Oh yeah. Busy supermarkets and crowded shops at the mall are pure hell for me. My brain goes on overload and it's impossible for me to focus on finding whatever it is that I'm shopping for. If someone passes me, it's like I can smell garlic leaking out of his pores, and I can't stand being near anyone. A huge pet peeve in a crowded store for me ends up being when people move past me while I'm looking at items on a shelf.
I end up coping with it all by dulling my senses. I wear sunglasses in grocery stores to filter out those horrible fluorescent lights. I listen to music while going up and down the aisles and waiting in the checkout lines. If I'm really distressed, I'll reach for a fidget toy in my purse. All of this can put off a meltdown for enough time so that I can get the shopping done and get on with my life.
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Your Aspie score: 161 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 39 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie
AQ: 39
09 Nov 2012, 10:20 pm
