Supermarket Overload Attack

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For some time now building work has been taking place within my local Tesco supermarket. The building noise and the usual mothers screaming at their wining kids has been bad been bad enough,even with my earplugs in. But today, I had a very bad overload attack.

There have been high boards up around the building work, I so I have not seen what has been going on behind them. So when I walked in today, through the new entrance I was very suddenly hit by the changes that had been hidden on my last visit there just a couple of days ago.

As I walked in I was hit by the sudden appearance of the trolley escalators to the new floor. The general additional sections of the store overwhelmed me as did the lighting of the new floor from its open plan balcony.

I became disorientated and panicky and had to sit down on the floor. A man that recognised me (but me not him) came over to ask if I was ok, then staff came over to ask the same. The staff were very good, bring me water, and one sat with me until I was able to get up and carry on.

I thought it best to look around the store to get used to it, but was too disorientated to buy anything other than the veggey mince which was the main thing I had come in for. It helped a bit having Bearsac with me to hug and smell. (He goes everywhere with me).

I don’t usually get visual overload, at least not like that, this was quite extreme visual overload for me.
I am still astounded at how just the sight of the escalators could have sparked of this sensory attack. I will hopefully be more prepared next time I go in.

Has anyone else had that type of visual overload, when they don’t normally have visual overload?
My overloads tend to be sound and smell based.


Debra

I don't have visual overload but being in a large, unknown supermarket scares me - particularly at the checkout. People who try to flog me shite at the doors don't tend to get the best of me - made worse when father wants to talk to said woman. Then having a week of being told that you're wrong, you should speak to people with only one thing in mind and the world isn't black and white. I thought he was being rather stupid. I suppose we should invite all the religious nutjobs round for tea and coffee too?

Grrr. Anyway, I'll give over here. I should be able to have a talk about this (yes, it's still bothering me from last Saturday) with someone who isn't a complete moron soon.

I get visual overload. I hate it...I will even get dizzy.

I look down alot...or will focus on one thing that's directly in front of me for awhile...it seems to help me deal with it.

I'm not crazy about big supermarket's at all (and they just keep getting bigger)....there's just too much...you go in and there's enough food to feed a 3 states for a year. I don't need 35 different choices to try and process when all I need is a can of corn.



You still looked around and got what you needed afterwards? I think you did GREAT...we have big supermarkets...but no escalators or second floors here...I can't even imagine dealing with all that just to get some groceries.

I was dragged to mall of America" in my home state a few times when it first opened....imagine yourself in an M.C. Escher painting....stairs going up into nothing at angles that defy logic.I hate large stores or malls.

The worst visual overload for me is driving.I am fine going in a straight line but as soon as I come to an intersection....there are hanging lights with arrows and signs and I cant tell which one is "mine" or the 6 other intersecting roads.Thats when I have to pull over and deep breath.I try and make it make sense but my brain just can not process all the info.....I drive as little as possible.

I get angry at the store because it seems everyone who is confused or oblivious to why they are outside their houses are present in these buildings - kids running around, people staring at things they dont need, people yapping on a cell to their husband talking loudly figuring out which form of ginger powder to buy, shopping carts left in the aisles, people walking too slow, people not watching where they are going, etc.

I feel like I'm the only person who knows what it is they want (finding it can be rough).. It pissed me off because I want to get on the loud speaker and try and organize everything

I had that happen a few times (all while in the car) when I went to look up unexpectedly and then it is like all the minute detail just floods your sensory system and you freak out. Others thought I was having a panic attack but this type of overload (visual one) tends to be very draining. The most major one I had was when we went to go onto the freeway and were coming around one of those circular access roads and from up high all of a sudden it was like I could not only see all the cars on the freeway but just everything about it and had to put my head down and screamed for my boyfriend (now my husband) to take me home. I was so shaky I went to bed and really didn't want to leave the apartment for a few days. After that I realized that is why I usually look down or off to the side and was always told to look up as a kid. That was always attributed to shyness but I was probably protecting myself and didn't realize it. I also have my eyeglass prescription a little lower than it could be to avoid seeing too much detail in the distance.

Yeah I tend to look down almost constantly and cant drive. When riding in a car Ill alternate looking out the side window and sitting with my eyes closed.

Im glad Im not the only one who thinks the architects of most malls decided to use non-euclidean geometry and alternate dimensions in the design

I really hate it when shops get refits, then re-open with brighter lights and bigger open spaces. It makes me less likely to want to go in them.

I only really get bothered in supermarkets when they are crowded, though there is still a slight off feeling, like the shelves are going to fall over.

Getting "overloaded" is very strange. It can occur very suddenly. I was walking at the the food court maybe a couple of weeks ago and suddenly I froze. I don't remember what it was exactly, but I think it was the combination of the crowds and the lights. I stood, or took a couple of steps while blinking my eyes trying to adjust.

I don't remember if I left. I think I might have. Sometimes I am able to adjust to an extent by looking away from people and lights (I have figured out I am able to move faster that way any way), but other times if the sounds are overwhelming me to I just have to get away from the situation as quickly as I can.

I am not diagnosed with anything but never sought to be. I am here as a concerned mom for my child and because I do work with autistic children.

Just yesterday I went Christmas shopping and it was a huge mistake. I often have had problems in stores even when they are not crowded. Supermarkets are the worse as it seems I become disoriented, confused and it's hard to describe but it seems like everything is coming at me at one time and I cannot focus and block out what is on the shelves but I am seeing everything at once. I become very grouchy and irritated and will snap if anyone touches me or speaks to me. I have warned my family about this and when it starts happening, I will only say I need space and now they know to leave me alone. I asked once or twice about this to other people and they said they thought it was the lights.

Yesterday I had to bail out. I told my husband I couldn't take it and I had to look down while making my way to the door. There were so many people and they seemed to move fast as I was moving slow. It was an odd sensation but again I was disoriented and overwhelmed and it was very scary. Normally I can fight it and wait till it passes and finish my shopping but not yesterday. It was just too much.