How to cope in crowded supermarkets...

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Have you ever heard of neuroplasticity? I recently just read about it in Anita Lesko's book "Becoming an Autism Success Story." She talks about neuroplasticity where one learns how to rehearse something in their minds through meditation several times before going to the store.

Have you read anything about Irlen Syndrome and Irlen lenses ( apparently about a 1/3 of people with autism suffer with Irlen Syndrome ).

Here is a useful webpage with some self tests , however IIRC Irlen tests are not done on the NHS and lenses can be expensive

https://irlen.com/get-tested/

Thanks. Just done a brief test. It says I have a scoee of 9 and am at risk for Ilene syndrome. What is it anyway? I know nothing about it.

Also, what does the score go up to? Some aspects I did not know how to answer. Is very "Yes" or "No" where I was looking for an inbetween...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irlen_syndrome

Thank you Mr Save Ferris.

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I have done before, but my phone volume doesn't go up very loud when using headphones, and hearing screaming kids over my music is even more annoying. Also I like to be alert in case I see someone I know.


I do this.


I probably need to teach myself these breathing techniques.



That's a bit of a weird time for me to be out on my own doing shopping. I live in a city and I don't like being out after 10pm.
9am is the best time for me to do shopping, as it's a rather reasonable time and the shop is surprisingly quiet at this time. So I usually try and aim for this time.


I do this.




Americans and their little knowledge about the UK. Sorry, I just had to laugh..
Tesco is a popular supermarket in the UK, like Walmart is in the US. I don't think my local Tesco's does the device gadget.

Human interaction doesn't worry me. Only mostly noises of kids and people pushing/getting in the way. I hate using the self-service check-outs because every time I use them there's always some sort of problem and I have to stand and wait for an assistant, which takes ages when the store is busy. I rather my shopping to just be scanned for me and all I got to do is pack. In fact social interaction actually distracts me from all the chaos.

I had to stop going to Tescos as their security staff assume I am a criminal. Not a company I want to deal with.

One technique for controlling panic is to implement deep breathing techniques. Force the body to take very deep slow breathes and vent the carbon dioxide buried deep within the lungs. Deep diaphragmatic breathing can be performed as follows:
1. Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs.
2. Hold your breath to the count of "three."
3. Exhale slowly through pursed lips, while you relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach.


My bad! Called it by the wrong name.
At Krogers Grocery Stores in the U.S., it is called "Scan, Bag, Go" hand scanner.

“Scan, bag, go” essentially saves the customers the time it takes to scan each item at the self-checkout lane. Instead, shoppers pick up a hand-held scanner at the entrance to the store, swipe their Kroger discount cards and scan items as they pick them out.

An added convenience is that the scanner has a display screen and keeps a running total of how much has been spent and also shows sales savings. When the customer goes to the self-checkout, they scan the big scanner with the held-held device and it is totaled within 10 seconds.

Shoppers can also download a Kroger app to scan with their smartphone cameras and make credit card payments.

In the U.K., Tesco uses a "Scan as you Shop" hand scanner similar to those used by Krogers.

^^^^That sounds nifty. I could go for that! No Krogers here though. Or Tescos for that matter.

In my area, you can order your groceries online and they will be delivered. Some autists I know use this service. It is not available out in the swamps where I live.

I hate shopping of all kinds, Joe. What I have done over the years is developed a grocery store persona, who smiles, is patient, loves children and has all the time in the world. It's amazing in that practicing this over years, it turns out to be true. Well, not really. But true enough to get through the store.

Hi Blazing. Hope your canoe trip was fun.

^^^ We are both trippers.

There is a photo in post your pics.

If you only go shopping like 1ce a week or less, it may help to get a med prescribed for as needed use like a beta-blocker or benzodiazepine. I feel very anxious on crowded buses when it's loud or there's people standing squished next to me. I take Klonopin(half a pill of the lowest dose) before going out when I may take a bus that could potentially be crowded & that helps a lot. My girlfriend usually takes a Ativan/Lorazepam when leaving for a major shopping trip cuz she has anxiety issues & gets stressed out easily & that helps her alittle.

You mention this... For nine years I was a railway conductor (Guard) and I worked many busy trains, but I always had a cab to go back to. Yes, it was very stressful at times, but because I was so concentrated on the job rarely did the stress hit me until I got home where it too hours to wind down. It also took ages to metally prepare for such a shift if I expected to be working crowded trains. On top if this the shifts went right round the clock and every day was normally a different start and finish time.

Yet as a passenger in a bus or train I just could not do it. While I have done it, the thought of panic where I could not get off and be hemmed in would make me not use the bus or train unless I really had to. Hence I would rather cycle miles then use a train or bus. My solution is to drive a car. I do hate traffic jams as I panic, but normally I do a U-turn and go somewhere to relax and wait for a few hours, or drive a very long way around on minor roads. A few days ago I was on a duel carriageway where the traffic had stopped. fortunately after a few minutes, many if us were able to join a very minor road but then I quickly U-turned by a farm entrance when the minor road traffic had stopped so I then took a different minor road heading in the opposite direction from home to avoid the panic of a traffic jam situation. Fortunately jams are rare in this area. I am ok if the traffic is moving.

Having no, or very little income means I sell my model trains which I had previously collected to help pay for keeping my car on the road. The nine years of being well paid on the railways and with a hobby of model railways, meant I bought a rather large collection!
The good thing is that as I now make my own things in a different scale which I love (7mm narrow gauge or to be more precise, 0-16.5), I have been able to mentally let go of the large 00 gauge collection, so by selling my 00 gauge I have been able to keep a car on the road.

A beta blocker on an as needed basis sounds like a great idea!