Symptoms of Grocery Store Anxiety

going to the grocery store for an anxious person can be very overwhelming. In this article I give you tips & tricks to be at ease when you’re at the store.

 Anxiety can manifest itself into different disorders at different times of your day, your week, or throughout the year. Mainly, people have a combination of different anxiety disorders. Going to the Grocery Store can activate a lot of anxiety manifestations. Let’s break it down. 

• Agoraphobia is when you avoid certain places or situations that you know will make you panic.
• Social Anxiety Disorder is avoidance of social situations for fear that it will bring embarrassment or concerned with being judged.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder is persistent worries about events or even ordinary things in your routine.

You can see how all of these anxiety disorders can be triggered when taking a trip to the grocery store. There is so many elements to going to the grocery store when you are dealing with anxiety, it is a very daunting task. What is the best way to get through it? Together <3. 

Let’s go step by step of what it’s like for an anxious person to go to the grocery store and talk about solutions.

 Agoraphobia

You can be in a state of panic and fear and choose not to leave your house; but avoiding triggers is not a permanent solution to your problems. Right now, starting somewhere is better than never getting out of bed. You are also more fatigued than the average person because your body is constantly in fight or flight mode; you’re not lazy but completely drained from your own worries. 

Social Anxiety Disorder

This one is a big part of going to the grocery store because there will inevitably be a lot of people. You have to remind yourself that you’re not being put under a microscope. No one is judging you for going shopping. Read more for ways to block these thoughts out of your mind. 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

This one is important because it serves as a reminder that you can be worried about the most ordinary things, like going to the grocery store. Anxiety is persistent and can make it hard to accomplish everyday tasks. 

You might only relate to one of these manifestations of anxiety or a combination of the three. How do you know that you’re feeling anxiety at all? Here is a list of common symptoms for people who experience anxiety at the grocery store.

Grocery store anxiety symptoms:

• Feeling fearful of people walking close by you.
• Exhausted by the amount of noise and people surrounding you.
• Afraid of people judging you for what you buy.
• Overwhelmed by the number of choices.
• Feeling in a rush for no reason.

Grocery Store anxiety triggers:

• People laughing with each other nearby.
• Making eye contact for too long with others.
• Samples offered to you in-store.
• Being too close to others in the store.

Remind yourself that people are not paying attention to you. Everyone is either glued to their phone or thinking about what their next meal is going to be. No one cares that you are there to get groceries for yourself. If you struggle with feeling overwhelmed at the grocery store, read on for more tips and tricks.

How to set your day up for success

A valuable lesson the anxious person has to learn is, preparation. Anxious people do not like to prepare because they are too busy rushing through everything. When you slow down and prepare for tasks in your day, it will make you less anxious when performing whatever activity you have planned. It will also cause less mishaps, meaning you will be less frustrated and more likely to finish the task. 

1. Look good to feel good.
2. Bring a sweater/ dress warm.
3. Wear wireless headphones.
4. Make a grocery list before.
5. Buy a quick meal.

1. If you don’t like your appearance even in the slightest way, it will ruin any chance of you having a panic-free time at the grocery store. Make sure you feel good about what you look like. Showered, complete outfit, and comfortable.
2.  As an anxious person, you rush through a lot of tasks without realizing it. If you combine that with feeling cold, your body will rush you even more so to get out of that cold. Bring a sweater with you to ensure you take your time on your grocery store trip.
3. Do yourself a favor and get some type of Bluetooth wireless headphones. They are user-friendly and it helps filter out all of the people and noise. Helping you to not feel so overwhelmed.
4. Do not go to the store without a list. Having to think about what you need on the spot will cause more anxiety and frustration for you. Create a grocery list on the Notes app on your phone and check things off as you put them in the basket.
5.  I advise not cooking a meal when you return from the store. Why? Because going to the grocery store will be very draining. Getting back home and trying to cook a meal will put a bad taste in your mouth. It is better to cook when you are rested and energized. Buy something pre-made for you to eat when you make it home from the store.

Bonus Tips:

• Never go to the store on the weekends (too crowded)
• Go to the store an hour before they close (not crowded)
• Listen to soft music or low bpm in your headphones (relaxing)
• Take notice if you’re holding your breath (breathe deeper to calm)

You have just learned how to go to the grocery store while dealing with anxiety. I reviewed what triggers the anxiety, how to calm yourself, and bonus tips. You can’t help the anxiety that you have but you can find a way to make it easier to deal with. Eventually you might even heal all together, which is more than possible! Leave a comment and let me know what triggers you when you go to the grocery store.