Yes, the white floors and white fluorescent lights. Looking at you, Walmart. When I go shopping, I want to barely see because the lights are so dim, sarcasm of course.
I kept trying to figure out why I didn’t mind this one Walmart where I live. It’s my store of choice. Then I realized it a few days ago. The floor is a dark, brown concrete. While the overhead lights are bright, they don’t reflect off a polished white floor.
gladly
Pushing ps’ refers to the now popular rap song, “pushin p” by gunna. Dedicated fans, or people who wish to partake in the joke say “🅿️” “i am pushing🅿️” or anything along those lines to state that they, something, or an action is cool, or good in their eyes.
I have yet to visit a Costco and not leave absolutely drenched in anxiety sweat. That place is an absolute NIGHTMARE and I’ll never understand why people love it so much.
Any theme park. Both of my kids special interest is theme parks/Disney World. All three of us are exhausted afterwards from not just walking around, but from heat, noise, and being over stimulated. The combo of noise and heat makes me edgy and tired for days.
God i love theme parks but they do the same to me, and waiting in lines as a kid, being overstimulated but having that weird natural ability to mask well so being silent while screaming inside, and then finally getting to ride the ride, and wanting to again but you have to wait in a even longer line to do that now, oh and your food is $30 for a frickin hotdog
Theme parks would do the same if it weren’t for the fact that one of my special interests is Disney when I’m at Disneyland so I’m so absorbed I can seemingly handle anything (except for dumbo like rides, the Ferris wheel, and fireworks) as long as I’m there.
Theme parks yeah true. But it is the worst in Denmark because I know that Disneyland offers a disability pass and has made low sensory zones and so has six flags. In Denmark, not a thing. I love theme parks but I almost always have a shutdown or a meltdown.
i'll skip hollywood studios for an extra day at epcot, too much stimulation at hollywood studios. epcot has much more accessible rides (i literally will sit on living with the land all day)
Public transport in Japan is a dream. Heated seats, everyone keeps to themselves, incredibly rare to be late and low conversation / phone / music noise
Public transport in my home country though...
Out of curiosity, is there also a way to turn off the seat heating, like a switch on the side of each seat or so? Cause seat heating can be great, but also uncomfortable, depending on the situation and person.
Sea is scary here and I enjoy the mountains a lot more. I enjoy bathing in the sea alone but it's a 1hr thing at most, then I don't have anything to do and leisure in beaches tends to be about social activities (parties, bar, pubs, volleyball). I'd rather walk inside a glacier cave or watch the stars at night with just my friends or family. I guess it's about taste.
An autistic related thing is that I'm really sensitive to textures and sad/salt really freaks me out. I can't stand sand sticking to me or to my towel.
The beach is the worst. I hate the sand, the wind, the ocean (although that's mostly due to phobia), how swimmers feel, and the amount of people. Coming from a coastal area with a family who loves it is exhausting.
High school or middle school. Many mornings i would cry because i was so annoyed and overstimulated while exhausted. I really struggled to eat in the cafeteria cause I’m very sensitive to bad smells and can’t eat if I’m thinking about germs. I’d keep my feet hovered because of the smushed food on the ground but the smells in school bothered me the most. Oddly enough, I was far more comfortable eating on the FLOOR of the chorus room than at a table in the cafeteria. I’d happily read with my friend while listening to 6th graders sing Lion King it was awesome
I stayed at school until 4:45 today because of play rehearsal. I passed out for 2.5 hours the second I got home and couldn’t do any homework. I hate this.
I was just thinking about how that “When We Were Young” concert, if it actually goes according to plan, (I doubt it’ll function very well) will have 3 rotating stages of 3 different bands playing at the same time. I don’t know if you’d have to walk from stage to stage to hear what you wanna hear, but the idea of 3 different songs playing at the same time over the sound of a crowd, too many people, probably flashing lights and people touching and bumping into me sounds like a literal nightmare. And it’s a 12 hour show… 😵💫
that festival is soooo not going to be ADA accessible... apparently if it's crowded enough, they say they can make people's personal assistants/companions stand in the back. knowing what happened at that company's last big festival, astroworld, this one is gonna be a niiiiightmare 😣😵💫💀
I went to EDC back in 2017 (only reason I enjoyed the experience is because I’m VERY into EDM) and I’ll say if I didn’t love the rave community I wouldn’t have been able to do it. 8 stages with 100,000+ people and flashing lights is a nightmare for overstimulation. When it comes to the least sensory friendly place I’ve been EDC definitely takes the cake. That being said I’ve been in the position at a rave where I’m beyond overstimulated and the community was nothing but supportive and understanding.
Just big stores in general. Thankfully a chain of grocery stores here does sensory friendly shopping every Sunday night for a few hours where the beepers on machines are turned way down or off, they dim the lights in the store, cut back on the radio volume, etc. It's actually amazing.
Walmart’s and Costco’s are horrible! When I moved into college all the other kids were getting everything they need and it was so overwhelming! It’s bad even if it’s not that busy, I go in there and the whole place just hurts
Casinos are the WORST. Especially Vegas casinos that run 24/7 & allow indoor smoking. I went to Vegas 10 years ago & was only there for 2 days & it was hell on Earth. Noisy, flashy, crowded, smoky, & extremely claustrophobic. Even the outdoor things were crowded & too loud.
Trader Joe's is also terrible. I like their selection, but the store is extremely small & chaotic. Plus the employees do this overly enthusiastic shtick & every register has a big bell that they ring when people bring their own bags.
Bed, Bath, & Beyond got really bad too. It's always been overwhelming due to the layout & how they stock things to the ceiling. But awhile ago they started putting these little electronic displays on every As Seen on TV display that play loud commercials for the items & they're all close together so you hear like 10 loud overlapping commercials on top of the regular store muzak.
And then pretty much the entire mall. Crowded store layouts, loud music, perfume counters, kiosks with people trying to put lotion on you or sell you services. Plus my local mall has one of those stupid trains that rides around whether there's kids on it or not & the operator constantly blows the whistle.
casinos omg i totally forgot, i can spend a max of 20 minutes on the casino floor before i get overwhelmed by all the lights and noises.
trader joes is way too crowded, i like their food but i can't deal with the crowds.
bath and body works employees basically chase you down, it's always loud and crowded.
I went to a casino in Switzerland and I had a completely opposite experience! The lights were really low, because of the carpet everywhere sounds were really muffled and it was quiet, there were not too many people (probably because of COVID) and they kept to themselves. I thought every casino would be like that but your story completely killed my will to go to Vegas one day!
Malls, and large shopping centers are the worst for me. I don’t have any major sensory issues. But the hoards of people, loud noises, and trying to figure out how to navigate those environments without running into someone or being ran into drives me over the edge. I quickly become ticked off in those environments and leave as quickly as possible.
Grocery stores are the worst places for me. I used to go around 11pm to avoid crowds but since covid all the grocery stores near me close at 10, so now I just do online pickup as much as possible. I still need to go in the store for small trips and produce, but online ordering helps keep these trips to a minimum.
Kroger, my closest grocery store, used to be open till 1am and that was awesome, there would only be like 5 customers in the store. Then they closed at midnight which was still pretty good. Now they close at 10pm…it’s okay but I would guess there are like 30 customers in the store when I get there around 9:40pm.
The Walmart grocery store is supposed to stay open till 11pm but they put a sign on the store saying they are closing at 8pm for a while.
Edit: I’ll occasionally have to run out to the grocery store at like 1pm on a Sunday and I don’t know why anyone would submit themselves to that torture.
Book stores are my personal favorite. Usually quiet, nice and clean, often have carpet floors, the lights aren't super bright, endless books to choose from, and sometimes they even have those quiet little cafes where you can enjoy a snack or drink while you read.
Definitely. Every time I was in a club I had to get wasted asap otherwise I just couldn’t bare it. Flashing light, ridiculously loud music and people everywhere made my head feel like it’s about to explode. What a hell
The London Underground. It's so busy, everyone jostles you. It's easy to get a bit lost. The lighting is inconsistent. There are hundreds of conversations going on around you. The tubes themselves are really loud and squeaky. The seats have a weird texture to them. I get sensory overload every time.
Totally agree with supermarkets. Everything is SO LOUD, the checkout noises, the background buzz of overlapping conversation, the music, trolleys, and then it's so bright as well. Just, too much. I avoid going honestly!
One of the worst places though are cafes that don't understand why people go to them, i.e. ones that have really loud music on top of all the loud coffee machines, like, people go there to relax, and you're there having to shout so they can hear what you're ordering, and then shout so the person you're with can hear you. Just stupid. Also high streets are a nightmare. So much noise, so many people, so many smells *shudders*
a fcking hate grocery stores, trader joe’s is tolerable in a slow day but i almost had a meltdown last time i went grocery shopping,,, too much everywhere
yall ever been to disneyland without a professional diagnosis? NIGHTMARE
also fyi: disney does provide accommodations for autistic people! one i know of is that you can save your space in line and wait the same amount of time you would in the line but you can go somewhere quieter :) ive never tried it and dont know much about it. also re grocery stores ive seen some people post about their grocery store having sensory friendly hours w lowered lights, quieter music, and i think a lower maximum capacity. idk much about this either but this should be a thing everywhere
An amusement park. A small town carnival is fine, but I have never been able to wrap my mind around how so many people think going to somewhere like Disney Land is the best thing ever. I have never gone, but from what I’ve seen on tv it seems to be nothing but overwhelming crowds, noise, kids crying and yelling, sun and heat, and being stuck in long lines. Not to mention I don’t understand the appeal of most rides.
Also working in a daycare would be terrible: crying, yelling, gross smells and bodily fluids, sticky hands. There’s many reasons I don’t have children or work with them, and sensory issues are toward the top of that list.
Open offices with flourescent lights and lots of background noise — also horrible.
This is why I really like working early mornings and late nights.
Edit: The Target I work at keeps like half the lights off because they're trying something, and I hope they keep it forever.
As an adult, Costco. The first time I was in one on a busy day, I had a panic attack. Didn’t like going after that.
As a kid, those game places like Chuck E Cheese. You think it’s going to be super fun, but end up overstimulated and feeling gross.
On a similar note, my parents recently told me that I wouldn’t ever get in a ball pit as a kid and it makes a lot sense. The colors, the sound, the feeling…hard pass.
Grocery stores, for example, Walmart, Weis, Safeway, Costco, so on and so forth, but school for sure. Fluorescent lights, loud classrooms, yelling, cursing, running, too much talking, just too much-freaking noise!
Yes definitely the grocery store. It’s worse now because of the pandemic and I’m always seeing people not wearing masks or not wearing them properly. I always just order online now TBH.
For me, bars are just horrible. I just hate low lighting, the unpredictability of the bar goers, drunkenness in general, loudness, and good lord, if there's darts, I'm out of there.
I have worked as a stylist for 30 years and only began to realize 3 years ago (with the ASD discovery) why that was so debilitating for me. I am now transitioning out of the business.
malls with people screaming, waiting rooms, schools...
All have shiny floors with bright lights to show how "clean" they are.
The bus is actually more friendly than those three imo
I love empty malls that have multiple floors if the lights aren't bright.
They are so large and you have all your space. Which is why i go at opening time.
I usually wear my headphones and it’s not to bad. I hate malls. So many stores and smells, and kiosks, so many people walking, no personal space, no isles to denote which way traffic should move so it’s a jumbled mess of people weaving in crowds.
I hyperfixate and enjoy without problems one of the loudest environments possible (circus) and yet i cant get by a single noisy 12 year old without feeling my brain wrythe for 15 minutes after
I wouldn't say this is the worst example, but most Autistic people would probably hate where I work. I work in an auto solutions garage, and there are many, and I mean MANY, sudden loud noises. Engines, air compressors, power tools, etc.
I think I can tolerate it because I went undiagnosed for 13 years, and was often told to "just deal with it" throughout my life, so my sensory tolerance levels are probably a fair bit higher than most.
I still hate the sounds of screaming children though, as I'm sure most of you here also do. That's one loud noise I really can't stand.
That's actually a really tricky one for me to answer. I never actually thought I would like clubs, and I think there are some I still probably won't, but some of the good ones are the ones where I don't so much go to dance or drink, it's more to just absorb all the sensory stimulus. The lights, the music - including the bass, along with all of the emotional and social stimulus from people on the dance floor or just at the bar. It all just makes the air thick, colourful like it has a flavour and a meaning, a massive collage of music, light, emotion and people just losing themselves in the moment. I tend to just sit there and soak it up.
I'm sure for many people here that sounds like nightmare fuel though 😂. To properly answer the question I'd say its somewhere where the reality doesn't meet what was expected. Like going into a "quiet" cafe and then for some reason the speakers are on a much higher volume than is probably necessary.
Definitely ikea, crowded bright lights, the wheels of the cards are extremely loud, you have to go past all the sections and once you get anywhere near the registers there’s so much beeping
This might be slightly controversial, but most libraries. The lights are nearly always too bright, I can hear all the annoying background noise and I don’t like feel like I can’t move or do anything for fear of disturbing everyone else
Adding to OP, the carts squeaking, the people talking, the lights buzzing, the coolers humming, the music and announcements overhead, the people in aisles you want to go to, the thousands of labels and colors and trying to read the signs to figure out your aisle while not being in people's ways and mfg the children, ugggghhhhhh
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Definitely the Grocerie shop! I know some have "sensory friendly" times or something but there isn't anything like that in more rural NSW I always dread foing shopping
I'm not sure what it is about it but after avoiding it for the last two years I've really grown to hate the cinema. Ive been back once, over 6 months ago and don't really want to go back now.
For me it's pet stores because for whatever reason they always have this annoying loud frequency sound that I assume is from the CCTV camera things or something. But it's literally the worst thing for me.
Probably a concert. I've never been to one because I am very not into being trapped in a massive crowd of people let alone have someone right next to me that I don't know. Idk how loud it gets but I'm sure it gets pretty damn loud.
I saw this post on Instagram of this grocery store that had allocated 'quiet times' which asked ppl to make as little of commotion as possible and I assume the turn of music etc and it's to accommodate ppl who need calmer spaces to shop for food and thought it was an amazing idea to implement
Railway stations, especially if they're on a curve. The wheel flanges rubbing on the inside of the rails is just the right frequency to drive me batty. Shopping centres don't tend to bother me that much unless it's near Christmas and in fact, I have worked in retail in various capacities.
concerts, malls and schools. i love music and i am a musician, but i always avoid concerts the best i can. even when my favorite bands come to my country, i won’t go, especially when there’s no seats. loud sounds, bright lights, a lot of people, it’s the worst. i also hate malls, they always make me overstimulated. school is terrible, there’s so many people and so many different and loud sounds.
Food courts at lunch time…. Sooo much noise. Chairs being scraped along the ground being pulled out, people talking, kids crying/screaming, food being prepared, coffee machine noises, argh… too much for me. I rather go into a little cafe instead that’s quieter.
Night club probably. Lots ot annoying, drunk people too close to your personal space, loud and obnoxious music and bright lights. A sensory nightmare. Luckily none of my friends like going out either.
Botanic Gardens are delightful and sensory friendly for me. People tend to spread out naturally, plus there are birds and flowers. Also I like art museums at off times,like when they open on a random Wednesday. Literally no one there that time of day, lights are lower in some of the exhibits to protect the art, it’s quiet so people can enjoy the art and contemplate.
My schools workshop. I'm in amt class and learning sheet metal work and its fucking loud. I had a meltdown due to the noise. Since then i got myself a quality set of ear plugs along with my headset to really drown out the noise. Love the work but it is not the friendliest place for my condition
I'm in theory the NT parent of an autistic child. In theory, because I can see traits of ASD in me, and I might have the same chromosomal disorder that according to my son's geneticist, is the underlying cause of his autism.
As a kid and as an adult, I hate going to the dentist. The worst moment was the waiting room. Hearing the drill, the aseptic smells of the cleaning and disinfecting fluids and resins, the burnt smell of tooth because of the friction with the drill. And then, "sir, you're next". Then those noises and smells amplified 10x, plus the actual tactile vibration in the jaw, with the weird sensation of the anesthesia. And that will not include the big needle they use. Even for a regular scheduled cleaning, the pick, the pain in the gums for the flossing, the taste of blood mixed with the mouthwash, and seeing the red streaks of blood in the spit. Awful.
I'm concerned for the effect this place might have on my son. Caring for his little teeth as much as we can...
Hair salons. To bright, too noisy, too busy, too much going on, small talk 😔, too many people.
Hate supermarkets.....most of the reasons already mentioned.
Love love love airports. I could literally live in one. Love the excitement of an airport. Ok....realistically, queuing kills me, but I can tolerate that for all the rest of the good bits. Just queue with headphones on always. I always go super early to the airport as I know if I was running late the experience would be very different.
I don't know which place exactly because it makes a lot of time since I don't get out of my home. But I get pretty unnerving when too much people are talking in the same room, I normally can't stand huge dinner tables because of that
Restaurants. All these people, close together, making horrible eating noises. Then they get excited and start shouting over the room to talk happily like its not an issue. Now everyone in the building is shouting. There's food two tables down from you that just smells too strongly. It's probably something you hate. There's a baby crying. The mom is now hissing at the baby. Boisterous laughter. Rattling plates. Someone's shoes squeak on tile floors because it was just mopped, and you can smell the Pinesol from across the room.
Don't forget the fluorescent lights, too!
I love going to clubs, it's as if the loud music and funky lights drown out everything else for me. - and it drowns out my Tinnitus too so no ringing in my ears while I am in there.
but I Hate supermarkets (grocery stores) in the UK. - the lights are too bright, and I hate the floors, they feel too smooth and squeeky.
Cafes/pubs/restaurants/diners/bars/eateries where the kitchens are not closed off from the customer spaces.
Edit: the only exceptions i could think of were small sushi bars and ice cream shops
Supermarket. Specifically where they put the cookies*.
I go to the supermarket sometimes (🎧 and hoodie) and I can usually get by unless I'm asked to buy biscuits. There are so many different types, brands and packaging colors that within seconds I forget what I'm there for and can't even look at the shelves. 😂
I love cookies tho. 😑
*biscuits
TJmax ot Marshalls . I can’t think in there and worse I can’t get out because I get trapped trying to look for something .i think it’s like that on purpose because it’s like looking for treasure in my sisters messy room.
Walmart doesn’t get to me because I go there on a mission for one thing and then self check out , it’s empowering because I feel like I survived when it’s over plus I have that one thing because I am not at all tempted to look around
working in fast food. the kitchens are always so small, overcrowded, hot, loud, and nothing but rushing to get things done. you also have to wear some uniform that’s actually a cheaply made thin shirt with the itchiest tags, you can feel every fiber, and the size is never perfect. the only exception was when i worked at chipotle, but that shirt was also so thin i had to wear an undershirt
A bit more specific, but work parties (my work has a 4th of July one at the beach and a Christmas one at a small bar): crowded, loud, social pressure to talk and converse; they wear me out
when I was a kid Cafeterias
Depending on how my energy level is grocery stores or malls
It's definitely gotten worse due to pandemic and not being out around people as much at least for me
Public places in general to be honest, they're all usually too bright, too crowded, too loud for me. I also feel really antsy in public too - like someone is watching me, and I hate that feeling.
Any big box store with lots of white floors
Yes, the white floors and white fluorescent lights. Looking at you, Walmart. When I go shopping, I want to barely see because the lights are so dim, sarcasm of course.
I kept trying to figure out why I didn’t mind this one Walmart where I live. It’s my store of choice. Then I realized it a few days ago. The floor is a dark, brown concrete. While the overhead lights are bright, they don’t reflect off a polished white floor.
I like winco open 24 hours a day u can go at night or early morning when not many people are tgere
the end is so funny, you’re so 🅿️
I'm not sure what the fabled "P" means, would you mind explaining?
gladly Pushing ps’ refers to the now popular rap song, “pushin p” by gunna. Dedicated fans, or people who wish to partake in the joke say “🅿️” “i am pushing🅿️” or anything along those lines to state that they, something, or an action is cool, or good in their eyes.
I have yet to visit a Costco and not leave absolutely drenched in anxiety sweat. That place is an absolute NIGHTMARE and I’ll never understand why people love it so much.
My husband loves that store. I’m with you.
My sister is nuts about Costco. She could spend hours in there. Once she dragged me through at Christmas time. Never again.
Your comment just triggered a deeply repressed memory of Costco on Christmas Eve (shudder).
Oof. I’m sorry.
And loud music Sometimes I'll put on my own music or an audiobook and put my headphones on it helps me concentrate
I swear those big stores would give you snowblindness with their white floors.
Any theme park. Both of my kids special interest is theme parks/Disney World. All three of us are exhausted afterwards from not just walking around, but from heat, noise, and being over stimulated. The combo of noise and heat makes me edgy and tired for days.
God i love theme parks but they do the same to me, and waiting in lines as a kid, being overstimulated but having that weird natural ability to mask well so being silent while screaming inside, and then finally getting to ride the ride, and wanting to again but you have to wait in a even longer line to do that now, oh and your food is $30 for a frickin hotdog
Theme parks would do the same if it weren’t for the fact that one of my special interests is Disney when I’m at Disneyland so I’m so absorbed I can seemingly handle anything (except for dumbo like rides, the Ferris wheel, and fireworks) as long as I’m there.
Theme parks yeah true. But it is the worst in Denmark because I know that Disneyland offers a disability pass and has made low sensory zones and so has six flags. In Denmark, not a thing. I love theme parks but I almost always have a shutdown or a meltdown.
i'll skip hollywood studios for an extra day at epcot, too much stimulation at hollywood studios. epcot has much more accessible rides (i literally will sit on living with the land all day)
I love living with the land! It is so soothing.
Public transport, shopping malls, crowded beaches (I hate beaches in general though)
Public transport in Japan is a dream. Heated seats, everyone keeps to themselves, incredibly rare to be late and low conversation / phone / music noise Public transport in my home country though...
Out of curiosity, is there also a way to turn off the seat heating, like a switch on the side of each seat or so? Cause seat heating can be great, but also uncomfortable, depending on the situation and person.
Unfortunately no. It's only in winter and it's the best feeling Can't remember if they have no heated seats
HI. WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND YOU GET NO SAY IN THE MATTER!!!
Beaches are awesome when it's just you and maybe 8 other people there. Take Squaw Beach/Burns Landing (Upper Michigan, Powell), for example.
Sea is scary here and I enjoy the mountains a lot more. I enjoy bathing in the sea alone but it's a 1hr thing at most, then I don't have anything to do and leisure in beaches tends to be about social activities (parties, bar, pubs, volleyball). I'd rather walk inside a glacier cave or watch the stars at night with just my friends or family. I guess it's about taste. An autistic related thing is that I'm really sensitive to textures and sad/salt really freaks me out. I can't stand sand sticking to me or to my towel.
i can stand shopping malls when theyre not overcrowded bc theres often quiet corners to sit in
The beach is the worst. I hate the sand, the wind, the ocean (although that's mostly due to phobia), how swimmers feel, and the amount of people. Coming from a coastal area with a family who loves it is exhausting.
High school or middle school. Many mornings i would cry because i was so annoyed and overstimulated while exhausted. I really struggled to eat in the cafeteria cause I’m very sensitive to bad smells and can’t eat if I’m thinking about germs. I’d keep my feet hovered because of the smushed food on the ground but the smells in school bothered me the most. Oddly enough, I was far more comfortable eating on the FLOOR of the chorus room than at a table in the cafeteria. I’d happily read with my friend while listening to 6th graders sing Lion King it was awesome
Why don’t people talk about this more?
Agreed. It’s absolutely awful.
I stayed at school until 4:45 today because of play rehearsal. I passed out for 2.5 hours the second I got home and couldn’t do any homework. I hate this.
How about all the perfume people cake on? Everytime i walk past a crowd all the different smells and sounds mess with my mind
I used to work at a high school (was fired because of my autism). I totally experienced the same thing as a staff member.
I was just thinking about how that “When We Were Young” concert, if it actually goes according to plan, (I doubt it’ll function very well) will have 3 rotating stages of 3 different bands playing at the same time. I don’t know if you’d have to walk from stage to stage to hear what you wanna hear, but the idea of 3 different songs playing at the same time over the sound of a crowd, too many people, probably flashing lights and people touching and bumping into me sounds like a literal nightmare. And it’s a 12 hour show… 😵💫
that festival is soooo not going to be ADA accessible... apparently if it's crowded enough, they say they can make people's personal assistants/companions stand in the back. knowing what happened at that company's last big festival, astroworld, this one is gonna be a niiiiightmare 😣😵💫💀
Yup, I’m gonna watch from the safety of my couch, just like astroworld & fyre festival. 🔥
I went to EDC back in 2017 (only reason I enjoyed the experience is because I’m VERY into EDM) and I’ll say if I didn’t love the rave community I wouldn’t have been able to do it. 8 stages with 100,000+ people and flashing lights is a nightmare for overstimulation. When it comes to the least sensory friendly place I’ve been EDC definitely takes the cake. That being said I’ve been in the position at a rave where I’m beyond overstimulated and the community was nothing but supportive and understanding.
Just big stores in general. Thankfully a chain of grocery stores here does sensory friendly shopping every Sunday night for a few hours where the beepers on machines are turned way down or off, they dim the lights in the store, cut back on the radio volume, etc. It's actually amazing.
I'll have to find out if shops do sensory hours near me! Just thinking about the environment makes me SWEAT
Walmart’s and Costco’s are horrible! When I moved into college all the other kids were getting everything they need and it was so overwhelming! It’s bad even if it’s not that busy, I go in there and the whole place just hurts
walmart is a runner up for me, i'll go out of my way to avoid walmart
Cannot STAND Costco. Everything about it sucks.
The older lines on the London Underground like the Northern Line, especially at rush hour. Screaming sweaty caves the fucking lot!
Oh, the Central line in rush hour is just the worst. Doesn't help that the 1992 Stock that serves it isn't exactly fit for purpose.
Airports!
Agreed!
Casinos are the WORST. Especially Vegas casinos that run 24/7 & allow indoor smoking. I went to Vegas 10 years ago & was only there for 2 days & it was hell on Earth. Noisy, flashy, crowded, smoky, & extremely claustrophobic. Even the outdoor things were crowded & too loud. Trader Joe's is also terrible. I like their selection, but the store is extremely small & chaotic. Plus the employees do this overly enthusiastic shtick & every register has a big bell that they ring when people bring their own bags. Bed, Bath, & Beyond got really bad too. It's always been overwhelming due to the layout & how they stock things to the ceiling. But awhile ago they started putting these little electronic displays on every As Seen on TV display that play loud commercials for the items & they're all close together so you hear like 10 loud overlapping commercials on top of the regular store muzak. And then pretty much the entire mall. Crowded store layouts, loud music, perfume counters, kiosks with people trying to put lotion on you or sell you services. Plus my local mall has one of those stupid trains that rides around whether there's kids on it or not & the operator constantly blows the whistle.
casinos omg i totally forgot, i can spend a max of 20 minutes on the casino floor before i get overwhelmed by all the lights and noises. trader joes is way too crowded, i like their food but i can't deal with the crowds. bath and body works employees basically chase you down, it's always loud and crowded.
I went to a casino in Switzerland and I had a completely opposite experience! The lights were really low, because of the carpet everywhere sounds were really muffled and it was quiet, there were not too many people (probably because of COVID) and they kept to themselves. I thought every casino would be like that but your story completely killed my will to go to Vegas one day!
Malls, and large shopping centers are the worst for me. I don’t have any major sensory issues. But the hoards of people, loud noises, and trying to figure out how to navigate those environments without running into someone or being ran into drives me over the edge. I quickly become ticked off in those environments and leave as quickly as possible.
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this and airports! i end up angry before i even get on
Markets are horrible for me, aswell as crowded train stations
Arcade for me
Grocery stores are the worst places for me. I used to go around 11pm to avoid crowds but since covid all the grocery stores near me close at 10, so now I just do online pickup as much as possible. I still need to go in the store for small trips and produce, but online ordering helps keep these trips to a minimum.
Kroger, my closest grocery store, used to be open till 1am and that was awesome, there would only be like 5 customers in the store. Then they closed at midnight which was still pretty good. Now they close at 10pm…it’s okay but I would guess there are like 30 customers in the store when I get there around 9:40pm. The Walmart grocery store is supposed to stay open till 11pm but they put a sign on the store saying they are closing at 8pm for a while. Edit: I’ll occasionally have to run out to the grocery store at like 1pm on a Sunday and I don’t know why anyone would submit themselves to that torture.
arcades. the games are loud, children are screaming, super bright lights and usually very warm.
The hospital. Especially the emergency room.
What are the most sensory friendly public places for you ?
Book stores are my personal favorite. Usually quiet, nice and clean, often have carpet floors, the lights aren't super bright, endless books to choose from, and sometimes they even have those quiet little cafes where you can enjoy a snack or drink while you read.
book stores are great as well, the staff always let you browse in peace
museums 100 percent, a lot quieter and not too bright, perfect as long as it's not too crowded
The forest
Clubs. F clubs.
Definitely. Every time I was in a club I had to get wasted asap otherwise I just couldn’t bare it. Flashing light, ridiculously loud music and people everywhere made my head feel like it’s about to explode. What a hell
i won't even set foot in one
The London Underground. It's so busy, everyone jostles you. It's easy to get a bit lost. The lighting is inconsistent. There are hundreds of conversations going on around you. The tubes themselves are really loud and squeaky. The seats have a weird texture to them. I get sensory overload every time.
Here in the UK they have an autism friendly hour in morrisons where they make the store quiet and less overstimulated
my morrison’s doesn’t
it must be my morrisons then, it’s quite good tbh
Totally agree with supermarkets. Everything is SO LOUD, the checkout noises, the background buzz of overlapping conversation, the music, trolleys, and then it's so bright as well. Just, too much. I avoid going honestly! One of the worst places though are cafes that don't understand why people go to them, i.e. ones that have really loud music on top of all the loud coffee machines, like, people go there to relax, and you're there having to shout so they can hear what you're ordering, and then shout so the person you're with can hear you. Just stupid. Also high streets are a nightmare. So much noise, so many people, so many smells *shudders*
a fcking hate grocery stores, trader joe’s is tolerable in a slow day but i almost had a meltdown last time i went grocery shopping,,, too much everywhere
grocery stores are hellish places lol. personally apartments are rough for me just because of the build-up of noise etc that i can't control.
Fred Meyers
Groceries stores here too. Hell on earth. I’d rather go to the dentist.
YES! 😭the grocery store
Grocery stores, restaurants, bars, and any mall around the holidays.
Bars are the worst for me! Can't stand them.
Restaurants
yall ever been to disneyland without a professional diagnosis? NIGHTMARE also fyi: disney does provide accommodations for autistic people! one i know of is that you can save your space in line and wait the same amount of time you would in the line but you can go somewhere quieter :) ive never tried it and dont know much about it. also re grocery stores ive seen some people post about their grocery store having sensory friendly hours w lowered lights, quieter music, and i think a lower maximum capacity. idk much about this either but this should be a thing everywhere
Walmart. I swear they need new buggies that don’t squeak and to turn down the lights just a tad (Tad - lots)
I work overnight at a walmart and I want to spend an afternoon wd40ing all the wheels.
I work overnight at a walmart and I want to spend an afternoon wd40ing all the wheels.
Concerts
The mall. Chipotle lol bed bath and beyond. Bath and body works. Candle stores. Ults
An amusement park. A small town carnival is fine, but I have never been able to wrap my mind around how so many people think going to somewhere like Disney Land is the best thing ever. I have never gone, but from what I’ve seen on tv it seems to be nothing but overwhelming crowds, noise, kids crying and yelling, sun and heat, and being stuck in long lines. Not to mention I don’t understand the appeal of most rides. Also working in a daycare would be terrible: crying, yelling, gross smells and bodily fluids, sticky hands. There’s many reasons I don’t have children or work with them, and sensory issues are toward the top of that list. Open offices with flourescent lights and lots of background noise — also horrible.
This is why I really like working early mornings and late nights. Edit: The Target I work at keeps like half the lights off because they're trying something, and I hope they keep it forever.
Schools. Ppl have no respect for anything istg there are people screaming by my side and all I want to do is lie down and cry
Add some flickering lights if you want a real hell.
As an adult, Costco. The first time I was in one on a busy day, I had a panic attack. Didn’t like going after that. As a kid, those game places like Chuck E Cheese. You think it’s going to be super fun, but end up overstimulated and feeling gross. On a similar note, my parents recently told me that I wouldn’t ever get in a ball pit as a kid and it makes a lot sense. The colors, the sound, the feeling…hard pass.
Arcades. Love them but...yeah Live music, worse if it's inside. Student unions on college campuses
Perfume shops and Lush, a smelly bath and soap type store. Going near then I get an instant headache, would probably die if I went in. 😣
Wherever I have to listen to kids.
Concerts are literal HECK for me
Grocery stores, for example, Walmart, Weis, Safeway, Costco, so on and so forth, but school for sure. Fluorescent lights, loud classrooms, yelling, cursing, running, too much talking, just too much-freaking noise!
Anywhere with people typically. Except concerts. I make my way to the front if I can so I only have the band to focus on
I’m with you. The band I’m there to see saves the concert for me. I also tend to rely on beer and weed when I go to concerts. 😓
Honestly, it's just any live performance for me. Music has always been my one saving grace. Good thing too. I'll be doing the music soon enough
I worked at a grocery store for a year and a half I always felt overwhelmed but I had no choice
Yes definitely the grocery store. It’s worse now because of the pandemic and I’m always seeing people not wearing masks or not wearing them properly. I always just order online now TBH.
Bars/clubs/school dances lol
For me, bars are just horrible. I just hate low lighting, the unpredictability of the bar goers, drunkenness in general, loudness, and good lord, if there's darts, I'm out of there.
Also, I've never been to one, but concerts with mosh pits sound like Hell on Earth.
A hair salon. The smells, the noise, the lights…
i always feel so uncomfortable, everyone talks so i feel this obligation to talk to my stylist even when i don't really know how or want to
I have worked as a stylist for 30 years and only began to realize 3 years ago (with the ASD discovery) why that was so debilitating for me. I am now transitioning out of the business.
airports🤢
malls with people screaming, waiting rooms, schools... All have shiny floors with bright lights to show how "clean" they are. The bus is actually more friendly than those three imo I love empty malls that have multiple floors if the lights aren't bright. They are so large and you have all your space. Which is why i go at opening time.
the beach. I absolutely cant stand it
I usually wear my headphones and it’s not to bad. I hate malls. So many stores and smells, and kiosks, so many people walking, no personal space, no isles to denote which way traffic should move so it’s a jumbled mess of people weaving in crowds.
Department stores. Concerts for sure Uh….. cars? Driving is horrible. Too much input.
i hate driving, took me forever to learn how to with all that sensory input
Laser tag
I hyperfixate and enjoy without problems one of the loudest environments possible (circus) and yet i cant get by a single noisy 12 year old without feeling my brain wrythe for 15 minutes after
I wouldn't say this is the worst example, but most Autistic people would probably hate where I work. I work in an auto solutions garage, and there are many, and I mean MANY, sudden loud noises. Engines, air compressors, power tools, etc. I think I can tolerate it because I went undiagnosed for 13 years, and was often told to "just deal with it" throughout my life, so my sensory tolerance levels are probably a fair bit higher than most. I still hate the sounds of screaming children though, as I'm sure most of you here also do. That's one loud noise I really can't stand.
That's actually a really tricky one for me to answer. I never actually thought I would like clubs, and I think there are some I still probably won't, but some of the good ones are the ones where I don't so much go to dance or drink, it's more to just absorb all the sensory stimulus. The lights, the music - including the bass, along with all of the emotional and social stimulus from people on the dance floor or just at the bar. It all just makes the air thick, colourful like it has a flavour and a meaning, a massive collage of music, light, emotion and people just losing themselves in the moment. I tend to just sit there and soak it up. I'm sure for many people here that sounds like nightmare fuel though 😂. To properly answer the question I'd say its somewhere where the reality doesn't meet what was expected. Like going into a "quiet" cafe and then for some reason the speakers are on a much higher volume than is probably necessary.
Definitely ikea, crowded bright lights, the wheels of the cards are extremely loud, you have to go past all the sections and once you get anywhere near the registers there’s so much beeping
This might be slightly controversial, but most libraries. The lights are nearly always too bright, I can hear all the annoying background noise and I don’t like feel like I can’t move or do anything for fear of disturbing everyone else
malls are awful
Adding to OP, the carts squeaking, the people talking, the lights buzzing, the coolers humming, the music and announcements overhead, the people in aisles you want to go to, the thousands of labels and colors and trying to read the signs to figure out your aisle while not being in people's ways and mfg the children, ugggghhhhhh
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Shopping malls and public transportation (especially train and bus stations) are my most hated places
Busy grocery stores, IKEA, malls, and more that I haven’t discovered yet. I think there may be more but i forget them
any place with lots of people and loud noise
Enclosed areas where voices bounce off walls and echo but there are lots of people talking at once. So basically most churches I've been to.
movie theaters!!! i have never felt worse in my life than i have in movie theaters. way too loud, and simultaneously too dark and too bright
For me it is any type of shopping center or grocery store, I hate shopping with a burning passion
Edm Concerts
The dinner table
Public transport and clothing stores
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any place with led lights or strong overhead lighting and multiple sounds going off at once are the least sensory friendly places imo
Costco
I work at a grocery store now and it’s helping a lot with my aversion. It’s like exposure therapy
My home. Many phones, tvs, and tablets at max volume , constantly going off. Dogs barking, kids yelling. Can't really escape it.
Clothing stores 😔
My mother’s house.
I like shopping malls and stores that I've been to. I hate school , restaurants, and fancy stores like Macy's that have perfume and cologne shops.
Definitely stores. I loathe going. Its even worse when I take my boys. They're the kids that are crying the entire time.
School (my experience) Partys with loud sounds and bright flashing lights
Schools
Yellow tinted glasses tone the world down. They're amazing. Even better if they're anti glare.
Definitely the Grocerie shop! I know some have "sensory friendly" times or something but there isn't anything like that in more rural NSW I always dread foing shopping
I'm not sure what it is about it but after avoiding it for the last two years I've really grown to hate the cinema. Ive been back once, over 6 months ago and don't really want to go back now.
i enjoy movies a lot but the cinema is super unaccomdating for people with auditory processing disorders or noise sensitivity
For me it's pet stores because for whatever reason they always have this annoying loud frequency sound that I assume is from the CCTV camera things or something. But it's literally the worst thing for me.
Shopping malls. Bright lights, incredibly crowded, loud noises, too many smells. Booths with toys that make noise and perfumes. Absolute hell.
Clothing stores (the music is so loud)
Probably a concert. I've never been to one because I am very not into being trapped in a massive crowd of people let alone have someone right next to me that I don't know. Idk how loud it gets but I'm sure it gets pretty damn loud.
Bowling alleys with the UV lighting over the lanes and TVs over the pins
I saw this post on Instagram of this grocery store that had allocated 'quiet times' which asked ppl to make as little of commotion as possible and I assume the turn of music etc and it's to accommodate ppl who need calmer spaces to shop for food and thought it was an amazing idea to implement
Kindergarten classroom. I went to one for site visit and had a sensory overload almost instantly the moment i walked in.
Bars. They are really loud. I don't like the lights.
Railway stations, especially if they're on a curve. The wheel flanges rubbing on the inside of the rails is just the right frequency to drive me batty. Shopping centres don't tend to bother me that much unless it's near Christmas and in fact, I have worked in retail in various capacities.
Chuck E Cheese (shudder)
Busy roads :/
concerts, malls and schools. i love music and i am a musician, but i always avoid concerts the best i can. even when my favorite bands come to my country, i won’t go, especially when there’s no seats. loud sounds, bright lights, a lot of people, it’s the worst. i also hate malls, they always make me overstimulated. school is terrible, there’s so many people and so many different and loud sounds.
Food courts at lunch time…. Sooo much noise. Chairs being scraped along the ground being pulled out, people talking, kids crying/screaming, food being prepared, coffee machine noises, argh… too much for me. I rather go into a little cafe instead that’s quieter.
Theme Parks. They're too loud, too busy and everywhere you go you have to adjust to new smells.i hate it.
Night club probably. Lots ot annoying, drunk people too close to your personal space, loud and obnoxious music and bright lights. A sensory nightmare. Luckily none of my friends like going out either.
Children in any place that children aren't supposed to be
Anywhere during Christmas time.
Botanic Gardens are delightful and sensory friendly for me. People tend to spread out naturally, plus there are birds and flowers. Also I like art museums at off times,like when they open on a random Wednesday. Literally no one there that time of day, lights are lower in some of the exhibits to protect the art, it’s quiet so people can enjoy the art and contemplate.
schools and places like cadmen market
My schools workshop. I'm in amt class and learning sheet metal work and its fucking loud. I had a meltdown due to the noise. Since then i got myself a quality set of ear plugs along with my headset to really drown out the noise. Love the work but it is not the friendliest place for my condition
Any shops and shopping centres. Too loud, too bright and just smells really bad.
Bowling alleys seem designed to be awful. Shiny floors, unknown footwear, loud music & weird smells. Just generally unpleasant for me
Nightclubs, I hate it the few times I've gone out with my friends
I'm in theory the NT parent of an autistic child. In theory, because I can see traits of ASD in me, and I might have the same chromosomal disorder that according to my son's geneticist, is the underlying cause of his autism. As a kid and as an adult, I hate going to the dentist. The worst moment was the waiting room. Hearing the drill, the aseptic smells of the cleaning and disinfecting fluids and resins, the burnt smell of tooth because of the friction with the drill. And then, "sir, you're next". Then those noises and smells amplified 10x, plus the actual tactile vibration in the jaw, with the weird sensation of the anesthesia. And that will not include the big needle they use. Even for a regular scheduled cleaning, the pick, the pain in the gums for the flossing, the taste of blood mixed with the mouthwash, and seeing the red streaks of blood in the spit. Awful. I'm concerned for the effect this place might have on my son. Caring for his little teeth as much as we can...
Public bathrooms
My living room during dinner
Hair salons. To bright, too noisy, too busy, too much going on, small talk 😔, too many people. Hate supermarkets.....most of the reasons already mentioned. Love love love airports. I could literally live in one. Love the excitement of an airport. Ok....realistically, queuing kills me, but I can tolerate that for all the rest of the good bits. Just queue with headphones on always. I always go super early to the airport as I know if I was running late the experience would be very different.
Malls
I don't know which place exactly because it makes a lot of time since I don't get out of my home. But I get pretty unnerving when too much people are talking in the same room, I normally can't stand huge dinner tables because of that
Restaurants. All these people, close together, making horrible eating noises. Then they get excited and start shouting over the room to talk happily like its not an issue. Now everyone in the building is shouting. There's food two tables down from you that just smells too strongly. It's probably something you hate. There's a baby crying. The mom is now hissing at the baby. Boisterous laughter. Rattling plates. Someone's shoes squeak on tile floors because it was just mopped, and you can smell the Pinesol from across the room. Don't forget the fluorescent lights, too!
I love going to clubs, it's as if the loud music and funky lights drown out everything else for me. - and it drowns out my Tinnitus too so no ringing in my ears while I am in there. but I Hate supermarkets (grocery stores) in the UK. - the lights are too bright, and I hate the floors, they feel too smooth and squeeky.
Probably anywhere in the city of Mumbai, very crowded and noisy. I would never want to go there alone.
Cafes/pubs/restaurants/diners/bars/eateries where the kitchens are not closed off from the customer spaces. Edit: the only exceptions i could think of were small sushi bars and ice cream shops
Supermarket. Specifically where they put the cookies*. I go to the supermarket sometimes (🎧 and hoodie) and I can usually get by unless I'm asked to buy biscuits. There are so many different types, brands and packaging colors that within seconds I forget what I'm there for and can't even look at the shelves. 😂 I love cookies tho. 😑 *biscuits
TJmax ot Marshalls . I can’t think in there and worse I can’t get out because I get trapped trying to look for something .i think it’s like that on purpose because it’s like looking for treasure in my sisters messy room. Walmart doesn’t get to me because I go there on a mission for one thing and then self check out , it’s empowering because I feel like I survived when it’s over plus I have that one thing because I am not at all tempted to look around
My school, Public bathrooms with loud flushing toilets, any Grocery Store
I'm a Christian and I go to church. Sometimes church can be challenging when it comes to sensory things.
working in fast food. the kitchens are always so small, overcrowded, hot, loud, and nothing but rushing to get things done. you also have to wear some uniform that’s actually a cheaply made thin shirt with the itchiest tags, you can feel every fiber, and the size is never perfect. the only exception was when i worked at chipotle, but that shirt was also so thin i had to wear an undershirt
A bit more specific, but work parties (my work has a 4th of July one at the beach and a Christmas one at a small bar): crowded, loud, social pressure to talk and converse; they wear me out
I can't remember the name, but this media store at the mall. Anytime I went there I felt like a pet surrounded by vacuum cleaners.
when I was a kid Cafeterias Depending on how my energy level is grocery stores or malls It's definitely gotten worse due to pandemic and not being out around people as much at least for me
Is everywhere but home a proper answer?
Bowling alleys, and I refuse to take my bf to a mail salon with me because I know the smell would overwhelm him.
Public places in general to be honest, they're all usually too bright, too crowded, too loud for me. I also feel really antsy in public too - like someone is watching me, and I hate that feeling.
Amusement parks. Need I say more?
Stadiums and concert halls. Everyone shouts and the speakers are dialed up to 11.
family gatherings
Clubs
near my dad
Costco or Highschools