[zijax]

I loathe going to the grocery store. I'm freaking out right now. I can't even type now. Too much craziness and people and stuff everywhere...help. I even had my Mother go with me and it didn't help. What is wrong with me

Originally Posted by zijax

I loathe going to the grocery store. I'm freaking out right now. I can't even type now. Too much craziness and people and stuff everywhere...help. I even had my Mother go with me and it didn't help. What is wrong with me

Hi. I had absolutely awful grocery store anxiety too. It got to the point that I found a store open all night and would shop at 2am.

The stores switched hours though and I found myself doing my shopping right at opening.

I had a great therapist. She had me do a few things. Firstly, she forbade me from using a self checkout. I am now grateful for this. In her office she made me draw up two lists: what were the advantages to being anxious and what were the disadvantages to being anxious. She had me do the same for advantages for and against shopping at the crack of dawn (we agreed that it probably wasn't very safe).

Then, she had me go a half hour later and later and later each week.

She once even met me at the store, she bought me a coffee, and she followed me around shopping together (perhaps she might have been observing my dietary choices too?).

It took 3 months to get to the point where I can shop. I still do so with a coffee - it seems as though holding it in my hand is my coping mechanism.

[Ocean Swimmer]

I buy online. Free delivery. No driving. No packing the stuff in the car. I have anxiety attacks in grocery stores too.

[BlueMerleGirl]

I have a hard time with grocery shopping as well. My husband never goes with me and I always have to do 99 percent of our family's grocery shopping. He only picks up stuff af convenience stores.

For me it's always that I spend too much money and can't stay within my budget, and the loading and unloading stuff and putting it away in my house. It's so overwhelming.

[Fallen.Star]

I'm the same. I always have to have my mom go with me. There's always so many people, its so overwhelming. Checking out is the worse for me. I feel so pressured and rushed when people are behind me and waiting. I get so anxious and impatient and freaked out, shaky, hard to breathe, thinking people are thinking horrible things, feel crowded and trapped. I hate it. Its one of the hardest things. I always make sure I do as much shopping in one trip so I don't have to go as often. its so difficult. I feel for you.

If you're learning to conquer your anxiety, I think it would be best to go to the grocery store early in the morning, late in the evening, or in the middle of the night (if yours is a 24 hour store). I think it awesome that you're pushing yourself to go out and do these things, but time of day can help so that you don't become too overwhelmed. Hugs.

[zijax]

Thanks everybody, I didn't know other people had this same thing going on. You've all given me some great ideas and I appreciate the support and empathy. I'm going to find out which grocery store is 24 hours and go at 4 in the morning. That's the plan.