Light

[oliviaaa1]

Why does store light bother me so much.

I went inside of a store perfectly fine no anxiety at all. My eyes are always sensitive to daylight for some reason and it makes me get kind of a lightheaded effect even know I’m not actually lightheaded . So today when I went in the store the light was bothering me creating a glare and that lightheaded feeling and it made mad feel really stuck and weird. This has nothing to do with anxiety but those feelings made me get anxious because the light was just too much. So then I started to panic because it was overwhelming.

This didn’t make sense but I tried

[oliviaaa1]

I think it’s like an eye strain I’m not sure though

[Agora1]

Hi Olivia, my eyes are also sensitive to daylight. When I use to be anxious, going into

a big box store would set my anxiety off. It took me a while to realize it had to do with

the fluorescent lighting and the almost undetectable buzzing sound it makes.

My therapist had suggested I wear sunglasses when going into a store. Laughingly

she said and if you could find one with blinders on each side it would help. That's why

horses wear blinders so they don't get freaked out by what is around them.

With the anxious person, it just takes some stimulant such as lighting, sound or smell

and fear takes over our bodies. It's caused by our overstimulated nervous system that

unfortunately reacts quickly to any change. I found over time that doing my breathing

exercises helps calm down the nervous system. Stores are no longer an issue. xx

[oliviaaa1 in reply to Agora1]

Thank you 😊 yes I’m 100% it has something to do with the lighting cause once I get use to it I don’t have that problem.

[Agora1 in reply to oliviaaa1]

Oh I don't doubt it Olivia in that it is the lighting.

Another thing I learned along the way was why I felt

kinda sick and eyes burned whenever I went into a Target

or KMart. Found out that new clothes that come into the stores

are sprayed with a chemical allowing them to stay wrinkle free while

on the racks. Go figure.

As we learn what are triggers are and understand where they are coming

from, you are absolutely right in that the anxious feeling disappears. xx

[Laurennnnnnn]

Yes!! I’ve noticed that I have a really difficult time dealing with stores with fluorescent lighting (I think that’s the type). I can’t last long in them at all