Got Grocery Shopping Anxiety?
Here’s How to Cope.
Have you ever thought about going grocery shopping, only to be overcome with anxiety? For many people, fear about grocery shopping is a real and debilitating symptom of anxiety.
From concern about crowds and where to park to difficulty making decisions about what to buy (hello, 15 different varieties of olive oil), grocery shopping can become a challenging task when you’re living with anxiety. This is primarily because it can be difficult to control the grocery shopping experience.
Today, we’ll share some of the most common anxieties about grocery shopping, as well as different strategies you can use to overcome them. If you’re looking for ideas about what to eat on an anxious stomach, check out our post “The Anxious Stomach: What to Eat and What to Avoid.”
What is Grocery Shopping Anxiety?
For many people, grocery shopping and anxiety go hand in hand. And it makes sense – after all, grocery shopping can be filled with unpredictability, interactions with strangers, and sensory overload. This can trigger anxious thoughts, feelings of overwhelm, physical symptoms of anxiety, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) compulsions.
Grocery shopping anxiety can lead to avoidance of the grocery store, which can make it challenging to eat well. However, it is still important to eat nutritious meals, even if anxiety is making it difficult to shop.
Tips for Managing Grocery Shopping Anxiety
If you’re struggling with grocery shopping anxiety, building up the courage to go to the grocery store can seem impossible. But it is possible to get your grocery shopping done, even if you’re living with anxiety. Here are some tips to make grocery shopping less anxiety-provoking:
Go early in the morning or late at night
If crowds are challenging for you, try and time your grocery shopping so that there are fewer people around. Typically, the best times to avoid crowds are early in the morning or late at night. Weekdays also tend to be less busy than weekends.
Wear headphones
If you’re worried about people talking to you while you grocery shop, try wearing headphones. You don’t even need to have music playing – simply having the headphones in will signal to people not to talk to you. However, you may also find it helpful to play soothing music to help calm you as you shop. This can help ease sensory overload.
Go shopping with a friend or family member
Sometimes, a support system can be just what you need to tackle an anxiety-provoking task. If possible, try to have a friend or family member accompany you to provide moral support while you grocery shop.
Make a list before you go
If you struggle with decision making, try making a list of what you need to buy before you head to the grocery store. This can help ease the fear of making decisions in public. If you’re worried about choosing between different brands, try opting for the generic brand when possible. The quality is the same, and it can be an easy way to take some of the stress out of decision making.
Get grocery delivery
When you’re living with anxiety, one of the most important things you can do is expose yourself to the things that make you anxious. This is because if you avoid the things that make you anxious, that can reinforce the idea that your anxiety is true.
However, if you’re having a really hard time and leaving the house isn’t an option, try getting groceries delivered. That way, you can ensure you’re eating well even if you’re unable to leave the house.
Final Thoughts
Grocery shopping anxiety can be frustrating, but there are many different strategies you can use to make it easier on yourself. Still struggling? Reach out to our team of registered dietitians and therapists at Journey to Health. Together, we can work to come up with strategies to relieve your anxiety and make grocery shopping easier.
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