I walked into Wal-mart this morning and I got really dizzy and nervous.
Does anyone else get dizzy in stores?
i felt fine before I went in and I'm wondering if I'm programmed now to feel this way without wanting to.
Thanks, Andrea

yes, I get that also. I find that the 'energy' in Target stores is much more relaxing than Wal-Mart.

LOL! I LOVE Target but the lights in there make me crazy! If I can get through it though, which I always do, it's very theraputic....$50 or more later!

I get really dizzy and light headed and blurry eyed in stores with piped in stuff and a lot of lights. Sometimes if the lights reflect off the floors, it makes me really feel fuzzy because I feel like there is no escape.

It's just anxiety. It won't hurt you and you'll make it through the checkout line!

sometimes I think it's just overstimulation. Flourescent lights, music, nasty smells, loud people, chaotic product placement. I miss the little mom and pop places...walmart is so massive. I think us sensitive folks are just having a natural negative reaction to the takeover of Corporate America and the total disregard for anything sacred anymore.

Wow can I relate to this. I absolutely hate going into Wal-Mart because I feel dizzy whenever I go there too. It is way too bright and I think that all of the shelves of products confuses me and makes me anxious. I much prefer smaller stores. I feel more relaxed in a smaller less noisy store.

OMG! i found my people! LOL!

i thought i was the only one that felt this way. i HATE walmart because it is so disorganized in there, and that makes me want to get the heck out of there and fast. they have stuff stacked up all messy, and bins that people have rummaged thru. bleck.

but, target...ahh, target. the epitome of organization. every square inch of that place is planned in great detail. and, if i'm in minneapolis, los angeles or washington dc - it doesn't matter! once you are inside of a target, they are all exactly the same. i know where everything is. and, well, they've got better stuff that walmart, lol.

back to getting dizzy in stores, yeah, that happens to me. and it's like my senses are heightened, too. noises are louder, lights are brighter, annoying, crying children are more annoying than usual. hectic places make me go into sensory overload. and sometimes i get this feeling when that happens like the ground moves. like i feel for a second that the ground moved under my feet - just for a second, and then it goes away. once this happened to me in an IKEA store, and it was really bad and it wouldn't stop! and i told my husband, and he said, 'yeah, i feel it too. the ground IS moving because there are so many people in here walking around it's making the floor bounce a bit.' lol. that made me feel better.

actually, this is very encouraging to see how many peeps prefer target to walmart. i just bought some target stock, lol...so i like to see this trend i want my stock to go up!

target is just a better store. they have better stuff, and the store is suuuuper planned out to be easy to shop in, and relaxing (and of course stuff is strategically placed so you will buy more stuff - ever notice that you go into target for 3 things and end up w/200$ worth of stuff? yeah. another reason i'm buying up more target stocks).

i read a book on target, called 'on target' - it's just about how much planning - a CRAZY amount of planning - goes into organizing and planning the layout of their stores so it is comfortable to shop in. i guess it works! i also read one on walmart - they are crazy organized about stocking the store in a timely manner, but not so much on organizing everything in there. it's a mess in there, usually. and i think the quality of their products is inferior to target. i don't normally read books on companies, but i researched these two in particular because of the stocks, etc. i swear i'm not a nerd!

anyway, i'm originally from mpls, where target is based. when i was a kid, target was local to the mpls area, and the store basically sucked. it had crappy clothes, crappy stuff. we'd go there just to get laundry detergent, etc. and that's about it. i can't believe how much the quality of their merchandise has improved over the years and how much they've expanded. they have designer clothes and cute home stuff, etc. it's a great store. i love that place! even if i win the lottery and can afford to do all my shopping at super expensive boutiques, i'm still going to be at target! love it!

wow, this has nothing to do w/anxiety. sorry.

well this is interesting. I think that target might be a little better than walmart but its the same type of store idea as walmart. I don't see how one could be better than the other other than more comfortable. Anyway, yeah I get anxious in stores cause I constantly look at stuff. I'm obsessed with music so I always go in cd stores and get anxious and like compulsively check cds and take forever, and also forget sometimes what I wanted to look at. Although this is probably more an ocd thing or something. But I do get anxious in stores often. I think just calming yourself by breathing might help and like focusing on just relaxing.

dizzy in stores---I thot something was seriusly wrong with me. Two times I went to Sam's Warehouse alone--shopped awhile then got so dizzy I was sure I would pass out.I quickly went to the deli and got a big glass of lemonade and a piece of pizza--sat calmly until I got my composure. I was OK after that but have been afraid to go back there . I am encouraged to hear others have had the same problem

Hi guys!

Wow, I guess I'm the only one - Target is really hard for me! I don't know why. I live about 5 minutes away too. Walmart I know like the back of my hand. Don't get me wrong, my anxiety has been outta wack lately but I can handle it.

Makes me feel good I'm not the only one!! Even latley it seems my eyes are soooo sensitive to the sun!! We were out looking at houses and just me looking all around with no shades was hard /

I LIKE TARGET BETTER TO GUYS!!!!!
I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE...
WELL EVER SINCE I GOT AGOROPHOBIA I DIDN'T GO SHOPPING IN A YEAR BUT WHEN I USED TO GO TARGET WAS EASIER FOR ME.....

hello, I am so glad that am not alone in this area. I use to love shopping at walmart and would stay for hours. When I first started having these spells I thought I was maybe the only one that set out in the parking lot thinking I really can't do this. I find that if I go I am better off going during the week, vs weekends. The less croud helps somewhat. I still go in and leave as soon as possible. I have actually got to where I like to go to the dollor store if possible. I also like getting prescriptions at Walgreens, you can use the drive through or go in and out faster.

Yes, I get dizzy too, especially in those Super Walmart's and any of those Warehouse stores. I always say, "it's too big for me". Even Home Depot vs. Lowe's Hardware stores. And Lowe's is too big for me. I feel so uncomfortable. Those long isles and products so high. It is so overwhelming, I'm afraid I will get lost, or I can't make it back. I use to be overwhelmed in driving to work in my car. When I would see all those Semi Trucks around me I just cryed, I couldn't handle it. I couldn't see any other cars, any signs, and they were so big around me. Can anyone else relate to some of these other overwhelming things in life?

Can you imagine if you had to work there? That's what I think as I run out of there with all my stuff!!!

Amazing, once again I am not alone!!! These are great message boards! I get like this in malls also. I think it does have something to do with the lighting and big enclosed places. I have had a few spells in Walmart that I felt like I was blacking out......never had them at Target....strange!