I hate grocery stores.

[Icequeen]

I then hear the bitterest and harshest voice say, 'do you drive like that too?'

I probably would have given her an evil smile and said...yes, as a matter of fact, I do.

There's nothing wrong with you, things like this used to bother me quite a bit and shake me up also, my mom used to laugh and tell me just hang in there until you get older, you'll get tougher.

I hit 40...now 50...and mom was right.

We have a smaller Walmart near us...I like to shop in the early morning hours or late at night when I can. Some times I basically have the store to myself. It's close enough that I can circle the lot and say "nope...maybe later" if it looks too crowded. Some days I'll park over at the garden center, sprint through the store...grab the milk and sprint back to the garden center where the checkouts are empty and the cashier looks like she's dying of boredom.

You have to find the best times, days, and methods that make it easier for you. If you can get it figured out and have a game plan ahead of time, it makes it a lot less stressful. Good luck.

 

[Nitro]

I probably would have given her an evil smile and said...yes, as a matter of fact, I do.

There's nothing wrong with you, things like this used to bother me quite a bit and shake me up also, my mom used to laugh and tell me just hang in there until you get older, you'll get tougher.

I hit 40...now 50...and mom was right.

We have a smaller Walmart near us...I like to shop in the early morning hours or late at night when I can. Some times I basically have the store to myself. It's close enough that I can circle the lot and say "nope...maybe later" if it looks too crowded. Some days I'll park over at the garden center, sprint through the store...grab the milk and sprint back to the garden center where the checkouts are empty and the cashier looks like she's dying of boredom.

You have to find the best times, days, and methods that make it easier for you. If you can get it figured out and have a game plan ahead of time, it makes it a lot less stressful. Good luck.

I used to park near the auto center, gather what I wanted and then check out in the sporting goods section of a huge one I lived near.

In and out on Christmas eve in under a half hour was a record that shall never fall

 

[balsabonbon]

I can only handle certain grocery stores at certain times. WalMart is extremely stressful for me even on a good day when it's the middle of the week and there aren't a lot of people milling about. On a weekend with the kids with me? Horrible! I tend to pay a bit more to shop at a smaller store without as many people, just so that the experience isn't as terrible for me.

 

[SL JediKnight]

I don't like public places in general

 

[Aspychata]

The only place rude people can go is the grocery store, once you have that insight, you will function better at stores. If you assume that they are upset about something going down in their life that they have no control over, you will blossom. l basically go to the store, realise that a lot people are idiots, therefore l don't engage in losing my emotions or responding to anything going down around me. It really helps me.

 

[Progster]

It's not the grocery stores that I hate so much as the people in them... the queues, the families with noisy kids, people who won't keep themselves to themselves. People passing in front of me when I'm trying to read something. Then there's the irriting, absolutely awful waily or otherwise insipid background music... or the beeping scanner which is way too loud, and squeeking carts. Just about tolerable with earplugs or headphones and music, I try to go during school or work hours and avoid peak hours. If I don't have a list to focus on, I get distracted or sidetracked and spend way too much time.

 

[Oldlady]

I was raised in a very aggressive/angry household and learned very young that having a temper could shield me from the world. How? My natural tendency for sensitivity and self-consciousness go out the window when I lose my temper. I just don't care about anything, but getting the target of my wrath.

This is where I have found my temper to be very helpful. But, there is a price to pay for having a temper, a big price. So ... I think the better way to deal with these situations is to work on becoming assertive and confident and then letting the sort of situation you describe slide, knowing that if you really need to ... you can unleash the kraken.

 

[Aspychata]

I was raised in a very aggressive/angry household and learned very young that having a temper could shield me from the world. How? My natural tendency for sensitivity and self-consciousness go out the window when I lose my temper. I just don't care about anything, but getting the target of my wrath.

This is where I have found my temper to be very helpful. But, there is a price to pay for having a temper, a big price. So ... I think the better way to deal with these situations is to work on becoming assertive and confident and then letting the sort of situation you describe slide, knowing that if you really need to ... you can unleash the kraken.

l basically use humor to cope with things, l find that breaking up the drama, trauma, diva pigs, with laughter is quick and painless. A fast repartee can soothe even tense situations, or put people in a monetary stun affect.

 

[justin_havu]

Had my last visit to a grocery store about 30 minutes ago. Too crowded, too many people just standing around not knowing how to grab and go. Self-scan was completely mobbed, had to wait around the corner for a good 20 minutes before being able to jump in and start cashing myself out. Then a few seconds later, it was mobbed again. Too crowded! I was anxious, extremely angry, and trembling all over. I left the store empty handed, never to return. I’d rather starve to death than ever set foot in any grocery store again.

 

[Matthias]

Had my last visit to a grocery store about 30 minutes ago. Too crowded, too many people just standing around not knowing how to grab and go. Self-scan was completely mobbed, had to wait around the corner for a good 20 minutes before being able to jump in and start cashing myself out. Then a few seconds later, it was mobbed again. Too crowded! I was anxious, extremely angry, and trembling all over. I left the store empty handed, never to return. I’d rather starve to death than ever set foot in any grocery store again.

Grocery stores that offer a good value are busy because so many people are out of work and want cheap food. The more expensive stores are mostly empty.

 

[Ezra]

I also shop late at night in the middle of the week to have the place to myself as much as possible. Although sometimes the cleaning crew already has one of those noisy floor buffers going, which bothers me of course.

As for people being rude for no reason, I try to write it off as a psychological problem on their part.

 

[N2k12]

Theres nothing wrong with you.

I get really overwhelmed in busy supermarkets/shops.... More than once I've left a whole trolley of stuff and just walked out because I couldn't cope x

Yep. Done this one quite a few times

 

[Lemon Zing]

I cannot stand in lines in supermarkets.

 

[Aspychata]

I now shop at off the wall stores. Kinda a mixture of specialty stores. I avoid one store where senior citizens are regularly harrassed by the younger employees. I hate that store, and my stress load has dropped considerably now that l don't go there. I go to it's cheaper cousin.

 

[Lemon Zing]

Did you see the new self-service checkouts in Tesco? The part you have to put your items on looks like a shelf with a hole behind it. You can hardly balance anything on this for fear of a bottle being knocked over, or something.

 

[unperson]

you have to avoid shopping at the hours all the local psychos shop which is usually before/after school. My local mall is staffed by people who all know each other so it's really gossipy, but there's a range of other non-mall shops in the area, its a matter of finding one where people aren't aggressive or know each other from school or the store disapproves of gossiping staff.

 

[Aspychata]

What is upsetting is the guys trolling for a girlfriend or whatever. Dude- no, l get it , speed dating in the store but l didn't sign up for it so bug off before l go to the Raid spray section. Oh my gee gosh.

 

[Judge]

What is upsetting is the guys trolling for a girlfriend or whatever. Dude- no, l get it , speed dating in the store but l didn't sign up for it so bug off before l go to the Raid spray section. Oh my gee gosh.

Oh my. Just going in to buy groceries turns me off. Can't imagine looking for women there of all places.

Otter scores, but then he lived a charmed life. Go figure.

 

[watersprite]

I’ve been known to go 3 weeks in between the dreaded grocery shop. Best time to my shop for me is when it is a time most humans are doing something else, so the shops are quieter, lines short. Also it’s less strssdul; I can go at my own pace without someone “breathing down my neck.” The listed items get purchased and loaded into my cart and then head home for a well deserved cup of tea.

 

[Aspychata]

I’ve been known to go 3 weeks in between the dreaded grocery shop. Best time to my shop for me is when it is a time most humans are doing something else, so the shops are quieter, lines short. Also it’s less strssdul; I can go at my own pace without someone “breathing down my neck.” The listed items get purchased and loaded into my cart and then head home for a well deserved cup of tea.

Totally agree. My shopping now includes beans, because they last forever in their little cans.

Grocery shopping has now turned into a drama saga story equipped with little gremlin shoppers that seek human attention because their life is so boring.

Our state is filled with these types with no life of their own. Why a senior citizen would be of interest to them tells me their life must really suck. But l digress. Must save my personal issues and quit ranting. Maybe a cup of tea and a cat from the humane society is my new utopia.