quick. I have a service dog but theres nothing she could do to help me with this other then to not have a meltdown. Any one else have this problem? How do you deal with it?

Sometimes I get sent out to the pharmacy, supply stores, anything but a grocery store. I always ask them what brand, color & detail of the item, size, and what part of the store; I get everything from them down to the very dot. If I get a meltdown, I leave and get something to eat, than start over again. I'm not that keen on asking for help I try to avoid doing so.

Welcome to the club. Another reason why shopping is hard. Evven without the noise and people. Stupid talking tv about product. Then after 10min you find what you're looking for, they have 15 different versions of said product. Going shopping is like going to work for me

Protip: at least in the US, you can get pretty much everything (including groceries) off of amazon.com

No need to go looking for stuff, just type it in the box and have it delivered to you! And yes, that includes things like milk, eggs, meat, etc

I can't find things anywhere. My mom always says "if it was a snake, it would bite you!"

But I can relate to the store thing. Just remember to take your time and relax and if that means stim in public... oh well.

Ask someone?

How to present products in a stor is a science by itself. It is called Space Management

Things everybody needs, like milk and meat, will be at the back of the store. That way you will have to walk through the whole store to find them and thereby look at (and buy) other products on your way throug the store.

Candy will be near/at the cash register, that way they tempt you to buy more candy.

Cheeper brands will be at the bottom shelves and the more expensive ones in the middle (the companies pay the supermarket for the placement of their products).

Organic products is often in a seperate corner (in my country)

If you always go to the same place, it will be easier to find your way round the supermaket.

I have to know exactly what I am getting to go into a store. I cannot go in for a general look around because like you I hate all the colours and bright lights. Sometimes my head will shutdown and I can stand for ages just looking at the shelves. Other times i have had meltdowns and must get out as soon as possible.

Try taking a list with you so you know exactly what to get. Stores often keep things in the same places, but sometimes they move things around and that is bad.

I have an easier time in grocery stores than I do other kinds of stores. Like others have said, they tend to have similar layouts. When things get moved around it can become the stuff of meltdowns (I remember coming close to one just trying to find Hershey's Syrup last year). I also go in knowing what I want to buy and following exactly the same route as every other time I go.

This system does not work so well when buying clothes or shoes, however, and I nearly always come very close to meltdown if not to the point of actual meltdown trying to find something I want to wear and then deciding whether or not to buy it. The store temperature, the lights, other people, the dressing rooms, trying on the clothes, all add up until I just drop everything somewhere random and leave the store. I need to purchase new clothes and I keep putting it off because I hate the experience.

My parents actually sent me to the store (a supermarket right across the street) as a child, as in under 10 years of age. I remember one occasion buying dog food, and then not being able to carry it, so leaving it somewhere and looking for a cart. Naturally, it was stolen or taken away or something, and I went home empty handed. I got in all kinds of trouble, but sending me alone into that lion's den, they deserved the outcome.

Even if I go into a store/supermarket, knowing exactly what I want, I still get overwhelmed with all of the information in front of me.

My head is spinning by it all, usually.

I rely on lists and am aware of my priorities so that if I become overwhelmed I just get the most necessary items or even just one item. Before using lists, I think I may have appeared suspicious because I could not make up my mind and would stand forever looking at item, then walk away trying to decide and walk back trying to decide.

My daughter was in Rwanda, briefly, and ran into another American. The fellow American said it was so much easier to shop in Rwanda because she was not overwhelmed with choices - there was so little to choose from.

I get all my clothes from llbean - free shipping and I can relax at home, spend forever trying to decide and then it is delivered to my door.

It doesn't help either when stores are constantly rearranging the items/altering the layout. That is utterly bewildering.

Sometimes I have left with nothing because they moved their inventory around. I briefly search and then just leave. I also will leave with no purchase because of their music. I'm searching or trying to decide and the music is assaulting my ears and I have to leave.