Shopping While Autistic

Sometimes it's difficult for neurotypical people to imagine what it's like to live with the kinds of sensory issues that people on the autism spectrum experience.  Lynne Soraya, an author with Asperger's Syndrome, describes something as seemingly mundane as grocery shopping in this article:

Shopping While Autistic

This is how she describes the low point of her shopping excursion:

A black mist has descended over my vision, I must fight to focus through it. My vision has become subtly pixellated, like a pointillist painting, and I see after-images each time I change focus.  Little bright spots dance across my vision. My ears hurt, my head hurts, and I feel nauseous, but I can’t leave.  Not yet.

 She then concludes:

So, the next time you see a child melting down in a store, please stop for a moment to consider. Try to tune into the sounds and sensory experiences that you normally tune out.  Try to imagine what it must feel like to experience them full force, at the type of intensity that can send even an experienced person over the edge.

It's easy to take for granted how much many of us tune out the sensory input coming at us from our environment.  Descriptions like Lynne's help us remember and empathize with those who have more difficulty than typical.