Overcoming Anxiety at the Store: Tips and Tricks

Here’s what I do: 1. Make a list. Know what you need, know what you can do without if you end up needing to bail early. If you know the layout of the store we’ll enough, organize the list by aisle so you have a plan to move through the store quickly. 2. Bring headphones, a fidget, anything that will help you feel more comfortable. I love earbuds especially because they block out the sound of other people, play whatever will make you happy, and you can pretend you’re on a phone all if you need to start talking to yourself 😅 3. Use a cashier, self checkout, whichever will give you less anxiety. For me that changes in a daily basis. 4. Ignore everyone around you. Whether it feels like it or not, they’re ignoring you. Everyone there just wants to get in and out, so do you. 5. Get yourself a treat. Something to enjoy when you get home, when you get to your car, whenever. A tiny reward for surviving the grocery store. You deserve it.

I get so anxious too that I start murmuring to myself a lot. Which adds more to the anxiety hahah. I’m just planning on going to store more and more until I get used to it. It worked with my fear of driving.

Organized list and headphones playing my favorite music ❤️

exposure really helps, making a plan before you go in so you can stick to that general guideline and checking out novelty items or stuff that is just entertaining to look at. also helps to wear a nice sturdy jacket and hat sometimes because it makes you feel safe and protected. and also, being your own friend, setting it up like a little hangout with yourself, i like to do that. i also take pictures of funny stuff to send to my friends when i see it and that helps me get over my anxiety about being in public because now i have an extra goal and its extra well intentioned

having lists going in is really helpful, and if you go to a store often enough you remember where things are in the store and you can make your list in order of which items you pick up first. also self checkout if it's available, or just have your money and things ready for when you go to pay so you don't have to take time looking for them. i've found i get way less anxious the more i can streamline a process

What helps me is going through all of the lanes one by one not skipping or going all over the place. It helps me focus