In this episode of Overstimulated & Over 40, Christine explores why working in retail can be especially overwhelming for autistic adults. From bright fluorescent lights and nonstop background noise to unpredictable customers, constant social interaction, shifting expectations, and the pressure to mask, retail environments can create the perfect storm for sensory overload and burnout.

We’ll discuss:

• How lights, music, crowds, and competing sounds affect sensory processing
• Why unpredictable customer interactions can cause anxiety
• The exhaustion of masking emotions and maintaining a “customer service voice”
• How unclear instructions and sudden schedule changes increase stress
• Why breaks may not provide enough time to recover
• The hidden impact of emotional labor and workplace misund ...