Is this type of shopping list behavior tied in to AS?

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If I am handed a shopping list for say groceries or something I only get exactly what's on that list ALWAYS. And it's like the board game Perfection If I am not out of there in say 30-45 minute I will pop..

I am not sure if it is because of anxiety, being around so many people, or an OCD thing; sticking to the list! It tends to tick off the few friends that I have when I do this.

Clumps of people moving around makes it hard to focus, so having a script (or list) is helpful to prevent wrong or missed items. I'd stick to quantities as provided too.

...and if there ever was a more anxiety inducing game than Perfection I haven't seen it yet.

I hate shopping for many reasons; all the people, the brightness, the noise, too much choice of stuff in too many different colours etc.

To avoid too much anxiety, I have to know exactly what I'm going to buy, exactly what brand, and exactly where I can find it in on the shelves. I try to pick a time which will be as quiet as possible, and I only generally shop at places within walking distance, so that I don't need to use public transport. Then, if all goes well, I'm in and out as quickly and stealthily as possible.

That all helps with the anxiety, but it does mean that my shopping habits are extremely repetitive, and thus, so is my diet. If something I wanted to get isn't available, I go totally to pieces because I can't decide on an alternative, and end up wandering aimlessly for a while or staring at a shelf of stuff, frozen there like a human statue. By always using the same shops, at least the store security learn to leave me alone after a while, but I've been refused the sale of alcohol sometimes because I look so erratic.

Haha that's totally me right there! or add ons too So if something is NOT on the list whether I made it or not, I'm not getting it. And that's what irks my friends the most.

I almost never buy exactly what's on my grocery list. And I'm lucky if I'm out of the store in under an hour. Today took longer than usual because I went in the dollar first, and then I went into the drug store because I needed a refill of one of my meds. They said it would take around 45 minutes to be ready, so I went to the grocery store while waiting and then came back after getting my grocery shopping done. So that's three different stores with three different types of products to choose from. Actually it's four stores if you count the pet store, but I was in it for a very short time. I also went to the bank before going to the other stores, which is easier to do first because then I can visit the stores each in a sequence and not have to hike back and forth as much.

I get more anxious going out to stores during school holidays because of children making crowds unbearable. The less children, the more I can cope. I find children overwhelming, annoying and unpredictable. So I tend to hibernate during the school holidays.

But I don't really follow exactly what's on the shopping list. I usually end up buying more than I expected, even if the store's crowded. And I don't have a specific shopping list either. For example, if lunch is one of the items on the shopping list, I literally write "lunch", and see what I see when I'm in there.

I am not to bad with supermarket shopping but am in and out very quickly. I am very focussed on what I want, I usually have it written down and if I can't find an item quickly I move on. Self service checkouts are also amazing.

I do find parking my car in a busy car part stressful so try and avoid the biggest supermarket at busy times.

If I go into town for anything, which is quite rare, then it is timed to perfection and I arrive outside the door on a Saturday at 9:00am just as they are opening. I very quickly get the things I want and my strict rule is that I am in my car driving home no later than 10:00am, Often by around 9:30am.

I'm with you there, joe90. I can't abide shopping or going into town where there are lots of kids about. Even the noise of them yelling out on the street all day for weeks on end over the school holidays fills me with dread; I pray for rain sometimes just because it will keep them indoors.

I can tolerate crowds more when there are less children about. Really the only loud noises that upset me in public are the sound of children and loud cars/motorcycles/horns. Otherwise, other sounds I can just filter out. And lights and smells don't bother me in supermarkets. Just the sound of bratty kids.