People love to say, “It’s just shopping.” For someone with PTSD, that sentence misses the point entirely. Places like Costco aren’t neutral environments. They’re loud, crowded, unpredictable, and poorly designed for flow. Parking lots funnel people into tight spaces with impatient drivers. Entrances bottleneck. Carts clip heels. People stop suddenly. Exits disappear. For most people, …

Continue reading Costco, PTSD, and the Myth of “It’s Just Shopping”